It may be ubiquitous these days to find one’s image plastered across a family living room, an Instagram feed or the endless scroll of our camera rolls. But for much of human history, only those who came from power and wealth had the means to have their portrait either painted or photographed.
More than just a method of preservation, the classic genre of portraiture was a social and political tool to project one’s status and influence — a device that was largely reserved for a select few. Namely, kings, queens, barons, dukes — the posh type who flaunted their influence through elaborate palaces, decor and of course, fashion. While it may be funny to see what was once in vogue hundreds of years in the past — think wigs, medici collars, breeches — future societies will likely have a similar take on what we find stylish or beautiful in the present.
Louis Bever is a British photographer who is aware of history’s sometimes troublesome track record and seeks to subvert the tradition of portraiture by blending his love of art history and football. Born in Germany and having grown up across France and Italy, the London-based creative bounced around the continent extensively throughout his formative years and recalls football being a unifying force that bonded people of varying backgrounds, regardless of language.
Initially, Bever studied to be a lawyer, but shifted his trajectory upon working out in the field. Photography, though a hobby at the time, was both therapy and a way he could emulate the many places and influences that have formed him. Football has always shown to be a thread for Bever, which he taps into through beautiful film portraiture across his Instagram feed — always showing the art historical painting that inspired his shot. “I see it as a game,” he tells Hypeart. “When I see a painting I like, I need to find a shirt that fits it and vice versa. Then I love finding old objects within the painting and replacing them with football-themed things.”
He’s worked quite extensively in the field over the years, with clients such as Nike, FILA, Puma, North Face and Rowing Blazers under his belt. Football, however, remains one of his lifelong passion and the basis of out latest Through the Lens feature. In anticipation of the upcoming football season, Hypeart caught up with Bever to discuss the genesis of this series, his advice for aspiring photographers and his favorite kits from the vault.
Can you talk about your personal connection to football?
I spent my childhood moving around every two years with my dad’s work. Like most countries in Europe, everyone enjoys football, and it is a universal language. To make friends, we’d all play football together. Football was always an option, even if we couldn’t communicate through languages. Growing up, I loved Arsenal and wanted to be a goalkeeper (Jens Lehmann was like Jesus Christ in my eyes). My dad’s side are huge City fans, while my mom’s was Arsenal. Different football teams remind me of different places where I’ve lived.
Which periods of art had the most impact on you growing up and as a student in university?
My mom loves art, so our house is plastered with photographers and artist prints on our walls. We grew up in Paris and Rennes for a while, and my mom would take us (my brother would say non-consensually drag us) to various galleries. She would give us our drawing pads and I would copy my favorite paintings on the walls. I am drawn towards Romanticism and Impressionism. Photographers-wise, the classic magnum lot from the 1920s, like Willy Ronis, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau etc…were and still are my favorites.
As for education: I went to law school, so I can’t say Picasso influenced any of my medical law essays. However, I loved the idea of being a lawyer until I started working in law firms. That’s why in uni and whilst working, I used art and photography to relax. I’d go to galleries in my spare time at uni just because I loved feeling overwhelmed by the details and size of paintings by artists like Thomas Gainsborough.
“When I see a painting I like, I need to find a shirt that fits it and vice versa.”
How about photographers and films?
With art, it’s a huge mix. I could be better with fine art, but I can appreciate it. I’m easily pleased like a Labrador because I like to look at something and think, ‘That’s great.’ For artists, again, it’s the French/Dutch/Spanish influence. To name a few: Lautrec, Renoir, Van Gogh, Vermeer, Picasso, Manet, Cezanne, Monet, Matisse. For me, they were the documentary photographers of their time. They just had a different creative medium in presenting it.
My friends always laugh at my film choices, such as: Lost in Translation, Notting Hill, Her, Midnight in Paris, Fire of Love, About Time, Before Sunrise. All romantic and slightly cheesy, but they’ve all influenced my work in one way or another.
What is your camera setup when it comes to gear?
It’s a fun mix. It’s an accumulation of cameras that I’ve bought over the years. I like completely controlling what I’m shooting, so I’ve sold all my Contax systems. I have a Leica M6, Mamiya 7 and Mamiya Rz67. They all have a role and purpose. The M6 is for hectic events where I know I’ll be shooting a lot and quickly. The 7 is for more casual strolls outdoors and less hectic environments. Lastly, my Rz67 stays in my flat. I shoot all my portraits at home with it.
