LaChapelle Land

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The acclaimed Book of 101 Books: Seminal Photographic Books of the Twentieth Century recognizes David LaChapelle’s 1996 LaChapelle Land as its 101st entry. This reissue of the classic, long out of print, showcases LaChapelle’s vivid, high-octane images combined with Tadanori Yokoo’s supersaturated designs, creating an astonishing physical object. LaChapelle's work emphasizes the artificiality of fame and Hollywood culture, presenting a vibrant collision of color, plastic, and whimsy. He states, “There’s a tradition of celebrity portraiture that attempts to uncover the ‘real person’ behind the trappings of their celebrity. I am more interested in those trappings.” His photographs challenge our visual taste and perceptions of celebrity, taking viewers on a roller coaster ride through his hyper-sensationalized universe. Iconic figures like Lil’ Kim, Madonna, and Pamela Anderson are transformed into surreal symbols of status and fantasy. LaChapelle’s uncompromising originality is legendary across fashion, film, and advertising, with his bizarre yet gorgeous images gracing the covers of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and more. LaChapelle Land presents a surreal, attractive vision of fun park America gone awry.