Imaginary Couples is a new photography exhibition showing a host of straight celebrities posing as same-sex couples
The series, called Imaginary Couples, is themed ‘love is love’.
It was put together by French artist and photographer Olivier Ciappa.
So far the photographs have been exhibited in galleries and cities across Europe and South America, and Ciappa is hoping to bring it to the States this year.
The images feature celebs such as Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria, singer Lara Fabian and award-wnning film directors Denis Villenueve and Jean-Marc Vallee. Two French Olympic swimmers are also shown showering together.
Ciappa says he found his inspiration for the project after encountering homophobic attitudes across the world but particularly in France aftet the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
When the exhibition was first displayed in France it was vandalised and stolen.
The artist said in an interview with The Huffington Post: “The celebrities that I shot are heterosexual, but it was essential to me that you would believe these imaginary couples and families they portray were real. If you couldn’t identify with their love and feel it was real, then I would have failed.
“And to show that love is love, no matter who [is involved], the exhibition also features real gay families, straight ones, single parents, disabled, people of different skin colours and origins, different religion, young couples, old ones.
“All of these pictures, imaginary or real, have the same glamorous and warm monochrome style that makes them look not only appealing but timeless.”
Ciappa hopes ‘Imaginary Couples’ will be shown in the United States later this year.
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