See Legendary Fashion Photography By Gian Paolo Barbieri at This Milan Exhibition

“Barbieri elevated fashion to an art form by infusing it with the narrative language of cinema and theatre. He saw fashion not as an end in itself, but as a gateway to culture and myth,” explains Luca Casulli, co-director at 29 Arts in Progress. “Through the 70s and 80s, his imagery burst into color and ventured into unique realms: from the enduring Jill Kennington in Missoni, Port Sudan (1974), the place Barbieri famously hoisted a dromedary camel with a crane, to the dreamy tropics of the Seychelles and Tahiti. Here, vogue met anthropology, nature and pure fantasy, echoing his lifelong perception that ‘fashion without art is naked.’”

Lilly Bistrattin for Pomellato, Vogue Italia, Milano 1971. Photo: Gian Paolo Barbieri

Eternal Elegance also unveils previously unseen photographs, delicate yet haunting portraits and bold, theatrical tableaux obtained from the artist’s archive. “These deepen our understanding of Barbieri’s art,” provides co-director Eugenio Calini.

Barbieri’s collaborations with Italian designers throughout the rise of the Made in Italy revolution helped conceive an iconic visible language: vogue as theatre, cinema, literature and portray. Perhaps probably the most enduring side of the photographer’s legacy is the Fondazione Gian Paolo Barbieri. This basis not solely preserves his huge physique of labor but in addition fosters rising photographers, championing images as an important artwork type. Barbieri’s lifelong mission was to make sure that the worth of photographic artwork can be cherished for generations – a purpose he achieved with resounding success.

This article was initially revealed within the September challenge of Vogue Arabia.