Superstars don’t come much bigger than Beyoncé, and with the queen of R&B currently whipping her fans into a frenzy on the UK leg of her European tour, what better time to take a look back at a couple of our favourite Beyoncé music videos, by the romantically-named director Pierre Debusschere?
When he isn’t on photography assignment for fashion houses and glossy magazines, the Belgian turns his attention to the moving image. He has recently finished directing the videos for Ghost and Mine, two tracks from Beyoncé’s self-titled “visual album”. Debusschere is known for his use of light, and his skill in this is evident in both videos. In Ghost, however, perhaps the most striking element is the materiality, exploiting a variety of textiles to convey confinement, freedom and intangibility, Debusschere introduces a harder element through the sculpted body of the singer, painted and lit as an almost anodised presence. Costume and material is also a central device in Mine; leaping dancers in loosely fitting, sheer outfits contrast with a statuesque, masked Beyoncé who later in the track throws off her constraints and becomes a more natural force.
If you’re in the mood to experience some of the Beyoncé magic up close, there are dates in Birmingham and Manchester this week before the diva moves on to a string of six concerts at London’s O2; travelling to Dublin, Holland, Belgium and Spain after that. To get hold of the best tickets to these shows, which are all but sold out, visit the StubHub Beyonce tickets page.
