Jacob Elordi Stars in Bottega Veneta’s Dreamlike New Campaign
Bottega Veneta presents a new campaign by photographer and artist Duane Michals, exploring the nature of dreams and surrealism.
Duane Michals on Surrealism
“Surrealism suggests an alternative profound reality,” Michals explains to AnOther. “It’s discomforting, and it contradicts the mere facts of our ordinary reality.”
About the Campaign
The project, titled What Are Dreams, is a photo series and short film featuring actor Jacob Elordi. It reflects Michals’ long-time fascination with surrealism, which began in the 1960s. The campaign debuted at Curzon Mayfair on November 3 in partnership with Bottega Veneta and Club Ciné.
Connection to Cinema
The premiere preceded a special post-Halloween screening of Guillermo del Toro’s much-anticipated film Frankenstein, which also stars Elordi.
Artistic Inspirations and Style
- Michals draws inspiration from scuola metafisica artist Giorgio de Chirico and surrealist René Magritte.
- He is renowned for placing familiar objects in strange contexts to question reality and representation.
- The short film was filmed in Michals’ New York home, in black and white.
- It features recurring motifs from Michals’ work such as a convex mirror, a suspended feather, and a crystal ball.
Poetry and Collaboration
Elordi recites Michals’ poem What Are Dreams, which was first published in 2001 in the photo book Questions with Answers.
The poem shares its title with the campaign, reinforcing its thematic exploration.
Author’s summary: Duane Michals’ collaboration with Jacob Elordi and Bottega Veneta creates a surreal visual and poetic experience, challenging perceptions of reality through dreamlike imagery.