Je t’aime...moi non plus
The Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg family album
The highly public love affair of French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg and British actress Jane Birkin captured the hearts and imaginations of a generation. The moment Jane and Serge met on a movie set in 1968, sparks flew. They would spend the next 12 years together, a passionate union that produced the controversial duet "Je t’aime... moi non plus" (whose explicit lyrics and orgasmic moans caused so much fuss that the Vatican declared it offensive) and, in 1971, the legendary album Melody Nelson as well as a daughter, Charlotte, who has become a successful actress in her own right. From the earliest days of Jane and Serge's romance until their split in 1980, Jane’s brother Andrew Birkin was a frequent presence in their lives; an avid photographer, he snapped thousands of candid family photos during those years. Birkin’s pictures—very few of which have ever been published—offer a rare view of daily life for the couple, bringing us back to a place and time we have long idolized. Though more than 30 years have passed since the two parted ways, and over two decades since Serge parted from this world, the passion for Jane and Serge has endured. This treasure trove is sure to fan the flames of its undying embers.
Designed by M/M (Paris), the photo album comes in a clear plastic cover with the following goodies tucked inside:
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Text booklet featuring an introduction by Jane Birkin and Andrew Birkin’s memoir of Jane and Serge, illustrated by Birkin family childhood photos
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Softcover contact sheet booklet
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Fold-out poster
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5 photo prints
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Sticker sheet
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Embroidered patch
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The photographer:
Andrew Birkin is a writer and film director. He won the Royal Television Society's award for "The Lost Boys," his trilogy of films based on his biography of J. M. Barrie. Later he won a BAFTA award for "Sredni Vashtar" as well as an Oscar nomination, and in 1993 won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin Film Festival for "The Cement Garden."
The editor:
Alison Castle received a BA in philosophy from Columbia University and an MA in photography and film from New York University (NYU/International Center of Photography masters program). She is the editor of titles on photography, film, and design, including Some Like it Hot, The Stanley Kubrick Archives, Linda McCartney: Life in Photographs, and Marc Newson: Works.
