Gian Paolo Barbieri : Beyond Fashion.
Gian Paolo Barbieri is a living legend of fashion photography, recognized for his exceptional talent and refined aesthetic. An indefatigable explorer of beauty in all its forms, Barbieri has devoted his life to capturing elegance through the lens of his camera. His work, marked by a keen sense of composition and a masterful use of light, has immortalized the most iconic faces in fashion and cinema.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with the greatest fashion houses such as Valentino, Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, and Dolce & Gabbana, while contributing to prestigious publications like Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Harper’s Bazaar. His photographs, often inspired by cinema and classical art, are distinguished by their timeless sophistication and their ability to tell a story in a single image.
His travels around the world have enriched his artistic vision, allowing him to capture diverse cultures and landscapes with the same finesse and sensitivity he applies to his fashion portraits. Thanks to his unique approach and unfailing eye for detail, Gian Paolo Barbieri continues to influence and inspire future generations of photographers.
Current Event: Exhibition: “Behind Fashion” until August 31, 2024 HOUSE OF LUCIE OSTUNI – CORSO GARIBALDI 1674, OSTUNI, ITALY
Website: fondazionegianpaolobarbieri.it
Instagram: gian.paolo.barbieri
Your first photographic trigger?
Gian Paolo Barbieri : The remaking of plays or movies together with The Trio, a group created with my friends. With the camera, I witnessed everything.
The man or woman of image who inspired you?
G.P.B. : Richard Avedon.
The image you wish you had taken?
G.P.B. : Queen Elizabeth II.
The one that moved you the most?
G.P.B. : I’ve taken a lot of photos of nature and every one of them moves me, that connection there is too strong.
And the one that made you angry?
G.P.B. : The sound of church bells.
Which photo do you think changed the world?
G.P.B. : Has not yet been taken.
And which photo changed your world?
G.P.B. : The first time my brother took me to the cinema: I saw frames follow one after another, that’s where my world changed.
What interests you most in an image?
G.P.B. : The balance between all elements.
What is the last photo you took?
G.P.B. : Julietta’s photo for my Shakespeare’s project.
A key image in your personal pantheon?
G.P.B. : The first portrait I took of Evar in 1989.
A photographic memory from your childhood?
G.P.B. : The swims I used to take with my dad.
In your opinion, what is the necessary quality to be a good photographer?
G.P.B. : Feed on your passions, feeding on culture, never stop being curious and believing in your own imagination.
What do you think makes a good photo?
G.P.B. : The important thing is that it communicates something and makes you feel something.
Who would you like to photograph?
G.P.B. : Sicily as a whole.
An essential photo book?
G.P.B. : Shots of style, Great fashion photographs chosen by David Baley.
The camera from your childhood?
G.P.B. : Voigtländer Bessa 6×9.
The one you use today?
G.P.B. : Leica SL.
An upcoming project that is close to your heart?
G.P.B. : The Polaroid book.
Your favorite addiction?
G.P.B. : The orchids.
The best way for you to disconnect?
G.P.B. : Travel to Seychelles.
What is your personal relationship with the image?
G.P.B. : It is my lifeblood, what has always accompanied my daily life.
By whom would you like or would you have liked to be photographed?
G.P.B. : By no one.
Your latest folly?
G.P.B. : Buy 4 rabbits, 2 female and 2 male, you can imagine…
An image to illustrate a new banknote?
G.P.B. : Tom of Finland’s face.
Color or black and white?
G.P.B. : Black and white, the color is vulgar.
Daylight or studio light?
G.P.B. : Both.
What, in your opinion, is the most photogenic city?
G.P.B. : Marrakech.
If God existed, would you ask him to pose for you or opt for a selfie with him?
G.P.B. : I rather would ask him to make a portrait of me.
In terms of social networks, are you more Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or Twitter and why?
G.P.B. : I don’t care about these, I believe in physical contact. They are just for work.
Do you think the explosion of social networks has changed our relationship with the image?
G.P.B. : Absolutely.
What does photography represent in your creative universe?
G.P.B. : My life, my passion, my everything.
What is the purpose of art, in your opinion?
G.P.B. : Making life more beautiful.
The image that represents for you the current state of the world?
G.P.B. : The situation is so complex that I find it complicated to pinpoint it in only one picture.
The job you would not have liked to do?
G.P.B. : Politician.
Your greatest professional extravagance?
G.P.B. : Have the governor of Port Sudan shut down the entire port and pull up a camel with a crane.
What question could make you lose your temper?
G.P.B. : This one.
And the question you wish someone would ask you but never has?
G.P.B. : No one ever asked me to tell when I found out I was gay.
What is the last thing you did for the first time?
G.P.B. : Drinking non-alcoholic beer.
The city, country, or culture you dream of discovering?
G.P.B. : The tribes of the Omo Valley.
The place you never get tired of?
G.P.B. : Seychelles.
Your biggest regret?
G.P.B. : Not having realized I was happy.
If I could organize your ideal dinner, who would be at the table?
G.P.B. : People I love.
In your opinion, what is missing in today’s world?
G.P.B. : Empathy.
If you had to start all over again?
G.P.B. : I would repeat everything exactly as I did.
Afterward, what would you like people to say about you?
G.P.B. : Whatever they want, hoping positive things.
The one thing people must absolutely know about you?
G.P.B. : I like to eat by candlelight.
A final word?
G.P.B. : Life.
