Foto Marvellini
In our Instagram-dominated society, photography has become omnipresent and democratized, so that it is harder than ever to come across unique and original creations such as those proposed by Milan-based , recently partaking in Salone del Mobile 2013 with an exhibition and workshop at Officine Creative Ansaldo in the Tortona area.
The two photographers create portraits of 19th century characters. Historical figures are transformed into superhero counterparts, the presumed ancestors of Darth Vader, Spider Man and the like. These are re-photographed and sepia-filter printed, the print being carried out with traditional techniques giving birth to unique or very limited edition exemplars, available in “Ready To Hang” or “Fine Art” categories.
The result is at the interface of the ironic and the conceptual. The characters are with no doubt somehow ridiculed, but the choice of quirky, witty titles and the inspiration drawn from beloved comics and pop culture makes for an interesting upgrade to the lives of these long-gone people. On the other hand, heroes, comics characters and gruesome icons of the like of Psycho and Hannibal Lecter are demystified when transmuted into the portraits of Alpino Lecter or Young Bane. The juxtaposition of people of the past and future-dwelling characters, enclosed in elaborate and rather traditional frames creates an intriguing time continuum worthy of the attention of science-fiction aficionados.
The comics influence is self-evident, when observing the name of this good-humored duo, which instantly brings Marvel to mind. Batbarone, Nonna Thor, Portrait of Miss Joker, Portrait of Miss Wonder, Portrait of Miss Vader are some of the titles which coupled with the visual impression of the photographs will inevitably put a smile on the viewer’s face.
Adding to their mystique, an art workshop founded in Milan in 2011, Foto Marvellini has created an amusing narrative around its birth, existence and creations , claiming to be a historical company present in Milan since the birth of photography itself. No wonder “imagination is more important than knowledge” is the quote of Albert Einstein which frames and portraits their photographic philosophy!
