His Name is Stephan Lupino. I had not heard from him in almost 30 years when the news of his exhibition arrived. Sculptures and Photographs in one of the most prestigious place in Slovenia.
Stephan was one of the most flamboyant characters in the New York’s photographic scene of the 80’s. He was called “The downtown Helmut Newton” during that period. One of his studio was the ladies bathroom in the mythical nightclub ‘Area’ which followed Studio 54. The bathroom studio became the improbable and worldly meeting place where all excess was welcomed. There, Stephan reigned. Originally from Croatia, he arrived in NY as a Karate champion then worked as a bodyguard and finally as a model. Among his first meeting was Deborah Turbeville, they became lovers, and she is the one who gave him the passion of photography. For 10 years he was the unavoidable night photographer of New York City. At the end of 1991 when war broke out between Croatia and Serbia, Stephan came home to fight in his homeland. When peace arrived, he returned to photography which he forsakes little by little for sculpture. Erotic of course, it is his passion!
Galerija Fotografija
Levstikov trg 7
Ljubljana
