Lights Up: Photographs by Gian Paolo Barbieri and Michel Haddi

From the 23rd of February to the 23rd of March 2024, 29 ARTS IN PROGRESS gallery is pleased to announce the exhibition entitled «LIGHTS UP» - Photographs by Gian Paolo Barbieri and Michel Haddi, at the new exhibition space LA RAMPA” located in the exclusive and intimate art & design mall «Gallaria Sonne» in Silvaplana, in concomitance with Nomad St. Moritz.

La Rampa is set to be a space dedicated entirely to art, with singular architectural features enhanced by significant planning interventions, designed by the architect Alexander Bellman of the Gruppo C14 studio, who oversaw the lighting set-up project.

“The idea is an unexpected exhibition path which has been carved out by light inside a gigantic reinforced concrete block, where visitors can lose their sense of distance and time to focus on the works.” (Alexander Bellman, Gruppo C14 studio)

“The decision to open this space stems from our unwavering desire to find new sources of inspiration for our contribution to the dissemination and circulation of art and beauty. The Engadine is in itself a huge source of inspiration, and we hope this particular space in Silvaplana will be equally evocative.” (Diana Ricotti, Sonne Gallery)

“We immediately want to qualify «La Rampa» as a space for Art, a living and breathing space, a place to disseminate the expression of the changes and transformations under way in this vital segment of culture, i.e. art, which is now hanging in the balance between tradition and innovation more than ever before. With great emphasis on photography as a form of contemporary art undergoing an extraordinary evolution, an area in which our gallery has more than a decade of experience.” (Eugenio Calini, 29 Arts In Progress)



The exhibition presents a highly innovative selection of photographs by Gian Paolo Barbieri, winner of the 2018 Lucie Award for Best International Photographer (Outstanding Achievement in Fashion). It is a style of photography that is at once ironic and sophisticated, both rare and provocative, rich with references to art history, eclectic outdoor sets. Internationally recognised for his trademark black and white shots, his subjects appear almost unattainable in their sharp sophistication. Using colour, Barbieri recounts his own personal and ironic interpretation of fashion and feminine beauty: the women in the photographs on display free themselves from the more canonical poses of fashion photography instead becoming for the occasion spokeswomen of a new kind of unconventional elegance which reveals a more nonchalant, sensual side.

The exhibition continues with some of the most exemplary images of the French-Algerian photographer Michel Haddi with a career spanning more than 40 years, part of an endless archive of famous faces, top models, icons and legends from the worlds of music and art. From Liza Minelli to David Bowie, from Cameron Diaz to Jennifer Lopez and Angelina Jolie, including shots of Kate Moss and Uma Thurman.

His take is intimate, personal and unconventional, just like much of his career, which is a far cry from that of a classic fashion photographer: having survived a troubled childhood, during which he clung to his dream of becoming a photographer, Haddi has dedicated his life to illustrating some of the key players in the historical and cultural changes of the last Century with a rare ability to capture, and then successfully replicate, the deepest essence of his subjects.

Haddi, which literally translates from the Semitic language as ‘the one who sees’, has succeeded in the difficult task of seeing, precisely, the true nature of the subjects who posed for him in front of his lens – actors, models or ordinary people – and to replicate their image, at times ironically and at other profoundly: all his photographs have a story to tell because they are authentic pictures, which play with the most common human emotions and, precisely for this reason, become indelible.



29 ARTS IN PROGRESS gallery
29 ARTS IN PROGRESS is a leading art photography gallery located in the historic area of Sant’Ambrogio, Milan. The gallery represents the work of internationally renowned photographers, with a focus on portraiture and fashion photography. Since its inception, the gallery has curated exhibitions in partnership with public and private museums including: V&A Museum, London; Hong Kong Arts Centre; Palazzo Reale and Triennale in Milan; Museum of Cultures in Lugano, and Nicola Erni Collection in Switzerland.

