Fondazione Bisazza readies Norman Parkinson photo exhibition

On 13 March, ‘Norman Parkinson & Fashion Photography 1948 – 1968’ will open at Fondazione Bisazza in Vicenza, Italy.

The retrospective will retrace 20 years of fashion photography through the gaze of Norman Parkinson and four other internationally recognised and celebrated photographers: Milton Greene, Terence Donovan, Terry O’Neill and Jerry Schatzberg.

Curated by Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz and organised by Fondazione Bisazza together with Iconic Images, the show comprises 70 works, divided into seven themes: Glamour, Swinging Sixties, City Style, The Art of Travel, Postwar Couture, Exceptional Gowns and Iconic.

The images not only narrate the spirit of change that swept the two decades covered, but also reveal a new style of photography and way of representing women, especially in fashion shoots and portraits.

Photographed against New York’s high-rise skyline or with the monuments of London or Paris in the background, the female subjects take the starring role throughout the entire exhibit. The images feature celebrities from the world of music and entertainment, including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

Curator Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz said: “This exhibition focuses on photography as a key shaping force within the media worlds, and its selection has been guided by choosing images that have become defining icons of genre and [are] woven into the compelling narrative of glamour and style. At the heart of this seductive exhibition is beauty, elegance and sophistication.”

‘Norman Parkinson & Fashion Photography 1948 – 1968’ runs until 7 June 2020.

Photos courtesy: Iconic Images