Madonna and Steven Klein Talk Mysticism, Horses, and Hot Sex

One of Klein’s most fruitful collaborations has been with the queen of iconography herself: Madonna. “It is rare to meet another human who is tuned in to your frequency,” she tells VF of their partnership. “That is why our collaborations are often disturbing but always epic.” Their first project, the 2003 exhibition X-STaTIC Pro=CeSS, put a bizarro twist on her modern dance background; since then the pair has created magazine editorials, ad campaigns, and a series of films, including for her Re-Invention and Confessions world tours. “Twenty years later we’ve managed to do so many projects together,” Klein says. “We start out with the core idea and then we execute it in a big way.”

One such project, a 43-image editorial series created early in their working relationship, began with what Madonna describes as “a mutual passion for horses, mysticism, great art, and hot sex.” Discussing 239 Madonna, Hollywood, CA, 2006, shown above, Klein describes the image of Madonna’s muscular back as a study not only of anatomy but of character: “We’re both very disciplined people, but there’s also freedom within the discipline.” In jumping a horse, he says, as in their shared artistic process, “there’s a lot of planning…and there’s a thrill also. I think we both like things that give you an adrenaline rush—and going to dangerous places.”