Gian Paolo Barbieri (Milan 1935)
For over 60 years, Gian Paolo Barbieri has been one of the most influential international photographers in the world of fashion. Collaborating on some of the largest advertising campaigns for international fashion brands such as Valentino, Gianni Versace, Gianfranco Ferré, Giorgio Armani, Bulgari, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce & Gabbana, Vivienne Westwood and many others, the work of Barbieri with his iconic and timeless shots has, for decades, filled the pages of Vogue Italia, Vogue Paris, Vogue America, L’Officiel, GQ and Vanity Fair. Cited as one of the fourteen best fashion photographers by Stern magazine, Barbieri is an artist that is becoming ever more present in prestigious museum collections among which, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery in London, Palazzo Reale in Milan, the Kunstforum in Vienna, the MAMM in Moscow and the Erarta Contemporary Art Museum in St. Petersburg, the Musée du quai Branly in Paris and the Nicola Erni Collection, Switzerland. His photographs have been presented in many influential publications such as Artificial (1982), Gian Paolo Barbieri (1988), Tahiti Tattoos (1989), Madagascar (1997), Equator (1999), A History of Fashion (2001), Dark Memories (2013), Skin (2015) and Flowers of My Life (2016). In 2018 Gian Paolo Barbieri received the Lucie Award in New York for Best International Fashion Photographer (Outstanding Achievement in Fashion). In June 2022, ‘The Man and the Beauty’, the first documentary film made about the life and work of the artist won the audience award in the Biografilm Art & Music section of the Biografilm Festival 2022 in Bologna.

Michel Haddi (Paris 1956)
Born in 1956 in Paris to a French Soldier he never knew and an Algerian Muslim mother, Michel Haddi had a turbulent childhood, moving between foster homes until the age of six. During this time, Haddi’s mother brought him copies of Vogue which fascinated him throughout his childhood, looking at the photos of great photographers. Haddi aspired to leave Paris and become a photographer.
In 1970, after a journey that took him by way of Saudi Arabia, Michel began assisting various photographers. Once back in London, he met his lifelong mentor Victor Herbert who set him on the path to success. In 1980 Haddi opened his first studio and then began collaborating with famous magazines such as American GQ, Jardin des Modes, and British Vogue. In 1981, Haddi was commissioned by Vogue Hommes for a ten-page photoshoot, which resulted in a long and fruitful collaboration that took him to Italy, where in 1985 he met Franca Sozzani (then Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia until 2016), Editor of Lei and Per Lui, who asked Haddi to join her team. Michel Haddi began his many travels as collaborations with The Face, GQ, The Sunday Times, Tatler, British Vogue, and many more renowned publications developed. From 1989 on, he moved around New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, and Milan working for more than 30 years as one of the leading photographers in fashion. Michel Haddi’s editorial collaborations include the most important magazines in Europe, Asia, and the USA: Italian Vogue, Italian Glamour, Uomo Vogue, French Vogue, Vogue Hommes, British Vogue, Mademoiselle, Tatler, GQ, Allure, Vanity Fair, The Face, Arena, Interview, Details, Rolling Stone, Vibe, Elle, Premiere, Stern, The Sunday Times, The Washington Post, Harper’s Bazaar and Marie Claire Germany are among them. He photographed advertising campaigns for Armani, Yves SaintLaurent, Emilio Pucci, Lancetti, Replay, Lee Jeans, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Guerlain, and many others. While living in the USA, he met and photographed many high-profile celebrities including, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, David Bowie, Uma Thurman, Francis Ford Coppola, Cameron Diaz, Faye Dunaway, Nicholas Cage, Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger, Angelina Jolie, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and many others, capturing intimate moments and the essence of all those he shot.

Gallaria Sonne
The “Gallaria Sonne” was born as a new refreshing format for culture, design, interiors, decoration and services for the home in general. From the shopping experience to the brand experience, the showrooms are home to several craftsmen, architecture, and interior design studios. There is also a bakery and refreshments, at Maistra 21 Café.