ARTISTS Paolo Roversi

Guinevere sitting with Goupai, Paris, 1996
Gelatin Silver print
40 x 50 cm
Guinevere sitting on table, Paris, 2004
Gelatin Silver print
40 x 50 cm
Guinevere in yellow dress, Paris, 1996
Pigment print on fiber based paper
80 x 100 cm
Lights, Paris, 2002
Gelatin Silver print
40 x 50 cm

Paolo Roversi, who defines himself “a not very sophisticated photographer that snaps sophisticated images”, is considered one of the most talented current fashion photographers with the most personal and recognizable style. He was born in Ravenna in 1947 and his passion for photography sparks when he’s 17, during a family trip in Spain. At his return he sets up a dark room in the cellar and starts developing and printing his first black and white pictures. After an apprenticeship with local photographer Nevio Natali, in 1970 Roversi starts working for the Associated Press as a reporter. A turning point comes shortly after. He, in fact, moves to Paris in 1973 following the advice of Peter Knapp, Elle creative director, with whom he starts collaborating. At this point he starts working regularly with magazines Marie-Claire, Harper’s Bazaar Italia and Vogue Italia, but he reaches fame as the creator of several successful ad campaigns, such as those for Yohji Yamamoto, Romeo Gigli and Comme des Garçons.

For the artist's complete and available work list, to enquire.

Press articles

Biography

Artist's Exhibitions

Artist's News

Press

Selected articles available to download and links

Time Out (London), interview with Zena Alkayat, March 2012
British Journal of Photography, interview with Diane Smyth, March 2012
The Sunday Times, Spectrum, text by Emma Broomfield, March 2012
Crane TV, February 2012
I-D, interview with Terry Jones, February 2012
Nowness, February 2012

Biography

Born in 1947, Ravenna, Italy

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2011

Pace McGill, New York

2010

Camerawork, Berlin

2008

Guinevere, Pace McGill, New York

2006

Studio, Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse number 1 (Yokohama)

2005

Studio, Transphotographique (Lille)

2002

Studio, Pace MacGill Gallery (New York)
Studio, Galerie Camera Obscura (Paris)

2001

Images Cerruti, James Gallery (Moscow)

2000

Paolo Roversi, Photographs, Gallery Carla Sozzani (Milan)

1998

Portraits, Gallery 213 (Paris)

1997

Paolo Roversi, Comme des Garçons (Tokyo)
Paolo Roversi-Fashion, Scalo Bookshop (Zurich)(with Robert Frank)

1995

Paris Défile, Villa des Noailles (Hyères)

1994

Galerie Municipale du Château d’Eau (Toulouse)
Paris Défilée Gallery Brownstone (Paris)
Paolo Roversi Polaroids, Hamilton Gallery (London)
Angeli, Photo Gallery International (Tokyo)

1993

Angeli, Gallery Camera Obcura (Paris)

1992

Paolo Roversi (Monaco)

1990

Donne Nude (Tokyo)

1989

Una Donna, Solomon Gallery (New York)
Una Donna, Spazio Romeo Gigli (Milan)

Selected Group Exhibitions

2011

Yohji’s Women, The Wapping Project Bankside, London
Kate Moss par les plus grands photographes, Galerie de l’instant, Paris
Fashion! Fotografiska Museet, Stockholm

2009

Beauty: Fashion Photography Now, International Centre of Photography, New York

2007

Face of Fashion, National Portrait Gallery, London

2006

Clichy sans Clichés, Clichy-sous-Bois and Hôtel de Ville de Paris

2005

Yohji Yamamoto correspondences, Pitti Immagine (Florence)
Photography & Fashion, Athens Concert Hall (Athens)

2004

Do, PaceMacGill Gallery New York (New York)
Fashion Passion, Oca Pavilion (Brasil)
Belles en Vogue, Le Bon Marché (Paris)

2003

Bravehearts/Men in Skirts, Metropolitan Musuem (New York)
Noonwright, Form/Design Center (Suède)
Flower Power, Acte 2 (Paris)
May I help you?, Yohji Yamamoto, Hara Museum (Tokyo)
Fables de l’Identite, Collection NSM Vie, Centre national de la photographie (Paris)

2002

May I help you?, Yohji Yamamoto, Maison Européenne de la Photographie (Paris)
Autoportrait, Studios Pin-Up (Paris)
Unified Message, Camera Work (Berlin)- Archaeology of Elegance, Galerie 213 (Hamburg)
Unseen Vogue, Hamilton Gallery (London)

2001

i-D Learn and Pass it on, Colette (Paris)
International Festival of Fashion Photography (Japan)

2000

W Magazine (Milan, New York)
Armani, Guggenheim Museum (New York)
Sarajane Hoare Retrospective (New York)
Photo District News 20 the Anniversary, Centre of Photography (New York)

1999

Isabella Rossellini, Schirmer/Mosel Showroom (Munich)
i-d Beyond Price (Paris)
Under/Exposed (Stockholm)

1998

Yves Saint Laurent, Colette (Paris)
Yves Saint Laurent, International Festival of Fashion Photograph (New York, Tokyo…)
Addressing the Century -100 Years of Art and Fashion, Hayward Gallery (London)
i-d Family, Colette (Paris)

1997

Tati 50 years (Paris)
Images Sensibles, Secours Populaire (Paris)

1995

Kate Moss, James Danziger Gallery (New York)

1993

Vanities, National Centre of Photography (Paris)
Short Stories, James Danziger Gallery (New York)

1992

Nu, Gallery Private View (Paris)

1991

Appearances-Fashion Photography since 1945, Victoria & Albert Museum (London)

1990

The Historical Mode, Fashion Institute of Technology (New York)

1989

Fashion Photographs, Solomon Gallery (New York)

1986

Comme de Garçons, Centre Pompidou (Paris)

1985

Shots of Style, Victoria & Albert Museum (London)

1984

20 anni di Vogue, Sagrato de Duomo (Milan)

Selected Awards

2001

China Fashion Awards

1996

Trophée de la Mode

1993

Quatrième Festival International de la Photo de Mode

1991

Prix Jasmin

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