Bernard Pierre Wolff

Bernard Pierre Wolff died of AIDS in 1985 and will likely never assume the fame and credibility that his work deserves. His images of statues seem to be alive with human emotion. They are weighty with a kind of longing that resonates with the viewer. When he photographs people, we see often them juxtaposed against a non-living figure in such a way as to cause the viewer to compare life and non-life. If there were such a category as existentialist photography, I think Wolff might be its champion.

I first discovered Bernard Pierre Wolff in the late 1980’s after I purchased Joy Division’s album “Closer”. I was captivated by the albums cover image. Since then I have found Wolff’s work to have a certain darkness, but also a gentle beauty that is delicate and human.

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Bernard Pierre Wolff

Tags: Art, Bernard Peierre Wolff, Joy Division, Made me look, Photography

9 Responses to “ Bernard Pierre Wolff ”

emma says:

2015/12/01 at 12:34 am

I had already had an import 45 of \\”Love will tear us apart\\” I wound up buying the 12 inch version, for Wolffe\\’s haunting photograph, rarely has a photograph encapsulated the sound and feel of a record.

Samsung Hl S4266W says:

2009/04/14 at 5:29 pm

I never thought about it like this.

Misty Dawn says:

2009/04/13 at 9:07 pm

Great piece! I’ve been a fan of his work for a while now (also discovered via Joy Division’s cover, sometime in the mid 1990’s…I was a late-comer to the JD catalog.)
Bernard Pierre Wolff really has a knack for finding beauty in the depths of what some may find dark or less than comfortable.

Thanks…

badugah says:

2009/04/13 at 12:10 am

Very interesting site and blog concept.
I’m trying something similar…literature based.
I’d appreciate any comments you might be able to pass my way at http://badugah.com

April says:

2009/04/12 at 11:33 pm

Wow, powerful yet delicate images of human-ness. Glad to learn about this photographer.

Sascha says:

2009/04/12 at 8:16 am

Thank you for this post. As I type the Love Will Tear Us Apart poster is on my wall framed in front of me. I have always been a fan and admirer of his work. He deserves all the recognition he can get in the art world. And of course to Ian Curtis for bringing it to the forefront. R.I.P.

Kyra says:

2009/04/12 at 4:52 am

I have always loved those covers but never bothered to see who the photographer was. With blog posts like this, he will at least get some deserved recognition.