Jacob Elordi Stars in Bottega Veneta’s Dreamlike New Campaign
Bottega Veneta has launched a new campaign featuring a photo series and short film titled What Are Dreams, created by artist and photographer Duane Michals. The project stars actor Jacob Elordi and showcases Michals’ engagement with surrealism, a theme he has explored since the 1960s.
Duane Michals on Surrealism and Dreams
“Surrealism suggests an alternative profound reality. It’s discomforting, and it contradicts the mere facts of our ordinary reality.” — Duane Michals
The campaign debuted at Curzon Mayfair on November 3 in collaboration with Bottega Veneta and Club Ciné. It coincided with a post-Halloween screening of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, in which Elordi stars.
Artistic Inspiration and Visual Style
Michals draws inspiration from metaphysical painter Giorgio de Chirico and surrealist René Magritte. He is recognized for placing familiar objects in strange contexts, creating unsettling juxtapositions that challenge perceptions of reality and representation.
- The film was shot at Michals’ New York home in black and white.
- Key motifs include a convex mirror, a suspended feather, and a crystal ball — recurring symbols in Michals’ work.
- Jacob Elordi recites a poem by Michals titled What Are Dreams, originally published in 2001 in Michals’ photo book Questions with Answers.
Summary
Duane Michals’ surrealistic campaign for Bottega Veneta, featuring Jacob Elordi, offers a poetic and visually captivating exploration of dreams and altered reality.