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Who are wE_+: New 3D photography exhibition features famous faces
British light artist Chris Levine shoots some of the UK's most loved icons in new show
The British light artist Chris Levine is exhibiting a new series of 3D portraits of some the UK's most loved icons. Following on from his stunning image of Her Majesty the Queen (which sold for a record price at Sotheby's earlier this month), Levine has captured a new line of famous faces including Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Paul Smith and Naomi Campbell.
From holographic portraiture to live performances and ongoing collaborations, Levine’s work is "both transformative and immersive, and often focused on a collective experience that enhances connectedness to the moment," says The Fine Art Society.
With light at their core, the new series follows on from his portraits in recent years of The Dalai Lama, Kate Moss and the Queen - a piece that was widely described as one of the most iconic images of the 21st century to date.
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The pieces focus on the concept of energy and with its star-studded set of models, the exhibition, entitled Who are wE_+, takes on a certain glitz and glamour.
"Increasingly the direction and enquiry of my work is leading me to the ultimate realisation that we are beings of energy," Levine said of the exhibition.
"The question of who we are is a mystery I feel is beyond our bandwidth of perception. My objective in creating a portrait is to get closer to the soul and in so doing express the truth of who we really are."
The London Evening Standard says Levine looks "at both the technical potential and subliminal properties of light, as well as attempting to unlock the light from within the sitter", in turn offering viewers "the widest possible visual sensation".
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The Canadian-born photographer, told Time magazine that he never expected to be shooting icons at this stage in his career.
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Even when he received a call from Buckingham Palace asking him to shoot a portrait of the Queen, Levine initially thought there was some mistake.
"I thought it was a hoax at first! Seriously, I really did. It just seemed so far-fetched."
But the response to the eventual finished piece showed that Levine had hit upon a way of working that resonated with people across the globe.
"The response around the world was astonishing and though I knew the work was special I hadn’t expected such unanimous positivity," he told Sotheby's.
Levine has also hinted he may return to the royal family in the future.
"I did have an enthusiastic conversation with Prince William about the idea of a family portrait. Of course it’s something I’d love to do," he said.
