Gian Paolo Barbieri: Unconventional exhibition and docu-film celebrate the fashion photographer's lesser-known work

Gian Paolo Barbieri, born in Milan in 1938 and a key figure in the Dolce Vita era, is celebrated with a dual tribute: the docu-film 'L'uomo e la bellezza' (winner of the Audience Award at Biografilm Festival 2022, produced by Wanted Cinema with Moovie production) and the exhibition 'Gian Paolo Barbieri: Unconventional' at 29 ARTS IN PROGRESS gallery in Milan until March 25, 2023. The show highlights his lesser-known artistic production rich in art historical references and cinematic quotations. Barbieri, who shot iconic campaigns for Valentino, Armani, Versace, and Dolce & Gabbana, and appeared in Vogue America, Paris, and Italia, reflects on his career. He emphasizes that photography is a cultural fact, must seduce, and is influenced by sculpture, painting, and cinema—especially American film noir and Italian Neorealism. He never used photography for social or political denunciation but as a tool of memory, particularly in ethnographic work. His archive from the 1960s onward inadvertently shaped a testimony of society. Barbieri discusses the shift from analog to digital, noting a loss of poetry and personal style. He credits collaborators Emmanuele Randazzo, Giulia Manca, Emiliano Scatarzi, Federica Masin, Caterina Teoldi, and Irina Galli for the documentary project. He hopes his work inspires young photographers. The interview also touches on his views on female emancipation, beauty, and the cyclical nature of fashion.