Snapshot: 'Brigitte Bardot' (2004), by Vik Muniz

The Brazilian photographer Vik Muniz (born 1961) recreates famous images using unlikely materials such as chocolate, diamonds, dirt, string and sugar. (He has, for example, made a Mona Lisa from peanut butter and jam.) He then photographs his creations, before destroying them, leaving the photograph as the final artwork.

Muniz's portrait of the French film star Brigitte Bardot (below) is part of his 'Pictures of Diamonds' series, which includes portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor made of diamonds. The photographs are then enlarged to enhance the dazzling effect of the diamonds.

These images (see slideshow below) are currently on show at Gallerie Edwynn Houk in Zurich, alongside 'Pictures of Chocolate', Muniz's best-known series which he began in 1997 and which includes portraits of footballers, such as Luis Figo and Ronaldo, as well as ambitious chocolate recreations of Hans Namuth's photographs of the American artist Jackson Pollock at work.

'Chocolate & Diamonds' Gallerie Edwynn Houk, Zurich, houkgallery.com, until July 26.

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