Paul Blanca Dutch 1958-2021
Self Portrait with Chicken Head, 1980

SOLD

Silver bromide print
Signed, titled, dated and numbered ‘7/12’ (in margin)
38cm x 47cm (print size), 72cm x 68cm framed)

A Dutch photographer, now almost forgotten, was once described by Robert Mapplethorpe as his “only competitor”. In 1979, Blanca had a chance encounter with Robert Mapplethorpe, who came to the Netherlands for a solo exhibition at a gallery in Amsterdam. Blanca then followed Mapplethorpe to the USA. In the 1980s, Blanca made a name for himself with a self-portrait series, but didn’t bring him the perfect breakthrough. Gradually, he began to turn to heroin and cocaine. This work from his self portrait series, is quite tame, when compared against other self portraits. One of his most famous portraits is a shot of his own back, carved with a razor blade in the shape of ‘Mickey Mouse crying with his thumb up’. A truly original photographer, who deserves more recognition than he currently receives.