Paolo Pellion di Persano, photographer of Arte Povera, dies

Paolo Pellion di Persano, the Italian photographer known for documenting the Arte Povera movement, has died. Born in 1947, he began photographing in the late 1960s while studying political science in Turin. His introduction to the art world came through his sister-in-law, who worked for gallerist Gian Enzo Sperone. Pellion photographed key Arte Povera artists including Michelangelo Pistoletto, Giuseppe Penone, Gilberto Zorio, and Salvo. He collaborated closely with photographer Paolo Mussat Sartor in the 1970s. From the 1980s, he worked with Transavanguardia artists, particularly Nicola De Maria. Pellion served as the official photographer for the Castello di Rivoli from 1984 to 2012 under directors Rudi Fuchs and Ida Gianelli. He also worked extensively with avant-garde theater director Carlo Quartucci from 1974, documenting projects like Camion and La Zattera di Babele. Pellion's photography was characterized by objectivity and a desire to transmit artworks as verifiable reality. He considered himself an artisan rather than an artist. In 1976, he patented a portable laboratory suitcase for developing and printing while traveling. He also worked commercially for brands like Max Mara, Nivea, and Brooksfield. A 2016 exhibition at Casa d'Aste della Rocca in Turin, curated by Nicola Bramante, celebrated his work with Quartucci.