If one had to choose a foundational moment in the life of Philippe Regard, you would have to return to the summer of 1988. A twenty something freshly graduated from Paris University of Economics, he heads to St Tropez, allured by seasonal migration where the Parisian elite flocks to the mediterranean to see and be seen. There, he meets Roger Vadim, iconic film director of the French New Wave, now departed, remembered for his role in the cinematographic eclosion of many of the era's most striking women: Brigitte Bardot, Jane Fonda, Catherine Deneuve. Vadim is amused by the energy and audacity of the young man, and hires him as his personal assistant. The ensuing period is that of apprenticeship of the world of the image for Philippe: three plays, two TV series, and one audition tour of France looking for the next generations talent.
After a popular introduction to the art world, the young Philippe learns a foundational lesson: turbulent times either drive the creative impulse away or, on the contrary, strengthen an individual's resolve to express the inner flow of perceptions and emotions that is bubbling beneath the skin. Inspiration comes from hard moments.
After his apprenticeship with Vadim, Philippe moves to Miami and becomes director of photography on film sets. His dream is to write, direct, and produce his own long feature. However, despite saving for years with the hope of directing his own film, he does not manage to see it post production. Still, he is fascinated with the image, the manners in which one may capture the ephemeral moment and extract from a passing impression a universal dimension.
He heads north to New York City, at first as a simple photographer's assistant. The memories of his failed film fade away. He is able to make a living off his art, after finding his own style which irrigates his work until today. Philippe captures his subjects in an intriguing mix of vulnerability and power. Such an approach was popular in the fashion world, where models are too often represented as expressionless pieces of wood.
In 2008, style photography work becomes hard to find. The implosion of the industry leaves Philippe with empty pockets but a head full of ideas. During that year, he moves into an abandoned industrial space in the Gowanus, and re-models it to create his ideal studio. In the lineage of Peter Lindbergh, the natural light of the studio wraps around his models to reveal spontaneous, blinking emotion. These signs tell a story. This story moves the viewer beyond aesthetic considerations.
