Photographer and artistic director, Margaux Hug has developed a surreal visual world with bright colors pop. Combining graphics and photography, she is now working in teams on advertising projects for major luxury brands. “….I’m not really travel photos, I have never loved nature photography. My work revolves around the studio photographs, precautionary pop and surreal scenes. I think the picture a week or two in advance before pressing the button. It takes time to buy all the equipment for making the set, sketching, thinking his light, or styling … This is why the landscape photo or instant no longer inspires me. I started to study graphic design and advertising for 4 years and I developed an intense photographic work in parallel. I began to inform me with my blog, and have then integrated Goblins option in photography shooting in Paris. I did fashion photography for several years for small marks, then, I naturally oriented my work toward more colorful and surreal visuals. I also attended various photographers in London and Paris. I collaborated with several magazines and clothing brands, but I do not have much time this year with my artistic work full-time director. My photographic training allowed me to sharpen my gaze, and referred me to a position of art director in an advertising agency in Paris. I work now for big luxury brands within a team. The trades of the image overlap constantly, we must remain open to all possibilities, in all media. My example would be the designer Jean-Paul Goude, who is no longer confined to a box but works the general image. It comes for example to imagine the new advertising Chance of Chanel, and also worked with Harper’s Bazaar English on a stunning new series of photos. This is what excites me now in the business of artistic director: invent a universe, give life to an idea by working with set designers, models, makeup artists, directors and various media: video, photos, packaging … the excitement of team work fascinates me, and profession of artistic director reminds me of a conductor. I sincerely believe that a picture can not be entirely a coincidence. There is always a plan behind an image. Of course there is an unexpected hand in the photograph, but the work of composition to be more important. The graphics for understanding how to compose an image, how to handle the colors together, so that they mesmerize the eyes. We can not do photography today ignoring all the work already done in the areas of graphic design. The two are complementary, and graphics can take a picture even further. I think for example to graphic designers M / M Paris who worked with Jean-Baptiste Mondino fashion photographer on the cover of the album Vanessa Paradis, or the photographer Viviane Sassen on the last campaign Parco. The result is splendid! I also admire the designer Quentin Jones and his films for Chanel and Schweppes. There is also the videographer Julien Valley who reinvented the fashion thanks to its eye graphic designer. Watch his fantastic videos for Hermes or for Samsung! The photograph can not be content with the eternal city of images in black and white! Things have evolved in all areas of the image. Food interests me because it is an organic dimension through foods. We eat them, chewed them, admire them, hate them, it is a passion for them. They are so anchored in reality it’s fun to play around the perception that one has of them. Junk food, as in my visual popcorn to cocacola or biscuits, is artificial and industrial side that I enjoy accentuate with pop colors and put in surreal scenes. This is the American culture that I find through the foods I photography: ice cream cones, lollipops, donuts … Conversely, vegetables, often perceived as boring in the collective imagination, are magnified through color . I see a metaphor for art and the artist’s gesture sublimate reality, put a veil which magnifies the perception that one has of the world. It is this strong influence of pop art that follows me forever. The bright colors remind me of the artificial paradises like carnivals, ice-cream sellers, pop music, videos clips, shiny gadgets supermarkets … It is this society of kitsch and spectacle that I found and me captive. This is also around these themes that articulates the contemporary work of artists like Pierre and Gilles, Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons. Their very assertive colors reflect our times. There are many artists that inspire me. I think of the work of Sarah Illenberger, whom I admire for years. There is a real reflection on the surreal image; that’s going on if I change the texture or color of an object of reality? When does reality she is imaginary? His pineapple disco ball is a visual I prefer. I’m also a big fan of the collective Toilet Paper Magazine -creates by Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari- or videographer Julien Valley I mentioned earlier. In fashion photography I inspires me a lot of work Aldridge or Guy Bourdin. There is of course essential that remain very present: Man Ray, Cocteau, Dali …”
