Bettina Rheims (Taschen 40th Edition) - Patrick Remy

Bettina Rheims (40th Edition) is a landmark retrospective devoted to the work of Bettina Rheims, published by TASCHEN. Personally curated by the artist, this volume brings together more than 300 photographs spanning over 35 years of fearless, provocative, and genre-defying photography.

Since her first works in the late 1970s, Rheims has consistently challenged visual conventions and cultural expectations. From her early series on Pigalle strippers to the controversial I.N.R.I. cycle, from high-fashion campaigns to Gender Studies, her images inhabit the charged space between beauty and imperfection, vulnerability and power.

This retrospective unites iconic series such as Chambre close, Héroïnes, and Rose, c’est Paris, presenting both commercial and artistic work side by side. Rheims’s lens moves effortlessly between anonymous subjects discovered on the street and global icons including Kate Moss, Madonna, Monica Bellucci, Claudia Schiffer, and Naomi Campbell. Throughout, her focus remains constant: the complexity of female identity and the transformative encounter between photographer and subject.

Main Themes

• Contemporary and fashion photography
• Female identity, fragility, and strength
• Beauty versus imperfection
• Eroticism redefined through the gaze
• Celebrity culture and anonymous subjects

Why You Should Read This Book by Patrick Remy

• Definitive 40-year retrospective curated by the artist herself
• Over 300 powerful and iconic photographs
• Covers both artistic and commercial work
• Essential for photography, fashion, and art enthusiasts
• A premium TASCHEN collector’s edition

Bettina Rheims (40th Edition) is a daring, visually arresting tribute to one of the most influential photographers of our time. With its uncompromising vision and extraordinary range, this TASCHEN volume celebrates Rheims’s ability to challenge representation and redefine femininity through photography. A must-have for collectors, creatives, and anyone interested in the evolution of contemporary visual culture.