By: Lexi Wolf

Gert and Gisela, the enigmatic new photography duo, explore themes of connection, beauty, and female empowerment through their captivating risqué portraits. Their work, captured in luxury hotel suites and in residences across the globe, exudes a playful and erotic atmosphere, infused with irony and humor. As members of the upper echelons of society, they are also on a mission to nudge their affluent peers out of their comfort zones—reminding them of the joy of being alive. “We wanted to craft something joyful, erotic, and accessible—a fresh take on risqué photography that invites the viewer to share in the intimacy of the moment,” Gert said.

Free-Body Culture

Gert, a native to Germany, grew up in an environment with less inhibitions about nudity, a “free-body culture,” as he describes it, using a German term. “There’s a casualness, a celebratory nature to the human form,” he said. “That idea goes back to classical antiquity, starting with the Greek embrace of the human form as the ideal of beauty and the use of the body to express virtues ranging from strength to love.” Gisela is equally captivated by the free-spirited nature of Europe. “Germany’s culture of nudity as something supportive of physical, mental and spiritual health is not always easily understood by a U.S. audience,” she said. “By inviting the viewer to consider what might at first be surprising or even shocking about each photograph, we are hoping to start conversations about expectations that we typically hold about both society and ourselves.”

The Body as a Luxury

The settings and lighting for their shoots are important, of course, but so are flutes of Veuve Clicquot, Singapore Slings, Bellinis, boxes of Maison du Chocolat – but a couple cans of Diet Coke can do just as well sometimes. Although those ingredients help foster a collaborative atmosphere, the location is the most important factor. “Not every experience you have in life is luxurious, but these pictures were born of celebratory moments in places of opulence. If we’re in a five-star hotel, we’ll be inspired to take photos. If we’re in line at Whole Foods, probably not,” Gert said. Gert defines luxury as an experience that transcends mere material acquisition, positioning it as a state of refinement that captures life’s finest details. For him, luxury is about immersing oneself in moments where beauty, history, and craftsmanship converge to create something transcendent. It is not just about owning elegant thing, but about engaging in a deeper connection to the stories, traditions, and emotions that those items represent. His perspective on luxury emphasizes the importance of experiencing and sharing moments of refined grace, making luxury a celebration of the art of living well. Whenever he and Gisela enjoy that together, new photographs are likely to result.

Equal Collaborators

The duo bonded over their shared love of photography Gert is well versed in the art form, meaning he has a deep understanding of both the technical and artistic aspects of the craft of creating photographic images. Originally, Gisela was more comfortable in front of the camera. “She started as a model and is an accomplished competitive fencer. She studied life drawing, and so she quickly developed an expertise in the photography of the body,” Gert explained.  “As she became more interested in the artistic process she quickly went from model to equal collaborator.”

This equal relationship between the artists is an essential aspect of their work, as they aim to challenge the traditional male-centric approach to risqué photography. Gisela takes an active role in directing and shaping the final images with her sophisticated feminine touch. Gisela thereby collaborates in the series as an artist and as a proud feminist, as comfortable in turning the camera on Gert’s body as she is with posing. “Our work is not just about the male gaze of the female form,” Gert said. “Gisela imparts her point of view, celebrating the beauty and power of the human body through our shared experience. We try to make it fun, erotic fun and accessible, and it’s not meant to be perfect. Our work is intended to be joyful, engaging, and both celebratory of the body and evocative of the heart.”

The Creative Process 

One of the most striking aspects of their process is their use of both modern digital technology and classic and antique film cameras, each chosen based on the unique demands of the image. For example, their photo of Gisela curved atop a love seat that was recently on display at Holiday House’s Bridgehampton event required a 100-year-old Kodak folding camera. The camera, designed for upper-middle-class amateurs, has a single-element lens, far from the advanced, multi-element, coated lenses used today. The result is an image with the dreamy  but confident look of a Post-Impressionist body, achieved by using an antique form of capture and then scanning the film digitally for completion by archival printing. This careful blend of old and new reflects the duo’s deep respect for the history of photography and their technical prowess.

New Exhibition

The duo made their New York City debut with the eponymously named collection Gert+Gisela at Gallery 71. The exhibition honored breast cancer awareness month, and a portion of sales from the opening night were donated to the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to support breast cancer research.

Published by: Josh Tatunay