Guy Hepner Gallery

Tyler Shields Mua For Sale

Tyler Shields
Tyler Shields - Mua, 2012, Digital C Print

Mua, 2012

Digital C Print

20 x 30 Inches 26 x 40 Inches 45 x 60 Inches

Edition

Edition of + 2 APs

About this work

Tyler Shields' Mua (2012) is a digital C-print from The Dirty Side of Glamour series, available in three sizes from 20 × 30 to 45 × 60 inches, with artist's proofs. Created at one of the most celebrated and energetic moments in Shields' career, the work is a testament to the raw invention and creative fearlessness that defined The Dirty Side of Glamour in its earliest phase. The word 'mua'—derived from the stylized representation of a kiss—invites a consideration of the kiss as both gesture and image: the performance of affection, the theatricality of desire, the way that the most ordinary acts become charged with meaning when placed before a camera. In Shields' photographic world, every gesture is heightened, every interaction carries the weight of a story not quite told. Mua exemplifies this approach, using the simple vocabulary of a kiss to open a complex field of associations around beauty, performance, and the gaze. As an early work from The Dirty Side of Glamour, Mua occupies a historically significant position in Shields' oeuvre—an image from the foundational series that first brought the artist to widespread international attention. For collectors seeking works from this landmark body of work, it represents an exceptional opportunity to acquire a piece of the artist's creative origin story. The Dirty Side of Glamour brought Shields international recognition and remains foundational to his artistic legacy—a series that reshaped conversations about glamour, transgression, and the possibilities of fine art photography. Tyler Shields’ work is represented in significant private collections across the United States, Europe, and beyond, and this image stands as a compelling example of the formal intelligence and visual authority that have made him one of the most consequential photographers working in the contemporary fine art market today.

Price on Application

Auction History

Tyler Shields

· Tyler Shields · Sotheby's · 2016-05 · $18,338

More from this series

Related Reading

Watch

More series by Tyler Shields

Mua

About Tyler Shields

Tyler Shields was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and began his creative career as a professional inline skater, competing in the X Games and touring with Tony Hawk before shifting his focus to photography. His early photographs gained attention online, and a chance viral image helped launch his career as a photographer working within the Hollywood entertainment world.

Shields is known for bold, provocative photography that blends glamour with elements of tension, danger, and destruction, often incorporating rich color, dramatic lighting, and meticulously staged scenes. His work frequently explores contrasts between beauty and chaos, using striking visual concepts, from vivid color explosions to scenes built around luxury objects, to create images that are both polished and unsettling. He has photographed a wide range of actors and public figures throughout his career, always aiming for a cinematic, tightly composed final image captured in camera rather than through digital manipulation.

Beyond photography, Shields has worked as a filmmaker, screenwriter, and author, publishing both photography books and fiction. His work has been exhibited internationally and is held in private and public collections, and he continues to be based in Los Angeles.

Guy Hepner works with collectors seeking Tyler Shields's bold, cinematic photography. Contact us to discuss available inventory or to inquire about upcoming releases.

View all works →