About
David LaChapelle was born in Connecticut in 1963 and attended high school at North Carolina School of The Arts. Originally enrolled as a painter, David began to experiment in the medium of photography developing an analogue technique of hand-painting his own negatives to achieve a sublime spectrum of color before processing his film.
At age 17, LaChapelle moved to New York City. Following his first photography show at Gallery 303, he was hired by Andy Warhol to work at Interview Magazine.
Through his mastery of color, unique composition, and imaginative narratives, LaChapelle began to expand the vernacular of photography. His staged tableau, portrait and still life works challenged devices of traditional photography and his work quickly gained international interest. By 1991, The New York Times predicted, “LaChapelle is certain to influence the work of a new generation...in the same way that Mr. Avedon pioneered so much of what is familiar today.”
In the decades since, LaChapelle has become one of the most published photographers throughout the world with an anthology of books including LaChapelle Land (1996), Hotel LaChapelle (1999), Heaven to Hell (2006), Lost & Found, and Good News (2017). Simultaneously, his work has expanded into music video, film and stage projects. His 2005 feature film, Rize was released theatrically in 17 countries. Many of his still and film works have become iconic archetypes of America in the 21st Century.
In The past 30 years, LaChapelle has exhibited internationally in galleries and museums including the National Portrait Gallery of London, Monnaie de Paris, Barbican Centre, Victoria and Albert Museum, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Musee D’Orsay, Groninger Museum, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, and The U.S. National Portrait Gallery.
“Mr. LaChapelle is certain to influence the work of a new generation of photographers in the same way that Mr. Avedon pioneered so much of what is familiar today.
Mr. Avedon said that 'of all the photographers inventing surreal images, it was Mr. LaChapelle who has the potential to be the genre's Magritte.”
-NY Times
"He isn't very impressed by current photography. ‘There's a lot of pornographic pictures taken by the young today,’... He frowned. ‘A lot of the nudity is just gratuitous. But someone who makes me laugh is David LaChapelle. I think he's very bright, very funny, and good.’'
-Helmut Newton
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
“make BELIEVE” (solo)
Fotografiska, New York
September 9 - January 8, 2023
“I Believe in Miracles” (solo)
Mudec – Museo delle Culture, Milan, Italy
April 22 - September 11, 2022
2021
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Maschio Angioino, Napoli, Italy
December 8 - March 6, 2021
2020
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
W1 Curates, London, UK
July 13 - July 26, 2020
2019
“Radiance” (solo)
Galerie Des Bains, Geneva, Switzerland
October 11, 2019 - January 25, 2020
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Mucciaccia Gallery, Gillman Barracks, Singapore
September 14, 2019 - February 2, 2020
“Atti Divini” (solo)
La Venaria Reale, Turin, Italy
June 14, 2019 - January 6, 2020
“Acts of Nature” (solo)
Reflex, Amsterdam, Netherland
June 1 - September 28, 2019
2018
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” (solo)
Staley Wise Gallery, New York City, NY
December 13, 2018 - March 2, 2019
“Letter to The World” (solo)
Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris, France
November 3 - December 29, 2018
“Songs for the World” (solo)
Stary Browar Art Gallery, Poznan, Poland
September 5 - December 10, 2018
“Recollections of America” (solo)
Galerie Bene Taschen, Cologne, Germany
April 26 - June 7, 2018
“Negative Currency” (solo)
Geuer & Geuer, Dusseldorf, Germany
April 24 - June 20, 2018
“LaChapelle: Good News For Modern Man” (solo)
Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands
April 21 - October 28, 2019
2017
“David LaChapelle: SCAPEs” (solo)
Pearl Lam Galleries, Singapore
December 22, 2017 - February 25, 2018
“Inscape of Beauty” (solo)
Ara Modern Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
November 18, 2016 - May 28, 2017
“New World” (solo)
Maruani Mercier Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
October 11 - November 18, 2017
“David LaChapelle: After the Deluge” (solo)
Beaux Arts Mons, Mons, Belgium
October 27, 2017 - February 25, 2018
“David LaChapelle: SCAPEs” (solo)
Pearl Lam Galleries, Shanghai, China
September 9 - October 31, 2017
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Ballarat International Foto Biennale, Ballarat, Australia
August 19 - September 17, 2017
“Lost and Found” (solo)
