Curation, art direction, and production oversight for the Jimmy Nelson's outdoor exhibition "Portrait of Humanity" at the Portrait Hotel in Milan, featuring 18 large-scale images that celebrate cultural diversity, in collaboration with Palazzo Reale, and Skira Editore.
"The meaning of these images is not a sense of discovery, but a much deeper need for a dialogue. The photographs become vocal because they arise right from words, from Nelson's obsession with understanding, with tiptoeing in and asking for permission."
The exhibition at Portrait Milano became an introspective dialogue by naturally generating the question: What does a portrait mean to you?
"Portrait of Humanity" emerged as a derivative project from the overarching "Humanity" exhibition, promoted by the Municipality of Milano – Cultural Department, produced by Palazzo Reale and Skira Editore, in collaboration with the Jimmy Nelson Studio and Foundation. It arrived in the heart of the Quadrilatero on the initiative of Portrait Milano, assisted by Beyond The Line (creative consulting and marketing agency).
Featured within the "Portrait of Humanity" Exhibition were 18 large-scale images, each measuring 6x2.5m, delicately framed between the ancient colonnades of the hotel's first floor.
As the Art Director and Curator of the Jimmy Nelson Studio, I was responsible for overseeing the curation, presentation, and print production of the artworks. Maintaining a close dialogue with partners from the Portrait Hotel, Beyond the Line, and Skira Editore, I aimed to express the Studio's vision.
I carefully curated and presented the artwork to align with the hotel's aesthetic, adding unique imagery to differentiate from the Palazzo Reale exhibition. Adapting wide landscape images to the narrow window format without compromising their visual impact posed a significant task. While cropping an artist's image is always difficult, I approached it with the utmost respect for the photographer's artistic intent and the individuals depicted within the images.
Jimmy Nelson's portraits and landscape photographs, displayed in monumental dimensions for the first time, created a profound dialogue between art, history, and humanity, enriching the city's cultural landscape.
Credits:
Jimmy Nelson Studio
Artist: Jimmy Nelson
Art Direction & Curation: Larissa Rosvaenge
Project Coordinator: Coco Box
Chief Executive Officer: Souraya Sarraf
Post-production: Edwin Veer // André Beuving
Portrait Milano
Sara Guerini
Cristina Fogliatoo
Beyond the Line
Matteo Marcucci
Elisa Castagna
Skira Editore
Filippo Vita Zelman
Andrea Garbetta
pictures: Portait Milano