Paolo Ventura's Amazing Miniature Sets

Paolo Ventura, like Arbus, began as a fashion photographer. A masterful storyteller, Ventura brings imaginary tales from Italian history to life. The artist's intricate and eerily beautiful dioramas, miniature scenes pulled from his childhood memories, are casted into tiny, sophisticated sets. He builds evocative tableaux from humble materials, and the detail is extraordinary, from the clothes of the little figures, to the artfully arranged props, to the precise way the light and shadows play out in his photographs.
His work is filled with the sweet melancholy of an era, but remains timeless in its ability to resonate with contemporary audiences.

Born in Cuba in 1968, raised in Italy and now a resident of New York City, Paolo Ventura studied at the Academia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at Forma International Center for Photography, Milan, Rencontres de la Photographie, Arles, and Maison Europeenne de la Photographie, Paris.

Automaton series

Courtesy Paolo Ventura

Some pictures of the "automaton" series will be on exhibit at the 54th Venice Biennale in the Italian Pavilion

Hasted Kraeutler Gallery NYC

September 8 - October 15, 2011
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