Opened in conjunction with the Milano Fashion Week, it has been extending its amazing athmosphere a little bit longer: the exhibition Milano e la Moda. Omaggio a Gian Paolo Barbieri at Palazzo Pirelli is a special tribute by the Regional Council of Lombardy to one of the most well known fashion photographers.
The exhibition, curated by the Fondazione Gian Paolo Barbieri, shows a six-dozen photos retracing the artist’s creative life as well as the story of the success of the Italian fashion since the ‘60s, the decade that revolutionized fashion and photography.
With their unique allure, his shoots illustrate the instant when time passing is tranformed in an eternal present. Nowadays they have become history and memory of that stunning moment for the development of the Made in Italy and a new beginning to think about for the future, too.
L’Oeil de la Photographie asked Gian Paolo Barbieri what makes his photos unique, with their elegance and their inborn communicative quality. After reflecting for a moment, he answered: “I think I didn’t do anything so special. My inspiration comes from nature. And from beauty. That’s all”.
Milano e la moda. Omaggio a Gian Paolo Barbieri also features the imperishable bond between the author and his hometown, Milan, which is fundamental for his artistic research and creative production. Some kind of a fil-rouge that the Council of Lombardy Region Assembly welcomes at the “Pirellone”, its headquarters.
With regard to his exhibition at this particular venue, Barbieri says: “I’m walking down the corridor looking at these very shoots. People often ask me what I’m feeling… Indeed, I don’t know what I’m feeling about them or, maybe, I can’t explain it. But I remember exactly every moment of each of those shoots. I remember the preliminary studies, the research and the setup, the focus on collecting materials, the choice of the light sources. And I also remember the model casting, my relationship with them and with the team I’ve been working with, challenges and solutions … details belonging to a story. A story about most part of my life”.
Gian Paolo Barbieri, has been portraying stars and models with delicacy and sensitivity for Versace, Armani, Valentino, Gianfranco Ferré, Walter Albini – just to name a few. It’s hard not to be touched by his photos despite the fact in our time we are exposed to an unprecedented image overload. His artworks are intriguing and urge us to know more about them. Most of them are already part of the collective imagination, as if popping up in our minds straight from the pages of Vogue America, Vogue Italia, Vogue Paris, L’Officiel, GQ o Vanity Fair.
The exhibition covers four decades in which Gian Paolo Barbieri managed to express in an unique and innovative way the Italian fashion, becoming an accomplice and companion to the designers, who would have turned into protagonists of a new era of the costume and fashion. He was a protagonist himself, assisting them in the formation process of the ‘made in Italy’ brand image.
“Although Barbieri’s style is elaborate and precious, something of the Lombard boy remained in him, some kind of frankness, a search for perfection that leads him to continually overcome himself, always meeting new challenges” as Martina Corgnati wrote for the retrospective at the Royal Palace of Milan (2007).
“Since the sixties Gian Paolo Barbieri has been starting a revolution in fashion photography: with his images he managed to let the world know the “made in Italy”. Despite his many travels all around the world, he always desired to keep Italy, and in particular Milan and Lombardy, at the center of attention for his work as well as the home of his amazing archive. Nowadays this very archive – on stage at Palazzo Pirelli – unveils some of his most significant and suggestive images, with their unique features of expressive tangibility and never ordinary simplicity, for Barbieri always aimed at achieving perfection”, Alessandro Fermi, President of the Council of Lombardy Region Assembly adds.
“The strong bond between the artist and his hometown is also made visible by the opening of an institutional venue, like the “Pirellone” (and especially its Belvedere on the 31st floor offering a view both on the artworks by Barbieri and on the breathtaking panorama of Milan). At this extraordinary venue you can feel and see the creative genius of both Gio Ponti (who designed the Pirelli skyscraper) and Gian Paolo Barbieri”, Antonello Grimaldi, director of the Council of Lombardy Region Assembly U.S.S. Communication, Institutional Relations and Press Department, explains.
The exhibition arose from the cooperation of Consiglio Regionale della Lombardia, Fondazione Gian Paolo Barbieri and Galleria 29 Arts in Progress.
Paola Sammartano
Paola Sammartano is a journalist, specialized in arts and photography, based in Milan.
MILANO E LA MODA
OMAGGIO A GIAN PAOLO BARBIERI
From 17 to 30 September, 2019
Palazzo Pirelli – Spazio Eventi
via Filzi 22 – Milano
Italy
www.consiglio.regione.lombardia.it
