Well that wasn't such a difficult decision then.
I've been umm-ing and argh-ing for a couple of weeks now about whether or not to shlep up to London again in a weeks time. Then I heard that my most favourite photographer, Paolo Roversi is showing at The Wapping Project until March 31st. How on earth did I not know about this until now?? Crazy. Suddenly a remarkably easy decision to make. These are some of his hauntingly ethereal images.
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| Roversi's Muse, Guinevere van Seenus |
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Kate Moss (1993)
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| Amber Valletta 'Rainbow Warriors' Vogue May 1996 |
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| Natalia Vodianova Vogue Italia |
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| Natalia Vodianova 'Morning Beauty' Vogue Italia October 2010 |
& a short interview with Roversi by Dazed Digital...
DD: How closely did you work with the gallery on image selection?
Paolo Roversi: We worked together. We chose images from my book Studio, a selection of my nudes and then it’s about Guinevere, one of my favourite muses.
DD: You spent over 15 years working with Guinevere. Why does she inspire you?
Paolo Roversi: She’s a beautiful creature! Beauty is very important in my work, it’s the most important engine. Guinevere is a mysterious girl. She is feminine, masculine, fragile and strong. She has a lot of different characters, a lot of different levels of beauty. She can stay in front of the camera like a statue. She can then become like a dancer, a ballerina. She is a performer. She can really light up my imagination and my creativity. It’s very important for me.
DD: Your portraits suggest an admiration of classical painting and photography. Are these equally important to you?
Paolo Roversi: Absolutely. I have been been influenced by a lot of painters, a lot of photographers. I think it is good to be influenced. The masters give you inspiration to do your own work.
DD: Is it the process of taking portraits that you enjoy?
Paolo Roversi: Yes. For me it is a very slow moment. If I took your portrait now, it’s not one, two, click. It is an intense moment, between you and me. I want you to give me a lot, as much as you can. And you feel that, and when you feel that you want more too. You live a special moment together, an emotion together. Without this, the picture is boring. If you don’t live that moment together, the picture will never be strong.
Paolo Roversi: We worked together. We chose images from my book Studio, a selection of my nudes and then it’s about Guinevere, one of my favourite muses.
DD: You spent over 15 years working with Guinevere. Why does she inspire you?
Paolo Roversi: She’s a beautiful creature! Beauty is very important in my work, it’s the most important engine. Guinevere is a mysterious girl. She is feminine, masculine, fragile and strong. She has a lot of different characters, a lot of different levels of beauty. She can stay in front of the camera like a statue. She can then become like a dancer, a ballerina. She is a performer. She can really light up my imagination and my creativity. It’s very important for me.
DD: Your portraits suggest an admiration of classical painting and photography. Are these equally important to you?
Paolo Roversi: Absolutely. I have been been influenced by a lot of painters, a lot of photographers. I think it is good to be influenced. The masters give you inspiration to do your own work.
DD: Is it the process of taking portraits that you enjoy?
Paolo Roversi: Yes. For me it is a very slow moment. If I took your portrait now, it’s not one, two, click. It is an intense moment, between you and me. I want you to give me a lot, as much as you can. And you feel that, and when you feel that you want more too. You live a special moment together, an emotion together. Without this, the picture is boring. If you don’t live that moment together, the picture will never be strong.
Just one thing... where's Wapping??
