Collaboration sits at the heart of the creative world. When artists bring together their talent, a special alchemy can happen. This was the case for make-up artist Thomas de Kluyver and photographer Zoë Ghertner’s new book, already past and already again there. Created meticulously over the course of three years, the book presents a free-flowing series of images that explore the human body within both the natural and ‘hyper-natural’ worlds.
After first meeting on the set of a shoot nine years ago, the two creatives bonded over their shared artistic understanding and have since built up a distinct language which they brought to already past and already again there. “Zoë and I have something quite symbiotic when we work together, and I feel the book takes you on a journey into that world,” says de Kluyver, who is known for his work with brands like Gucci, Simone Rocha and Miu Miu. He credits his and Ghertner’s ability to build connections with the subjects they shoot as part of the reason for their successful collaboration. “As a make-up artist, your work is brought to life by the faces that you paint and the people you collaborate with. With Zoë, I feel we have similar ideals in what we are trying to say with our work.”
In the book, the duo play with the balance between recognisable imagery and abstract concepts. De Kluyver’s looks are brought to life by Ghertner’s photography, where we see the gentleness of skin contrasted with harsher environments and textures: grey concrete, soil and wood. These surroundings served as inspiration for De Kluyver and he brought a spontaneous approach to the shoot, often creating the make-up looks in situ.
From touches of bright orange on lashes to mauve pressings of glitter underfoot, these looks command your attention at first but then usher it away just as quickly to the bigger picture. This result, he explains, is intentional: “The make-up looks in this book aren’t traditional make-up as such; they are more touches, colours, and textures that add an extra layer of emotion to each of the images.” The theme of texture within the project also extends to its physical form. Designed by Jonny Lu Studio, the finished product includes a mixture of coated and uncoated paper stock, with pages that can be unfolded.
The project demonstrates the beauty of art made within a partnership of people who share an artistic understanding of one another. “We shot a mix of people who felt very special to us: artists, friends, friends of friends, and models that we both love and feel inspired by,” De Kluyver shares. These conditions of connection and authenticity that the book was built upon come together to create an alluringly intimate project. One where De Kluyver’s outlook on beauty shines through, “I always love beauty looks that are about self-expression and identity. Things that give you power and convey something you feel on the inside creatively on the outside.” he explains.
already past and already again there by Zoë Ghertner and Thomas de Kluyver is out now, published in a limited edition run of 500 copies.
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- Source of information and images “dazeddigital”“
