French contemporary artist and photographer Philippe Shangti made his Los Angeles debut on September 14, with a 25-piece solo art exhibition featuring the artist’s striking photographic works. More than 300 art enthusiasts and collectors, celebrities, influencers, and media joined the internationally acclaimed artist in celebration of his West Coast premiere event.
Video by Eric Minh Swenson
Shangti’s work serves as a poignant commentary on the intricacies of our modern society. He is renowned for his ability to capture societal flaws and human behavior and is now one of the art world’s leading photographers and contemporary artists of his generation.
Among the guests at the exclusive by-invitation-only event, held at Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood, was Selling the OC star, Polly Brindle, a devoted fan of Shangti’s work, who went home with an original masterpiece by the artist, as well as curator Kipton Cronkite, director Len Wiseman with fiancée model CJ Franco, director Sebastian Siegal, art consultant and collector Celesta Hodge, TV personality Mark Mester, Ryan Krause, Olga and Isa Joney, and more.
(L-R) Philippe Shangti and ‘Selling the OC’ star Polly Brindle (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Philippe Shangti)
Featured works in the exhibit, that runs until September 30th, include the photograph “Luxury Fifth Dinner,” a captivating installment from The Luxury Dinner series. The artwork delves into the themes of opulence and excess, encouraging viewers to question the allure of materialism and societal obsession with appearances.
Another photograph featured is “Ultimate Luxury Envy,” part of Shangti’s most recent collection “SEVEN,” which reconceptualizes the seven deadly sins. The “Ultimate Luxury Envy” explores the corrosive nature of envy. Through the depiction of a goddess and a majestic peacock, Shangti aims to highlight the destructive consequences of jealousy. By juxtaposing symbols of desire and beauty, he prompts viewers to consider the impact of envy on both individual and collective behavior.
Shangti comments, “You have seven sins all within you…. and need to balance all the sins inside you… success of life is the balance of sins, and to understand this.”
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Philippe Shangti)
Also in the exhibit are several signed ‘tag’ works such as the famous “Live Your Fucking Best Life” and “If You Don’t Think I’m The Boss Get Out,” a series of works presenting a unique fusion of contemporary art and the visual language of graffiti. Shangti explores the idea of freedom of expression and raw creativity with short, provocative phrases, evoking a story, an emotion, or a claim.
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Philippe Shangti)
Today, Shangti resides in Andorra (a small principality situated between France and Spain in the Pyrenees), where he is close to his family, and has a thriving creative workshop, where he has a team of 15. In fact, when he first discovered Andorra, located between the mountains, he claims it was for him a “coup de coeur” (love at first site). Previously he lived for 10 years in Saint-Tropez, where he describes the lifestyle as “very intense.” Before art, he was involved with the concept development for restaurants and nightclubs. The famous L’Opera was his concept, and today his artwork is exhibited there. During the event, we also spoke about the artist’s chance meeting in Monaco with David Guetta, who commissioned one of the artist’s works. Today, they are good friends.
Shangti’s diverse portfolio spans limited edition sculptures, conceptual artworks, and captivating photographs. Exhibited across esteemed galleries in Europe and the USA, his art invites us to engage in meaningful reflection and dialogue about the complexities of our world. He also creates special works featuring sports personalities, collectors, and their families, and collaborates with many luxury brands as part of the development of a range of products inspired by his art.
Known as an atypical messenger of modern times, Shangti participated in La Biennale di Venezia 2019 – The 58th International Art Exhibition titled May You Live In Interesting Times – recognized for being one of the most prestigious artistic shows in the world. His work is also exhibited in numerous Fine Art Museums and Galleries in France and abroad: Geneva, London, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Ibiza, Amsterdam, Paris, and Saint-Tropez.
