Having arrived in Paris in 1973, Paolo Roversi, originally from Ravenna in Italy, produced his first series in 1977. From then on, he devoted himself to fashion photography, working for the greatest designers and the most prestigious magazines. A major player in French photography over the past forty years, he has remained both at the heart of the system and at a distance, far removed from the ephemeral currents of fashion. In his search for beauty, he honestly builds a unique and mysterious body of work that is untouched by time. His choice of studio, large-format camera and Polaroid define the photographer’s style and way of working.
In 2024, the Palais Galliera devotes a first monographic exhibition to him, Paolo Roversi. Bringing together 140 works, including previously unseen images, Polaroid prints and archives (magazines, catalogs, etc.), it reveals 50 years of photography and how the artist seized on fashion to create a unique body of work. Designed in close collaboration with the artist, this catalog takes a look back at Paolo Roversi’s photographic work, examining his choice of studios, photo formats and styles.
With contributions from:
Anne de Mondenard, photography historian and curator at Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris; Nathalie Boulouch, historian of contemporary art and photography; Sylvie Lécallier, head of the photographic collection at Palais Galliera, musée de la Mode de Paris; Alexandre Samson, head of the haute couture and contemporary creation departments at Palais Galliera, musée de la Mode de Paris.
