The photographer Platon has taken high-contrast close-ups of some of the most recognizable faces in the world — the Obamas, Vladimir Putin, Serena Williams, Elon Musk, Harry Styles — with many sitting in front of the same simple apple box in front of his camera.
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Written by Jacqui Palumbo, CNN
The photographer Platon has taken high-contrast close-ups of some of the most recognizable faces in the world — the Obamas, Vladimir Putin, Serena Williams, Elon Musk, Harry Styles — with many sitting in front of the same simple apple box in front of his camera.
But now the British artist is stripping his portraits down, releasing a new collection of works that each feature only a single iris from the eyes of beloved celebrities, powerful political leaders and controversial figures. Whom the iris belongs to will remain a secret, except to the buyers of the images.
An iris from the series “Eye Love You, Eye Hate You.” Credit: Platon
A regular photographer for Time and former staffer at the New Yorker, Platon said he holds his judgement at the door during the studio sessions. “I’ve seen all sides of the spectrum,” he said in a video call. “I’ve looked into Gaddafi’s eyes and Putin’s eyes. But I’ve also had intimate moments with Prince and Edward Snowden.”
Named for the dichotomy of his subjects, the series “Eye Love You, Eye Hate You,” is being released on LGND.art, a platform for purchasing non-fungible token (NFT) artworks. NFTs are a kind of virtual signature that employs blockchain technology to prove ownership of digital assets, and can be used in the sale of digital art, songs and tickets, among other things.
The show will be Platon’s first foray into selling his works as NFTs, starting with an initial “drop” of 12 irises on June 6 for $111 each, with 36
