In Rome, the first Italian exhibition of 'In the American West' by Avedon

The complete series of portraits 'In the American West, 1979 – 1984' by the renowned photographer Richard Avedon arrives in Italy for the first time. The exhibition, curated by Clément Chéroux, is hosted at the Palazzo Esposizioni in Rome until January 31, 2027.

The display presents all 110 photographs collected in the book published in 1985, along with a selection of archival materials. Among the most iconic portraits is that of beekeeper Ronald Fischer, with his face and body covered by a swarm of bees.

Richard Avedon was one of the most influential fashion and portrait photographers of the 20th century. Between 1979 and 1984, he stepped away from glamorous sets for an ambitious project: documenting life in the American West. The idea originated from a commission by the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, which asked him to create a portrait of the modern West.

Avedon traveled for five years across 17 states, creating black-and-white portraits of ordinary people (workers, miners, teenagers) against a white background, a technique that isolated the subjects from their environment. The project, initially controversial for its raw realism, culminated in the publication of the book 'In the American West' in 1985, becoming a landmark in the history of photography. The exhibition in Rome represents the first opportunity for the Italian public to see the complete work.