Miles Aldridge

Miles Aldridge is a London-based contemporary artist and fashion photographer. He is the son of graphic designer Alan Aldridge and due to his father's fame, Aldridge grew up surrounded by artists and musicians. Following in his father's footsteps, Aldridge attended Central Saint Martins, studying illustration. Before discovering his passion for photography Aldridge briefly directed pop videos. At the beginning of his career, his photographs were featured on a variety of magazine covers, including Harper's Bazaar, GQ and Vogue. He also shot ad campaigns for world renowned brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, MAC and Armani. Aldridge is equally a significant contributor for Vogue Italia, resulting in a close friendship with the editor in chief Franca Sozzani.

His subject matter consists of an array of enchanting women, who are carefully staged amongst wonderfully colourful backdrops. Their immaculately made up faces could be interpreted as expressionless. However, Aldridge considers his subjects to be captured in a state of reflection. The viewer is therefore encouraged to create their own stories behind the scenario depicted in the photograph. Although the vibrant, enticing colour creates a dream-like world, Aldridge captures several of his subjects in a state of potential danger. The depiction of a silent scream, a head pushed down on a bed and blood-red ketchup spilt against a black and white floor creates an unsettling atmosphere. The cinematic quality of Aldridge's work is evident. His influences include film directors David Lynch and Derek Jarman. He equally studied the work of American fashion and portrait photographer Richard Avedon, whose subjects include Andy Warhol, Picasso, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. The kaleidoscopic quality of his work is inspired by the psychedelic graphic design of his father.

Aldridge's work has been exhibited around the globe, including at the Miami Beach Art Photo Expo in 2007, the Galerie Alex Daniels in 2008 in Amsterdam, and the Gallery Hotel Art in 2010 in Florence. In 2009, Aldridge had his first solo show in the United States, entitled Pictures for Photographs at Steven Kasher Gallery. The show displayed a collection of drawings and photographs, born from collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld and Gerhard Steidl. Equally in 2010, Somerset House in London hosted a major retrospective exhibition of the photographer, entitled I Only Want You to Love Me. Aldridge's work also appears in the permanent collection at the National Portrait Gallery.