Olivo Barbieri
dal 30/3/2006 al 12/5/2006
Segnalato da
30/3/2006
Olivo Barbieri
Yancey Richardson Gallery, New York
Site Specific series, a multiyear global investigation into the nature of cities, the show includes large-scale aerial views made in Rome in 2004 and Las Vegas in 2005. Barbieri’s photographs of spectacular architectural creations, both ancient and modern, explore notions of scale, idealism, and ambition and redefine our understanding of otherwise familiar urban spaces.
Site Specific
The gallery is pleased to present the US debut solo exhibition of Italian photographer Olivo
Barbieri. Drawn from Barbieri’s Site Specific series, a multiyear global investigation into the
nature of cities, the show includes large-scale aerial views made in Rome in 2004 and Las
Vegas in 2005. Barbieri’s photographs of spectacular architectural creations, both ancient
and modern, explore notions of scale, idealism, and ambition and redefine our understanding
of otherwise familiar urban spaces. Barbieri describes Site Specific as “The world as a
temporary site-specific installation... the foundation of our sense of belonging and our
identity, seen from afar, as a great scale model: the city as an avatar of itself."
Photographing from a helicopter 300 to 500 feet above ground with a large -format camera
and a tilt-focus lens, Barbieri reduces the epic to the miniature and grand structures meant to
celebrate cities and endure time appear miniature and toy-like. The total Site Specific series
encompasses Montreal, Jordan, Los Angeles, Turin and Shanghai.
In addition to his still photographs, Barbieri has produced short 35mm films of Rome, Las
Vegas and Shanghai. The Rome and Las Vegas films were featured in the 2005 Toronto
Film Festival and the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. All three films will be shown in The
Bloomberg Space, London in April 2006. The film Site Specific_Las Vegas will make its New
York City debut March 10th at the opening of the new Sara Meltzer Gallery, 531 West 26th
Street.
A participant in the 1993, 1995 and 1997 Venice Biennales, Barbieri has exhibited
internationally at institutions including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, the
Fotomuseum Winterthur, the International Center of Photography, New York and the
Canadian Center for Architecture, Toronto.
Image: site specific_ROMA, 2005, 48 x 68 inch chromogenic print, Edition of 6
Yancey Richardson Gallery
535 West 22nd Street 3rd floor