Platon's Republic

Platon's Republic is a collection of portraits by British born, New York-based, photographer Platon. Over the last decade, he has been granted extraordinary access to some of the West's most powerful people, who are all leaders in their field. Whether they are politicians, actors, directors, fashion designers athletes, writers or musicians, they all wield enormous influence within their arena. More than 150 photographs have been selected from a huge range of images, which together constitute an insight into the cult of celebrity and supremacy.Platon's Republic is a window into today's media-led culture that bombards, and overwhelms us with images of worldwide importance juxtaposed with moments of extreme frivolity. The same intense and sometimes surreal experience is replicated here, with portraits of Al Pacino, David Beckham, Bill Clinton, Pamela Anderson, John Prescott and Leonard Cohen as well as documentary photographs including Jesse Jackson and Bianca Jagger demonstrating against the death penalty, and strippers at work in New York. A personal scrapbook of behind-the-scenes anecdotes gives an insight into the shoots and Platon's relationship with his sitters.In an undeniably media-saturated climate overcrowded with the superficial as well as the authoritative, Platon's Republic holds a mirror up to contemporary culture, and presents a clear and unparalleled cross section of controversy, fame and power.