Paul Thorel, pioneer of digital photography, dies at 64 in Naples
Paul Thorel, a groundbreaking digital artist, passed away at the age of 64 in Naples. He was born in London in 1956 to a French father and a mother from Naples. Thorel began his artistic journey as a painter in the 1970s, receiving mentorship from Carla Accardi in Rome. He later delved into technology at the Institut National de l’Audiovisuel in Paris, where he worked with tech firms and provided guidance on image processing software. In the 1980s, he contributed research to photography publications such as Aperture and Zoom. His prominent works include the Ritratti series shown at Castello Svevo di Bari (2002), MANN in Naples (2003), and Passaggio della Vittoria (2018) at Museo Madre, featuring a 150-square-meter mosaic made of 1,832,400 tiles. Thorel was also the grandson of cookbook writer Jeanne Carola Francesconi.
Key facts
- Paul Thorel died in Naples at age 64.
- He was a pioneer of digital technologies in photography and art.
- Born in London in 1956 to a French father and Neapolitan mother.
- Frequented Carla Accardi's studio in Rome in the 1970s.
- Explored new technologies at the Institut National de l’Audiovisuel in Paris.
- Collaborated with computer companies, TV centers, and universities.
- Published research in Aperture, Originale, Zoom, and Photographies Magazine.
- Created Passaggio della Vittoria (2018), a 150 sqm mosaic at Museo Madre with 1,832,400 tiles.
Entities
Artists
- Paul Thorel
- Carla Accardi
- Andrea Viliani
- Silvia Salvati
- Jeanne Carola Francesconi
Institutions
- Institut National de l’Audiovisuel
- Castello Svevo di Bari
- MANN-Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli
- Institut Français di Firenze
- Museo Madre
- Mutina for Art
- Aperture
- Originale
- Zoom
- Photographies Magazine
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- London
- United Kingdom
- Rome
- Paris
- France
- Bari
- Florence