Photographer Sophie Ebrard & MassiveMusic Humanise the Misrepresented World of Porn

Global music agency MassiveMusic has utilised its international network to work with photographer Sophie Ebrard on her debut solo exhibition, It’s Just Love.

Part of the Unseen Photo Fair programme, Ebrard’s exhibition documents an alternative vision to the often misrepresented world of pornography. The photographer has teamed up with MassiveMusic to create an audio-visual experience, with the final 21 images being displayed to a bespoke soundtrack. 

Moving outside the sphere of their usual moving image work, MassiveMusic’s London and Amsterdam office have collaborated to help create an appropriate ambience for the project, delivering a soundtrack for each photo to create a fully sensory experience. 

Paul Reynolds, Managing Director of MassiveMusic London, comments: “When you think about it, finding the right music for a film isn't totally different to a still image. With a photograph, we still need to draw out the story, enhance an emotional response, and transport the viewer from the world we see to a world we can experience. The great thing for this project is that we had no film edit to adhere to so the shackles were removed and we were free to discover the perfect tracks.”

Explaining how the collaboration came about, Paul says: “I've been a fan of Sophie's work for a number of years and we got the chance to collaborate on a moving image project back in 2012.  I've always loved the way Sophie tells a story through the still image, capturing real and very natural emotions.  When Sophie asked us about collaborating for her event I was instantly interested and very much up for the challenge. At MassiveMusic we have become renowned worldwide for soundtracking the moving picture, but what should we do for a still image?”

Ebrard followed adult movie director Gazzman on his sets for four years, documenting the individuals who work within the largest and most profitable market in the world. The resulting exhibition, curated by Roderick van der Lee, sheds a light on the human relation to the sex industry.

Ebrard comments: “Somewhat strangely, porn is ahead of the moral standoff: it’s completely open about what it does and, whether you agree with it or not, it’s actually creating something.” In an era where porn has never been discussed more elaborately, Sophie’s vision of the industry is a refreshing alternative: reminiscent of the Renaissance paintings, full of honesty and most decisively, beauty. “Any glimpses of nudity humanise, rather than objectify, the subjects of ‘It’s Just Love’.”

Opening her own home to the public, Ebrard – along with art director Damien Bellon and immersive set-designer Gina Geoghegan – transformed her home into an intimate, boudoir-style exhibition environment. As it’s within the home where pornography is mostly consumed, the photographer’s personal setting is deemed the ideal location for guests to look at pornography in public. 

Paul adds: “At first we were a little hesitant...I mean it's porn!  But Sophie's take on the world the actors and actresses live and work in is fascinating. The 'unseen' side of porn is perhaps something that people don't think about, but we love the moments Sophie captured.”

MassiveMusic regularly operates outside the world of moving image to create sonic environments and music profiles for many brands and projects, including retail stores like Selfridges. 

Paul comments: “In some ways, working with Sophie on It’s Just Love is not too dissimilar to our retail work where we create sonic environments in public spaces, but in many ways this was the most diverse – and certainly the naughtiest – project we’ve worked on to date! To be showcasing our work at such a prestigious programme, and to support a truly ground-breaking project, is a fantastic opportunity.”

It’s Just Love is part of this year’s Unseen Photo Fair programme in Amsterdam. Following an exclusive media preview on Tuesday, 15th September, the show will be open daily until 20th September.