Casa Dei Tre Oci, Venice, Italy
April 12 - September 10, 2017
“Lost and Found” (solo)
Instituto Cultural Cabañas, Guadalajara, Mexico
March 30 - July 30, 2017
2016
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Usina del Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina
October 29 - December 30, 2016
“David LaChapelle: Gas Stations” (solo)
Edward Hopper House, Nyack, New York
July 9 - September 11, 2016
“Iluminación” (solo)
Fundación Unión, Montevideo, Uruguay
June 24 - October 7, 2016
“Contemporaneidad” (solo)
Centro De La Fotografia, Montevideo, Uruguay
June 24 - September 4, 2016
“Posmodernidad” (solo)
Espacio De Arte Contemporaneo, Montevideo, Uruguay
June 9 - August 26, 2016
“Símbolos de inmortalidad” (solo)
Museo Agadu, Montevideo, Uruguay
June 22 - August 26, 2016
“David LaChapelle: Muses” (solo)
DSC Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic
March 22 - May 7, 2016
2015
“David LaChapelle: Fotografias 1984 - 2013” (solo)
Museum of Contemporary Art Chile, Santiago, Chile
July 29 - September 27, 2015
“David LaChapelle: Dopo Il Diluvio” (solo)
Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy
April 29 - September 20, 2015
“Fotografias 1984 - 2013” (solo)
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Lima, Peru
January 23 - April 13, 2015
2014
“Land Scape” (solo)
Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris
October 20 - December 23, 2014
“Land Scape” (solo)
Robilant + Voena, Milan, Italy
September 16 - October 17, 2014
“Land Scape” (solo)
Public Exhibition, Bus stop R / Aldwych, London, UK
September 12 - 22, 2014
“Once in the Garden” (solo)
OstLicht. Galerie für Fotografie, Vienna, Austria
June 2 - September 14, 2014
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Jablonka Galerie, Zürich, Switzerland
April 1 - June 7, 2014
“Land Scape” (solo)
Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York, NY
January 17 - March 1, 2014
2013
“Gas Stations” (solo)
Maruani Mercier Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
December 11 - January 31, 2013
“Still Life” (solo)
Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris, France
June 6 - July 26, 2013
2012
“Burning Beauty” (solo)
Fotografiska Museet, Stockholm, Sweden
November 30, 2012 - March 3, 2013
“Still Life” (solo)
Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York
November 28, 2012 - January 19, 2013
“Addicted to Passion” (solo)
Arendt & Medernach, Luxembourg
September 26 - December 30, 2012
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Lucca Center of Contemporary Art, Lucca, Italy
June 29 - November 4, 2012
“Jesus is My Homeboy” (solo)
Jablonka Galerie Böhm Chapel, Köln, Germany
May 14 - August 19, 2012
“Earth Laughs in Flowers” (solo)
Patricia Low Contemporary, Geneva, Switzerland
March 15 - April 29, 2012
“Earth Laughs in Flowers” (solo)
ROBILANT+VOENA Gallery, Milan, Italy
February 16 - March 24, 2012
“Earth Laughs in Flowers” (solo)
ROBILANT+VOENA Gallery, London, UK
February 14 - March 24, 2012
“Earth Laughs in Flowers” (solo)
St. Moritz Art Masters, St. Moritz, Switzerland
February 11 - 26, 2012
2011
“Thus Spoke LaChapelle” (solo)
Galerie Rudolfinum, Prague, Czech Republic
December 7, 2011 - February 26, 2012
“David LaChapelle In Seoul” (solo)
Hangaram Design Museum, Seoul, South Korea
November 22, 2010 - March 4, 2011
“NosOtros: La Humanidad Al Borde” (solo)
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Ricoo
October 21, 2010 - March 25, 2011
“Negative Currency and Recollections in America” (solo)
PRISM, Los Angeles, CA
September 27 - November 5, 2011
“Lost and Found” (solo)
Bratislava City Galler, Pálffy Palace, Bratislava, Slovakia
September 14 - October 31, 2011
“Earth Laughs in Flowers” (solo)
Maruani & Noirhomme Gallery, Knokke, Belgium
August 5 - September 12, 2011
“From Darkness to Light” (solo)
Lever House, New York, NY
June 2 - September 2, 2011
“The Raft” (solo)
de Sarthe Fine Art, Hong Kong, China
May 25 - July 2, 2011
“David LaChapelle: Early Works 1984 - 1988”(solo)
Michelman Fine Art, New York, NY
May 2 - June 15, 2011
“Cathedral” (solo)
Galerie Michael Schultz, Berlin, Germany
April 27 - May 24, 2011
“Earth Laughs in Flowers” (solo)
Kestnergesellschaft, Hannover, Germany
February 25 - May 8, 2011
2010
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Galeria Leyendecker, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
December 17, 2010 - February 26, 2011
“Documents of Desire & Disasters” (solo)
Paul Kasmin Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
December 9, 2010 - March 1, 2011
“Restart” (solo)
Tavi Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel
October 7 - November 4, 2010
“David LaChapelle: Postmodern Pop Photography” (solo)
Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Israel
July 13 - November 20, 2010
“American Jesus”
Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York, NY
July 13 - September 18, 2010
“The Rape of Africa” (solo)
Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto, Canada
May 1 - 31, 2010
“The Rape of Africa” (solo)
Robilant + Voena, London, UK
April 27 - June 23, 2010
“Eden” (solo)
Alain Noirhomme Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
April 20 - May 20, 2010
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
April 9 - May 30, 2010
“Deluge - Awakened” (solo)
Galleria Manzoni, Bergamo, Italy
March 20 - April 28, 2010
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT
March 18 - April 22, 2010
2009
“Cars and Money” (solo)
Wolfgang Roth & Partners Fine Art Gallery, Miami, FL
December 1, 2009 - February 13, 2010
“Rape of Africa” (solo)
Galleria d’arte Moderna, Milan, Italy
November 11 - December 9, 2009
“American Jesus” (solo)
Sebastian Guinness Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
September 18 - November 28, 2009
“The Rape of Africa” (solo)
David DeSanctis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
September 12 - October 31, 2009
“Delirios de Razón” (solo)
Museo de Las Artes, Guadalajara, Mexico
September 4 - November 15, 2009
“The Rape of Africa” (solo)
Galerie Alex Daniels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
June 6 - July 31, 2009
“David LaChapelle: Rétrospective” (solo)
Musée de la Monnaie de Paris, Paris, France
February 6 - May 31, 2009
“Delirios de Razón (Delusions of Reason)” (solo)
Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, Mexico City, Mexico
February 4 - June 28, 2009
2008
“Jesus is My Homeboy” (solo)
Wolfgang Roth & Partners Fine Art Gallery, Miami, FL
December 2, 2008 - January 10, 2009
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Galerie Rhomberg, Innsbruck, Austria
November 2008 - January 2009
“Jesus is My Homeboy” (solo)
Robilant + Voena, London, UK
October 13 - November 7, 2008
“Auguries of Innocence” (solo)
Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York, NY
September 12 - October 24, 2008
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Forte Belvedere Museum, Florence, Italy
July 15 - October 19, 2008
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Fotografiska Museet, Stockholm, Sweden
April 12 - May 11, 2008
“Heaven to Hell: Belezas e Desastres” (solo)
Museu Brasileiro da Escultura, Sao Paolo, Brazil
January 23 - February 5, 2008
2007
“David LaChapelle Retrospective” (solo)
Palazzo Reale Museum, Milan, Italy
September 24, 2007 - January 6, 2008
“Heaven to Hell” (solo)
Museo de Arte Latinoamericana de Buenos Aires
March 30 - May 21, 2007
“Awakened” (solo)
Goss Gallery, Dallas, TX
March 20 - April 11, 2007
“Awakened” (solo)
Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York, NY
February 24 - August 3, 2007
“Awakened” (solo)
Galería Leyendecker, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
November 9 - December 11, 2007
2006
“Heaven to Hell” (solo)
Jablonka Galerie, Berlin, Germany
November 30, 2006 - February 2, 2007
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Galerie Du XX Siécle, Paris, France
October 26 - November 18, 2006
“David LaChapelle: Very Important Portraits” (solo)
Museo di Capodimonte, Naples, Italy
March 24 - June 30, 2006
2005
“Pictures for Italian Vogue 2001 - 2005” (solo)
Staley-Wise Gallery, New York, NY
December 2005 - January 2006
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
KALS'ART, Palermo, Italy
July 1 - September 15, 2005
“Grand Opening: David LaChapelle” (solo)
Goss Gallery, Dallas, TX
May 20 - August 12, 2005
“David LaChapelle in Amsterdam” (solo)
Galerie Alex Daniels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
May 7 - July 16, 2005
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
Maruani & Noirhomme Gallery, Knokke, Belgium
March 26 - April 20, 2005
“Artists & Prostitutes 1985 - 2005” (solo)
Deitch Projects, New York, NY
March 12 - April 21, 2005
“Invito al Collezionismo”
Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, Italy
2005
2004
“Portraits of Musicians” (solo)
Rudolf Budja Galerie - Artmosphere Vienna, Salzburg, Austria
November 4 - December 18, 2004
2003
“All American” (solo)
Rockefeller Center: Montblanc International, New York
October 30, 2003 - January 30, 2004
“David LaChapelle” (solo)
James Gallery at Moscow House of Photography, Russia
April 7 - 25, 2003
2002
“David LaChapelle Photographs / Rapture” (solo)
The Barbican, London, UK
October 22 - December 23, 2002
“All American” (solo)
Tony Shafrazi Gallery New York, NY
July 16 - September 21, 2002
“LaChapelle” (solo)
Kunst Haus Wien, Vienna, Austria
June 6 - September 22, 2002
2001