Carpi honours one of the greatest fashion photographers of all time. Over fifty images of Helmut Newton exhibited at Palazzo Pio
This is the title of the prestigious exhibition in the Palazzo Pio, dedicated to Helmut Newton, one of the greatest fashion photographers of all time. Over fifty shots, some of them for the first time in Italy: one after the other , they tell with an extraordinary power the season which saw the German master to create communications campaigns for Blumarine, one of the symbol of the Carpi Fashion companies, involving feminine icons like Carré Otis, Nadja Auermann, Carla Bruni, Monica Bellucci and Eva Herzigova.
“I’m really very proud to be here next to these beautiful photos of Newton, a brilliant man and one of the greatest teachers ever born. The meeting between Blumarine and Helmut Newton” says the designer Anna Molinari -“was almost accidental: to insist to entrust our advertising campaigns to the master were my daughter Rossella and one of my friend, the journalist from Vogue, Manuela Pavesi”. A project, for those years, revolutionary. It’s the first time, in fact, that an Italian brand linked to a traditional idea of family business, ideally facing the elegance of a bourgeois woman chooses to present itself in such innovative way , revolutionizing its own way of communication in favor of a more eccentric and provocative idea of femininity.
“At the beginning – says Ms. Molinari – I had some doubts because I had always entrusted my campaigns to more romantic photographs but I must admit that over the years of collaboration with the master we were able to establish an almost perfect collaboration. As soon as I met him, he was working in Monte Carlo and I fell in love: he has managed to reconcile my delicate and elegant idea of seduction with his inspiration and creativity. I remember -Ms Molinari smiles- that he used to bring vertiginous stilettos and artificial breasts in case the models need a “ small correction”. It was a leap in the dark, but my courage was amply rewarded: Newton, with his shots, contributed to make the brand Blumarine famous worldwide”. Fashion campaigns, the ones developed by Newton, able to go beyond the stereotypes. The master in fact, rejecting the study of poses and living of the instinctiveness and immediacy of inspiration, gives us a fun, allusive sensuality. Playful.
“Who had the courage to leave the confines of our square, looking beyond, has been repaid. The success story of Blumarine is an example to which look and be inspired” claimed the President of the Foundation Cassa di Risparmio di Carpi, Giuseppe Schena. “This exhibition is an extraordinary tribute to Newton and to an excellence of our city. Blumarine reminds us that this territory has had – and still has – what it takes to re-launch and succeed. The municipality councillor for the Economic Activities and Culture Simone Morelli too is excited and enthusiastic: “I’m very happy to host Helmut Newton artworks in Carpi. We wanted it strongly as it is linked to Carpi entrepreneurship and fashion…. factors on which we are investing so much. I am also pleased for companies: they will see how a few years ago in the city some companies began to bet strongly on a winning factor such as communication. Newton, I believe, is a name able to bring Carpi to the fame not only at a national but also at an international level. We hope this exhibition will be the first of a long series dedicated to fashion”. (Jessica Bianchi)
Tempo, 16 settembre 2016
