LENNY KRAVITZ “FLASH”
Serie of black & white photographs
Lenny Kravitz’ photo book FLASH was published in 2015. Art direction and design by Mathieu Bitton. As a rock star, Kravitz is used to sharing much of his life with the public. He is almost constantly observed by crowds of fans and photographers, groupies, gossip columnists, and reporters—all armed with smartphones, TV and digital cameras, microphones, and flashes. In recent years, as he began earnestly pursuing photography, Kravitz found the relentless crowds prevented him from simply going outside and photographing the world. “At first I found it frustrating,” Kravitz recalls, “but then I saw it as an opportunity. It was an interesting dance, and it started to become fun.“ He decided to take advantage of the rock-star phenomenon of his everyday life and to share his unique perspective. So Kravitz turned the tables, aiming his Leica at the crowds of paparazzi, journalists, and fans that follow him wherever he goes. The result is a moving, revealing collection of photos that capture the essence of modern day celebrity. While Flash marks Kravitz’s professional debut in the photographic arena, the multi-talent grew up enamored by the medium. Kravitz’s father was a press correspondent, and the first camera Kravitz ever used was his father’s Leicaflex, which he received as a gift. “When I was little, he gave me his Leica, after he came back from Vietnam. At first I found the design more interesting, all these traces of his time at the front. Many years later, I started taking pictures.”
The Flash exhibition is accompanied by Ascension, a parallel photography presentation of portraits by Mathieu Bitton. Bitton—Kravitz’s long-time comrade-in-arms—has accompanied the musician on his world tours, capturing both grand poses on stage and the quiet moments between performances. Bitton’s singular photographs function as an insightful complement to Kravitz’s works.
About Lenny Kravitz: Born in 1964, Lenny Kravitz is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actor, and arranger. While best known for his musical career, Kravitz has appeared in a number of movies, most notably for his screen debut, Precious (2009), followed by roles in other standout films, including The Hunger Games (2012) and, most recently, The Butler (2013.) He also runs Kravitz Design, a respected creative agency established in 2003. The studio is responsible for numerous private and public interior design concepts as well as furniture designs. Notably, in 2012, Kravitz Design cooperated with French industrial icon Philippe Starck on a “rock ’n’ roll makeover“of Stark’s classic Mademoiselle chair.
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