Valerio Napoletano
and the timeless glitter of his female portraits
(Italia)
A challenging resurrection of the baroque style in photography seems to be one of the major characteristics of Valerio Napoletano’s art. Both a creator and a discoverer, the young and gifted Italian photographer embraced the universe of feminine beauty with an almost religious fervor, reminding us a famous quote by Dostoevsky-‘’Beauty will save the world’’.
In his well-known compositions from the ‘’Mediterranea’’ cycle the artist tried ” to chase, in an almost amusing way, the idea of pure beauty”. He looks at the eternal feminine with the avidity of a tiger’s eye, always on the watch.
His works are made with a scientific accuracy in order to capture an augmented beauty, even monumental and timeless, blending female portraits with significant elements from the marine world, like fishes, algae, octopuses, etc.
The art of arranging in a decorative manner the various elements and to interpret the woman’s beauty in various lights is due to a conception of photography as heraldic, allegorical and symbolic.
The compositions from the ‘’Mediterranea’’ cycle may be partially connected to the tradition of another very famous Italian artist, Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527-1593). All of them are probably born and imagined starting from Arcimboldo’s artwork, ‘’Water’’ (1566), an unique and expressive human figure made by fishes, algae, crabs, octopuses, etc.
Both Arcimboldo and Napoletano found their main source of inspiration in a secret relationship, almost musical, between nature and human beings, a vision close to mannerism.
The emotional immediacy of Valerio Napoletano’s vibrant and composite portraits may be related to the spiritual intensity, melancholy and the timeless glitter of the female portraits made by the masters of the Renaissance art.
___________________________________________
Constantin SEVERIN
____________________________________________
Biography:
Born in Apulia (Italy) in 1977. After studying Physics at University of Bari, he dedicates his life to the research of beauty in all fields, concentrating on woman and fashion.
Awards
Bronze medal – Trierenberg Super Circuit 2011- digital images, salon4
PSA Gold medal – International Circuit of Art Photography 2011 (Ukraine)
HM FIAP – International Circuit of Art Photography 2011 (Ukraine)
Best Doc Award – Festival of Festivals 2011 – director of photography in “Street Band Show 2011”
Catalogue Cover of International Salon Art Photography Ucraine 2011
Artist’s blog:
EMPLOYMENTS
25.01.01 Starting own photo profession
2003 Personal Exhibition in Monopoli – Nocturnes – City scapes by night
2004 Personal Exhibition in Monopoli – The colors of poverty – Reportage on Egyptian people
04/02/09 Starting Studio Nuove Idee srl company as photographer and communication manager.
05/09/09 Personal Exhibition in Monopoli “Colors, shapes and tradition”. City of Corato.
A project on old handworks for valuing and remembering jobs and people of the old town.
01/03/10 “Stone – a new vision of beauty” editorial on “Trucco e Bellezza” (3ntini editor), a beauty makeup project on luxury and female sophistication.
01/03/11 Cover Album “Compis – Luca Dirisio”, italian pop singer
01/04/11 Advertising catalogue for“La Sposa Chic”, “Bianca Sposa”, “Luisa Sposa”, “Dalin”, “Callea srl”, “Sabbiadoro”
01/04/11 Cover Album “Different Moods – Giuseppe Delre” (Best breakthrough jazz singer award 2011)
01/09/11 Bronze medal award in “Trierenberg Super Circuit 2011” with beauty image “Ruby” taken from “Stone – a new vision of beauty”
01/10/11 Gold PSA medal and FIAP honour mention for images “Beauty and Solitude”
and “Amethyst” at International Salon Circuit of Art Photography in Lviv “With Love to Women”.
01/10/11 Cover catalogue for the 6th edition of “With Love to Women” photo contest
05/10/11 “Best Doc Award” at “Festival of Festivals” as Director of Photography in documentary “Street Band Show 2011”
01/11/11 Worldwide collective galleries of images participating at “Trierenberg Super Circuit “ and “With Love to Women” 2011
10/11/11 Company calendar of Kad3 srl, dealing with alternative and renewable energies
10/03/12 Director of Photography in “Miss Roberta S/S 2012”, broadcasted on national TV “LA7”
15/03/12 Director of Photography in Video Company Profile for “Getrag Spa”
12/04/12 Advertising catalog for wedding dresses company “Dalin sas”
10/06/12 Still photographer on short movie “Io Donna…” directed by Pino Quartullo
19/07/12 Jury member of international photo contest “With Love to Women” in Lviv
21/07/12 Personal exhibition of collection “Mediterranea” at National Museum in Lviv
27/10/12 Collective exhibition of best photographers of Fiof in Taormina (Sicily)
15/10/12 Cover album + booklet “Gateway To Life” by Giuseppe del Re, Jazz singer.
16/10/12 Editorial on “Gallery Nails”, a beauty photographic project against Homophoby and Transphobia
22/11/12 Personal exhibition of collection “Mediterranea” at Confindustria of Bari
04/04/13 Director of Photography in Video Company Profile for “Winery Polvanera”
10/06/13 Finalist in national photo contest “Acqua di Chef” promoted by Water Ferrarelle
20/06/13 Advertising campaign for children footwear “Florens spa”
STUDIES
1998 Scientific High School – Ettore Majorana – Putigano (Ba)
Mastering in Microelectronics and Optoelectronics at University of Physics in Bari
Spring 2005 Fashion master with photographer Gabriele Rigon
Summer 2006 Reportage master with photo reporter Francesco Cito