One of last year’s most popular – and most sensual – photo books, Purienne’s ode to his life and home in California, Jeux de Peau, is now available in its second edition via IDEA Books
“The light moves from the bedrooms on the east side of the house across the pool and terrace to the sunroom on the west side. It filters through leaves and bounces off mirrors, creating magical pockets of light and shadow,” is how photographer Henrik Purienne describes the particularly captivating light at his California home, Jeux de Peau. “Light is one of the key factors of mood and often activates the memory of decisive moments of experience,” he told AnOther in November, as his book – also called Jeux de Peau, a sensual study of Purienne’s LA life – was published by IDEA.
“I am firstly a documentary photographer. I capture life: the subjects and objects within my environment and interior space as a metaphor,” Purienne, who is originally from South Africa and moved to California five years ago, told us at the time. “I love documenting real moments with friends. Most often it is a case of all elements lining up to the point where I simply have to pick up my camera.” Jeux de Peau showcases, in IDEA’s words, the “20th-century design and 21st-century women” that Purienne surrounds himself with, making for a highly sensual photo book.
Though he is a documentary photographer, Purienne is aware of the aspirational side to his work and the aesthetic that he captures in Jeux de Peau. “The magic of design lies in its ability to transform your mood by association with a corresponding philosophy,” he continues. “The ability of photography to capture a time or place, or to contract a lie or fantasy, has always held an almost mystical appeal to me. Most of my books are nothing more than scrapbooks of memories and notes, a reference for existence – nothing more, but nonetheless haunting.”
First published at the end of last year, Jeux de Peau has proven (unsurprisingly) popular, and those who missed out on a first edition have been feverishly signing up to IDEA’s waiting list for new copies. That time has now come, with a second edition of 1,000 copies landing online today.
The second edition of Jeux de Peau by Purienne is available now, published by IDEA.
