Paolo Roversi
In photography, light is like a feeling
“A picture is always an autobiographical portrait, an intimate confession between the photographer and his subject”
According to many, he is the greatest Italian fashion photographer. One who manages to create a real language through his works. Unmistakable and probably unrepeatable. Paolo Roversi is a reference for generations of photographers and a tutelary deity of the fashion image. A giant to whom Rai Documentari decided to dedicate the film entitled “Il sentimento della luce”, a very delicate project with a sweet aftertaste of homage. First presented at Fondazione Sozzani in Milan, the documentary will be broadcast on February 17 at 4 pm on Rai Tre. It will offer an intimate journey into the artist’s universe with a focus on the cities of Ravenna and Paris. In the midst of these two places, we are presented with wonderful portraits and, of course, light – which Roversi defines as a feeling. Born in 1947, he was the first photographer to use the 20×25 format Polaroid, thus paving the way for new photographic experiments involving the use of intense light. As a child, Roversi started shooting with a Ferrania Elioflex, a gift from his mother. It was not until 1973, when he moved to Paris, that Roversi made his breakthrough and became the illustrious figure he is today.
“A photo”, he says, “is always an autobiographical portrait, an intimate confession between the photographer and his subject”. Roversi has immortalized many subjects during his long career. He sublimated them all through his shots, which made them immortal. From Kate Moss to Naomi Campbell, from Monica Bellucci to John Galliano, from Princess Kate Middleton to all the models of the 2020 Pirelli Calendar (which Roversi entitled “Looking for Juliet” becoming the first Italian photographer to sign it). On the occasion of the documentary’s premiere, the artist granted us with an exclusive interview.
Where did the idea of telling about yourself through “Il sentimento della luce” come from??
Rai proposed this project to me and I immediately accepted gladly. There was a mix of things that I just couldn’t refuse. The national public broadcasting company of Italy, my country, the light … Impossible to say no…
Why does light play such an essential role for you?
Because I’m a photographer (smiles). But the light I look for in my photos is however a particular light: I would define it as a non-light, which not only illuminates but brings us back to something familiar, warm and simple…
Metaverse, internet: how has the role of the fashion photographer changed compared to when you started shooting?
So much has changed, just as the whole world has changed. In recent decades everything has been revolutionized: the way of communicating, of looking at images, of presenting them.
Do you think it got better or worse??
I got an idea. But let posterity answer.
What is the real challenge of each shot?
Well, it’s the beauty. I have always been in search of an aesthetic ideal. The big challenge is being able to reach it and show it to the public.
What do your subjects have in common in front of your camera?
Confidence. All the subjects I portray choose to rely on the photographer, they choose to let themselves go. They accept this exchange of sensibilities.
Which photo would you like to be remembered for?
It’s the shot I still have to take.
What if you hadn’t been a photographer?
As a little boy, I used to dream about being a writer or an orchestra conductor.
What’s next?
I’m trying to fulfil one of my dreams: to become a writer. I am writing a book together with the philosopher Emanuele Coccia dedicated to light in photography.
Did you finally find out what the Adriatic Sea and the Ville Lumière have in common?
They have me in common. My feet are deep in the sand of the Adriatic, but my head is also unscrewed and dreamy in my studio in Paris…
You have been working in Paris for the past 50 years, why is this city so special?
Paris is the capital of art, cinema and music. But most special of all in Paris is Letizia, my wife.
Interview : Germano D’Acquisto
Photo : Ludovica Arcero
