A Sense of Perspective: The Photographs of Massimo Listri

SEPTEMBER 21, 2019 – NOVEMBER 2, 2020

Italian photographer Massimo Listri is a prodigy of architectural photography, bringing a vibrant energy to interior spaces. Listri’s portrayals capture the majesty of grand structures, but also reveal the smallest details with a power to expose the secrets and stories contained within. He instills a feeling of awe that permeates the interiors of his compositions when all humans have disappeared and what remains is the splendid architecture that becomes the backdrop to human drama.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Italian photographer Massimo Listri is a prodigy of architectural photography, bringing a vibrant energy to interior spaces. Listri’s portrayals capture the majesty of grand structures, but also reveal the smallest details with a power to expose the secrets and stories contained within. He instills a feeling of awe that permeates the interiors of his compositions when all humans have disappeared and what remains is the splendid architecture that becomes the backdrop to human drama. This awe creates a sense of calmness while his intuitive understanding of perspective, equilibrium, and use of natural light complete his masterful and mysterious compositions. As Listri puts it, his photographs offer, “an expression of tranquility and silence in this chaotic society.”

In the three decades that have spanned his career, Listri’s work has become synonymous with elegance and admiration for architectural brilliance. A Renaissance man whose trained eye for architecture and historic preservation shows us the achievements of culture, while simultaneously displaying their wear and age. Listri’s work beautifully presents the interior architecture of libraries, palaces, villas, museums, and castles, capturing the magnificence and energy of their ambitious designs. Listri removes any living subject from the image and concentrates only on the built environment, allowing for a focus on the positive qualities of the interior space. Listri’s photography is so seductive in the use of natural light, long exposures, and a full depth of field that they achieve an equilibrium. The photographs produce a feeling of magnificence, serenity, and tranquility. This spatial focus reveals to the viewer, the hidden particularities of each space the photographer encounters. Listri notes the imperfections caused by time and history, underlining each structure’s unique character. Listri’s work illustrates the beauty and successes of classical architecture, compelling for his fascination with form and interior spaces. The photographs set a stage that reminds the viewer of the histories and human dramas, both personal and collective that these structures contained.