Erarta Museum will showcase more than 50 works by the maître, many of which have become cult images defining an entire epoch. The exhibition will feature photographs from various periods, starting from the first stages of Périer's professional carrier with the popular French magazine Salut les Copains which covered the 1960s youth music culture. The highlights of this period are the photoshoots of legendary The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
Périer met and photographed The Beatles on several occasions in the 1960s and even provided images for several of the band's album covers. These include the famous picture appearing on the cover of the Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever single.
A landmark series to be presented at the exhibition is The World of Fashion Designers commissioned by ELLE magazine and featuring portraits of the likes of Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, and Kenzō. These photographs reflect Périer's extreme attention to detail. More couturier than photographer, Jean-Marie Périer meticulously arranges every image, assembling a sophisticated photographic collection.
Périer's camera has also captured numerous stars of the international cinema, producing the portraits of Catherine Deneuve, Alain Delon, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Benicio del Toro, Sophia Loren, Monica Bellucci, and Natalie Portman, to name just a few.
At times swapping roles and cameras, Jean-Marie would film his own movies. He is credited for several documentaries and TV shows, as well as feature films including Antoine et Sébastien (1974) starring François Périer and Sale rêveur (1978) with Jacques Dutronc and Lea Massari.
Périer's works can be found in museums and galleries worldwide, including the United States (Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Portland Museum, Brooklyn Museum), Germany (Stephen Hoffman Gallery), Belgium (Young Galerie), and Great Britain (Snap Galleries, The Little Black Gallery).