After launching Francis Giacobetti’s Monography in Paris, London and New York at the end of 2017, Maison Assouline organizes in partnership with VANDARTISTS, a vernissage of fifteen of his iconic photographs. This comes following the auction of one of his most famous covers for Lui magazine by Christie’s on 17th May in London. The exhibition will run until 17th June.
Francis Giacobetti reinvented not only the nude, but the entire artistic process of capturing images. From Lui magazine’s inception, Giacobetti was the principal photographer signing his pictures under fifteen aliases. He is also one of the rare photographers to have shot the legendary Pirelli Calendar two years in a row in 1970 and 1971. Although he was considered a master of photography in the 70’s, after leaving Lui Magazine in 1985, he was unable to publish nor exhibit his work due to a dispute with his publisher who kept all his original photographs.
Following the recent retrieval of his original transparencies from the archives, after a long trial, the celebrated images from the renowned magazine are now available to collectors for the first time. Guests will be invited into Maison Assouline to view fifteen of these iconic images including photography of Grace Jones and the seminal ‘Zebra’ photographs. Recently, 34 iconic photographs were sold by ARTCURIAL auction house in Paris for the total amount of €322,530.
Karlina Nathan, Global Director of Maison Assouline commented, ‘Following Assouline’s launch of Giacobetti’s monography and the exciting news of the auction at Christie’s we are thrilled to open Maison Assouline in partnership with VANDARTISTS to give the public a chance to see some of Giacobetti’s most formative images in person’.
Just as Lui is credited with bringing the pinup to Paris, Giacobetti can be credited with bringing elegance to the world of the nude and has created some of photography’s most recognisable images of the last half-century. The autodidact’s unorthodox approach to technique, light and shadow has earned him covers across multiple images and formats and has vaulted the name Giacobetti among photography’s lofty pantheon of greats. The Maison Assouline store therefore provides the perfect backdrop for this vernissage. The store’s extensive collection of titles offers bibliophiles an immersive library and elegant coffee shop–bar and the exhibition space upstairs maintains the spirit and savoir faire of Maison Assouline whilst working as a canvas for Giacobetti’s work.
Francis Giacobetti
Until June 17th, 2018
Maison Assouline
196A Picadilly
St. James’s,
London W1J 9EY
United Kingdom
https://www.assouline.com/
