Fashion photography from post-war to the late 1960s can be framed thanks to the retrospective at the Fondazione Bisazza in Montecchio Maggiore (in the Veneto region). Indeed, the exhibition Norman Parkinson. Fashion Photography 1948 – 1968, with the pictures by Norman Parkinson and the ones by four other internationally celebrated photographers – Milton Greene, Terence Donovan, Terry O’Neill and Jerry Schatzberg – tells us about two crucial decades of change for our society.
A sharp change took place in fashion photography, too. Norman Parkinson, for instance, removed models from the usual photo studio setting and started photographing them in the streets as well as in stunning locations, including exotic ones. And the focus now was on models as people, with their own attitudes, photographed with the monuments of Paris or the New York’s skyline in the background. It was a new style in photography anda new way of representing women in fashion shoots. In doing so, Parkinson managed to fully capture the concept of feminine elegance, framing it in poetic images.
If the magic of the 60’s swinging London was captured by Terence Donovan and Terry O’Neill, a new narrative style can be traced in the pictures by Milton Greene and Jerry Schatzberg. They were both American, photographers and film directors. Greene was the fashion and celebrity photographer (his photo shoots with Marilyn are legendary) and Schatzberg captured some of the most iconic and intimate portraits of his generation imbued with an expressive force and emotion.
“This exhibition focuses on photography as a key shaping force within the media worlds, and its selection has been guided by choosing images that have become defining icons of genre and woven into the compelling narrative of glamour and style. At the heart of this seductive exhibition there are beauty, elegance and sophistication”, curator Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz says.
The show, which includes seventy images for seven themes (Glamour Fifties, Swinging Sixties, City Style, The Art of Travel, Postwar Couture, Exceptional Gowns and Iconic), is curated by Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz and organized by Fondazione Bisazza and Iconic Images, a most known fine art photography archive management companies.
Beyond exhibitions, the Fondazione Bisazza preserves interesting collections of modern art and of architectural photography. Started by its president, Piero Bisazza, the collection reflects his passion for both photography and architecture. It includes works by Eugène Atget, Berenice Abbott, Gabriele Basilico, Candida Höfer and Hiroshi Sugimoto.
Paola Sammartano
Paola Sammartano is a journalist, specialized in arts and photography, based in Milan.
Norman Parkinson & Fashion Photography 1948 – 1968
May 22 to July 18, 2021
Fondazione Bisazza
Viale Milano, 56
36075 Montecchio Maggiore – VI
Italy
