Olivo Barbieri: A Life in Photography, from Viaggio in Italia to Site Specific
Born in Carpi in 1954, Olivo Barbieri is a distinguished Italian photographer celebrated for his nighttime imagery and aerial perspectives. He was part of the 1984 exhibition 'Viaggio in Italia,' which was curated by Luigi Ghirri, showcasing the use of artificial lighting after dark. His later work concentrated on the Franco-Belgian border in the Mission photographique Transmanche. Since 1989, he has extensively explored China, beginning during the Tiananmen Square protests. His series 'Virtual Truths' (circa 2000) utilized selective focus, while 'Site Specific' (from 2003) highlights aerial views of cities. His latest endeavor, 'American Monument and Monument,' delves into Western symbolism. Barbieri has also rephotographed pieces by Piero della Francesca and has been creating films since 1995. His works are housed in the MoMA collection.
Key facts
- Olivo Barbieri was born in Carpi, Italy, in 1954.
- He participated in 'Viaggio in Italia' in 1984, the only photographer to contribute nocturnal images.
- He met Luigi Ghirri at the Poletti Library in Modena in the late 1970s.
- His first solo exhibition was at the Galleria Civica di Modena, with a text by Franco Vaccari.
- He was the only Italian photographer invited to the Mission photographique Transmanche.
- He first traveled to China in 1989 during the Tiananmen Square protests.
- His 'Site Specific' series (from 2003) involves aerial photography from helicopters, not drones.
- His film 'Wasted Feeling' (1995) was shot in Tiananmen Square with a soundtrack by Tiziano Popoli.
- His works are in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
- The interview was published in Artribune Magazine #44.
Entities
Artists
- Olivo Barbieri
- Luigi Ghirri
- Mario Cresci
- Lanfranco Colombo
- Arrigo Ghi
- Franco Vaccari
- Guido Guidi
- Giovanni Chiaramonte
- Basilico
- Pierre Devin
- Paolo Costantini
- Canaletto
- Francis Bacon
- Edward Hopper
- Piero della Francesca
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Mark Rothko
- Craigie Horsfield
- Mimmo Jodice
- Tobia Bezzola
- Ansel Adams
- Edward Weston
- Franco Vimercati
- Giovanna Silva
- Tiziano Popoli
- Arthur Rimbaud
- Norman Foster
- Cristoforo Colombo
- Philip K. Dick
Institutions
- Galleria Civica di Modena
- Biblioteca Poletti
- Mission photographique Transmanche
- DATAR
- Galleria Mazzoli
- Uffizi
- Louvre
- Museo di Capodimonte
- MoMA
- Villa Manin
- Artribune Magazine
- Apple
- Planned Parenthood
- Pro Gun Club
Locations
- Carpi
- Italy
- Modena
- China
- Tiananmen Square
- India
- Japan
- Egypt
- Tibet
- Dallas
- Miami
- Barcelona
- Niagara Falls
- Iguazú Falls
- Argentina
- Dolomites
- Monte Bianco
- Los Angeles
- Long Beach
- Arizona
- Huntington Beach
- Grizzana
- Point Lobos
- Brasilia
- Rome
- Shanghai
- Las Vegas
- Seville
- Milan
- Bangkok
- Naples
- Castel dell'Ovo
- Huangpu River
- Tuscany
- Abruzzo
- Emilia Romagna
- Vasto
- Ravenna
- Passariano