Emmanuel Gimeno is a contemporary artist and a photographer known for his work in fashion and fine art, which has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Depeche Mode, Spoon, Twill Magazine, among others.

Below he tells Wonder Shuffle about two of his most delicate photos.

So, there’s a funny story behind my oyster picture. 

It's a pretty cool shot, but also a little cheeky. It’s actually a 1 meter by 1 meter print, and it looks incredible in a room.

A similar one I have is a girl holding two fragile eggs, part of a series and it’s also the cover of an album by an American band.

I still sell the picture, even though some people say it’s a little too close to the line, like "the last step before porn."

But I don’t see it that way. To me, it’s about intimacy, trust, and love.

When I have her hold those eggs, I’m putting my trust in her, and she’s holding them gently because of the love and care we share. It’s about connection, respect, and how fragile we all are, but also how beautiful we can be together. It’s not about sex or porn at all—it’s about what we can be, together.

As for the oyster picture, there’s a backstory there too. Where I live, there was a big issue with oyster farmers—they were being tested for pollution levels, but the tests were too strict, and the oysters were being labeled as unsafe to eat, even though they were fine. They were losing their business over it.

So, I got talking to someone from the organization in charge, and I pitched an idea: "Let’s do a campaign." I suggested making huge billboards with my oyster picture and the tagline "Way Beyond Good Taste." The idea was to get people’s attention and have them wonder what "beyond good

taste" even meant.

The organization loved it—everyone clapped and thought it was brilliant. But when it came down to it, they decided it was just a bit too much for them to run.

I totally understood, though. I didn’t expect them to accept it. So, I kept the image for myself, and it’s now a reminder to enjoy the pleasures of life and everything in it. Everything is precious, and oysters, in particular, are something we celebrate — they’re delicate, beautiful, and sensitive. It was just

a playful way to explore that idea.

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Emmanuel Gimeno is a contemporary artist and a photographer known for his work in fashion and fine art, which has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Depeche Mode, Spoon, Twill Magazine, among others.

Explore more of his works at https://emmanuelgimeno.com.

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Emmanuel Gimeno - All rights reserved