Michael Jackson à l’œil bleu, 1999

Artist:  Arno Bani

35 x 27.5 ”- Limited edition 

Numbered and signed on the print recto

Description about the Jackson Series  ( Collector Book available for purchase )

More than a photo, it’s a story.

1999, Michael Jackson is in his hotel room in London and falls in love with a series of fashion photos in the Sunday Times. He then asks to meet the author of these photos: The young French fashion photographer of 23 years Arno Bani. Arno goes to New York to meet Michael JACKSON and he asks him more than to take pictures of him, he asks him to think about his look for the next ten years and come back to him with proposals. several trips between PARIS and NEW YORK during three months for working meetings. The date is taken. The three-day photo shoot takes place in Malakoff, in the southern suburbs of PARIS. Huge movie studios were then privatized and set up for shooting. These photos, which were to be used for a record sleeve, were taken hostage by the record company SONY music USA, which was in conflict with Michael JACKSON about The Beatles catalog. For 10 years, and because of contracts, neither Michael JACKSON nor Arno BANI have the right to show their work because the images belonged to the record company (producer of the shots) .10 years plus late and almost to the day, Michael JACKSON left us and the photographer had the right to reveal their work in four hands. shooting).

About the artist

Autodidact and determined, Arno BANI decided to take his first photos of fashion and beauty at the age of eighteen.

He attracts the attention of Isabella Blow, the talent scout of Sunday Times.

Michael Jackson, notices his work on Sunday Times and asks him to make a series of creative portraits for his album cover. Arno continues to collaborate with the universal fashion Press such as: Citizen K, Jalouse, The Sunday Times and so on… and artists and designers such as: Monica Belluci, Ora-ito, Xavier Veilhan, Jean Charles de Castelbajac, le duo AIR, David Guetta… He also has some cooperations with other brands such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Samsung, etc.

Arno creates several commercials and video clips for haute couture fashion houses such as Courrèges, or for car brands such as Nissan or Citröen, keeping his signature of minimalism and purity.

He also devotes himself on some personal projects, as for instance his latest work on cactus, with the collaboration of makeup artist Topolino, which got published in the magazine Beauty Papers.

Now at the age of 40, he continues to tell visual stories and claims the title: “image maker & storyteller”.