The Rz67 is excellent for my football project for several reasons — the results are beautiful, it helps compose the picture as I know what’s in the frame and I love the 10-picture roll restriction. It would be best to take an image slowly because it’s £3 GBP a photo. If something goes wrong, then I can take the blame. It has made me meticulous with my shooting process.
You interestingly blend art history with the history of football shirts. How did this series begin?
I was thinking about this and it makes complete sense. My dad loves football and my mum loves art. Over the last 16 years of shooting, there have been hints of each area in my work. Over time, football and art have become closer to the point where I use them together for my portraits and projects over time. I started getting obsessed with the challenge of matching subjects — art and football shirts, to the point where I haven’t stopped.
What are the underlying themes and messages you aim to convey through your work, such as the football-art history crossover?
I don’t know if I have a message behind the work, but I enjoy it. I see it as a game. When I see a painting I like, I need to find a shirt that fits it and vice versa. Then I love finding old objects within the painting and replacing them with football-themed things. I am just having fun with it. We rarely see football and art brought together, so I enjoy the juxtaposition of it all. With the couples’ series, I enjoy getting a reaction from the audience too. I would stay well away from football rivalries as I’d like to keep my life, however, I want people to look at the image and find it clever, sweet or amusing.
Where do you source your kits? Personal collection, friends or a wholesaler?
It’s a huge mix. When I started, I had a small collection. People were kind enough to lend me shirts. I find most of them in charity shops, eBay and Depop. Meanwhile, these days, it’s all my collection. Most of my money goes on football shirts, Le Creuset and leg tattoos that make my mom wince at the sight of them in the summer.
While your portraits often mirror the look and tone of the source painting, you don’t limit yourself to producing an exact match, such as using subjects of varying backgrounds, in contrast to the largely white subjects in the original paintings. Can you speak on your process of creating one of your portraits — from earliest ideation to the final image?
Looking back at history, wealthy white male, upper-class individuals had their portraits painted. Some of the wigs on these chaps are hilarious. Also, it takes about three minutes to say some of these dukes and barons’ names. If you look at many paintings that fall outside this category, I find the stories behind them hugely questionable, like those of Paul Gauguin.
What I enjoy doing is modernizing these paintings to my liking. I enjoy shooting my friends and love seeing how to match them up. This can be through eye color, face structure or hair color. My biggest problem is that these young people change their appearance all the time. You choose paintings for one week to match their appearance and the following week, they’ve grown a beard, shaved their eyebrows off and dyed their hair a completely different color. It’s all part of the fun, though!
“The more you shoot, the more it’ll make sense over time.”
You typically reserve your kits to vintage shirts, such as those from the 1980s to mid 2000s. Why so?
Because they make me feel nostalgic. My dad grew up with football in the ’80s and ’90s, so that era of football surrounded me. I’m 28, so I grew up around football in the late ’90s and early ’00s. These are all kits that remind me of my childhood. Also, the older kits just look great when being shot. Many shapes and colors resemble clothes in paintings that I have used in my work.
If you could, how would you define your approach to visual storytelling?
It’s important to be stubborn with the identity in your work. If you enjoy stamp collecting and have metal, then try and connect it. If you have two interests and find a way to make a project out of it, you’ll constantly want to work on it. I tend just to shoot because I enjoy the process of photography and having to wait for an image that I got an excellent gut feeling about.
When you’re following trends and you shoot things that Instagram thinks is cool, you’ll quickly get bored of it. This results in you not taking pictures as it feels like a chore rather than something that makes you feel good. With the storytelling, I’m wondering what I can say there; however, there will likely be a reason for doing it over time. I always feel that the more you shoot, the more it’ll make sense over time. Please just be sure to be patient.
Are there any upcoming projects you’d like to share, such as exhibitions or client work?
No exhibitions, I’d love to do one for ‘Flat 92’. If there were an opportunity, then I’d jump on it. I thoroughly enjoy my client work too. It’s lovely to have a commercial and a personal side to photography because if you spend a lot of time on one, you’ll inevitably miss the other. It’s a healthy conflict. Keeps you sane!
What would your kit hall of fame look like…say if you were to pick your five favorites in order?
This a challenging question, but here is my list:
1. Arsenal 1995 Home and Away (I have it tattooed on my leg).
2. England 1996 Away (Gazza era and just beautiful).
3. Spain 2000 Away (lovely shape and just class).
4. Bayern Munich 1999 Home (colors and shape – reminds me of a rugby shirt).
5. Marseille 1999 Away (color and shape – reminds me of the Taxi French films).
All photos courtesy of Louis Bever for Hypeart.
