In 1959, legendary French filmmaker, poet and artist Jean Cocteau gave his photographer friend Lucien Clergue free rein to document the making of his final film, Testament of Orpheus, which Cocteau wrote, directed and starred in. As they filmed throughout France for six weeks, life became a dream for the young photographer. “Man-horses, man-dogs, the Sphinx, the goddess Minerva, and mythological figures such as Oedipus, Orpheus, and Tiresias were all living with us, talking, eating, and drinking like us….”; Clergue wrote in his book Jean Cocteau and the Testament of
Orpheus. “Cocteau kept telling us the poet—like the phoenix—must die in order to be reborn.” Cocteau died four years later. Westwood Gallery presents the US debut of this collection of surreal gelatin silver prints.
The exhibition runs from November 18, 2011 – January 28, 2012 at Westwood Gallery
