Romain Berger’s campy photography plays with stereotypes

Romain Berger is a self-taught fashion and style photographer. From the staging and the casting to the setting or the dressing, the multitalented artist does everything by himself.

After studying cinema, he moved to Paris to work as a director but struggled to make ends meet. He bought his first camera to make his own short films and ended up making photography his job.

His inspirations range from photographers like David LaChapelle to pop culture. Playing with colors and lighting, he reinvests queer stereotypes, mocking and celebrating them at once. He stages his photographs in common gay social spaces like nightclubs,saunas and putts body and sexuality at the forefront. His work is slightly provocative yet dreamy and empowering.

Religion, body, and sexuality are common themes within his work, as well as gay clichés that stay nonetheless a part of the community that needs to be discussed. Representing serious topics, such as loneliness, body-shaming, or addiction, campy photographs creates a safe space for the community: a space where we can laugh about our own issues and feel free to discuss them.

All of Romain Berger’s models come from marginalized communities. Placed on the center stage of the photograph, they become the stars of the show, the main characters of their narrative. Unapologetically queer, they are here to denounce what disturbs, honoring the famous quote of Cesar A. Cruz, 'Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.'

Romain Berger is also a member of the queer collective Balaclava.Q Fonded by Stiofan O'Ceallaigh in 2016 in response to Orlando Shooting, the collective aims to help queer artists to share and connect their stories and experiences.

For our French readers, Romain Berger's next exhibit will take place in Rennes next June at the Hôtel Dieu. In the meantime, we invite you to scroll down to discover more of his photographs, and to take a look at his website and online shop!

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