PURE
INSTINCT
THE BOOK
Pioneering Book Collaboration Between Celebrity Chef Yann Bernard Lejard and Prolific Photographer Sergio Coimbra
A Fusion of Culinary & Visual Arts, PURE INSTINCT
is a Founding Stone of a Unique Art Movement.
In a first of its kind collaboration, the worlds of culinary and visual arts are colliding in a breathtaking project which sees Bahrain-based French celebrity chef, Yann Bernard Lejard, widely known as YBL, and world-renowned, Sao Paulo-based photographer Sergio Coimbra, join hands to bring about a unique publication that will leave art enthusiasts and food lovers the world over in awe.
Pure Instinct is the product of the two mavens’ unprecedented collaboration, a unique book in which the pair summoned their finest creative juices into creating. Featuring the jaw-dropping culinary creations of chef Yann captured through the mesmerizing lens of photographer Sergio Coimbra, the new book comprises a number of shoots the pair undertook at Coimbra’s studio in Sao Paulo, chronicling an avant-garde cooking experience infused with best-in-class photography techniques.
“Sergio was a perfect partner to work with because he really allowed me to free myself from any limitations and express my art in a way that was liberating,” says YBL. “Each shoot we have finished had ignited our inspiration for another one, and it was quite invigorating to see Sergio’s unique style reflected on my work.”
Leading up to Pure Instinct, YBL, founder of the eccentric culinary art brand Yannesque, has toured the world producing exclusive presentations of his unrepeatable edible art at distinguished hospitality and art establishments in every corner of the globe. His work has gained him widespread recognition as a founder of a new art movement.
Yannesque is the melting pot of the best cuisine and art practices from the east and west, having been founded by Yann Bernard Lejard, director of culinary and food & beverage at Bahrain’s The Ritz-Carlton, whose career in the culinary scene goes all the way back to the birthplace of one of the world’s most sought-after cuisines; France. From an early age, YBL grew fascinated by prolific artists the likes of Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock, who acted as core inspirations for his signature, abstract culinary style in which the food act as ingredients for stunning live paintings.
“Yann Bernard Lejard has produced a series of artistic experiments that extend his past experience as a chef with his ability to create immersive paintings of a unique kind. His idea is to extend the definition of live painting to an understanding of a living painting,” wrote the award-winning, interdisciplinary art curator and artistic director, Marcello Dantas of YBL’s work. “A work that is immersive in color, smell, texture and volume; an artwork that is changing minute by minute under the rules of nature, the action of bacteria and the gesture of an artist. All struggling to see what perseveres the longest.”
The book, which is available for ordering from anywhere across the globe, provides a detailed observation of this process of artistic creation. In many ways, these photos are the only surviving fragments of YBL’s creations, which are otherwise meant to be enjoyed and consumed on the spot in a fully-immersive experience. YBL’s work aims to capture the essence of the inevitability of coming to an end, before giving birth to something new. This is true of all living organisms, and also true of YBL’s work, only in this case it gets to live forever in the form of a book that documents a never-before seen process of fusing two standalone art disciplines together.
Coinciding with the launch of Pure Instinct is the launch of Yannesque.com, YBL’s brand new website which is striving to become a one-of-a-kind culinary arts destination, giving visitors from around the world an insight into the pioneering work of YBL, and, of course, a chance to get in direct contact with him and utilize his unique services for exclusive events and happenings.
Simply register your interest by sending us your name and email address, and we shall forward you the purchase and delivery information.