Italian
Classic elegance and the surreal touch of a master photographer come to Rovigo. A dreamlike journey never seen before in Italy.
ROVIGO – For the first time in Italy, Palazzo Roverella is getting ready to host a vast retrospective dedicated to Rodney Smith (1947-2016), acclaimed New York photographer known for his evocative images and distinctive aesthetic. The exhibition, promoted by the Cassa di Risparmio Foundation of Padua and Rovigo in collaboration with diChroma photography, the Municipality of Rovigo, and the Accademia dei Concordi, with the support of Intesa Sanpaolo and produced by Silvana Editoriale, will open its doors to the public from October 3, 2025, to February 1, 2026.
Curated by Anne Morin, the exhibition features over a hundred works that showcase Smith’s mastery in combining classical elegance, rigorous composition, and subtle, surreal irony. His images, often compared to the work of the painter René Magritte, transport the viewer into enchanted and visionary worlds, rich in contradictions and surprises. What makes Smith’s photographs unique is their execution: all shot exclusively on film and natural light, without any retouching, revealing meticulous craftsmanship and extraordinary formal precision.
A student of Walker Evans and influenced by photography giants such as Ansel Adams, Margaret Bourke-White, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and William Eugene Smith, Rodney Smith has left an indelible mark on the world of photography. His works have been published in prestigious publications such as “TIME,” “Wall Street Journal,” “The New York Times,” and “Vanity Fair.” He also achieved great success in fashion photography, collaborating with internationally renowned brands like Ralph Lauren, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman.
Smith’s aesthetics also reveal evident parallels with the cinematic world, with clear references to directors of the caliber of Alfred Hitchcock, Terrence Malick, and Wes Anderson, and to silent film icons such as Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and Harold Lloyd.
A man of vast culture and a scholar of theology and philosophy, he found in photography the means to explore his relentless quest for the meaning of life. Describing himself as an “anxious loner,” he found solace in capturing images, considering them a way to “reconcile the everyday with the ideal” and to translate his emotions into form. His photographs capture the world with humor, grace, and optimism, bringing order to chaos through his distinctive style.
As curator Anne Morin explains: “Every image created by Smith, with the care and precision of a goldsmith, is a constant attempt to recreate this divine harmony and reach a higher state, even if only for a moment. Each image is ethereal and ecstatic.”
The exhibition is structured into six thematic sections: “The divine proportion”, “Gravity”, “Ethereal spaces”, “Through the looking glass”, “Time and permanence”, and “Passages”. The majority of the exhibited works are in black and white, showcasing Smith’s preference for this technique, even though he started working with color only from 2002.
Smith himself stated: “After forty-five years and thousands of rolls, I still feel this unconditional love for black and white film. However, contrary to what many of my acquaintances thought, I changed my mind and about eight years ago I started shooting in color as well. It serves a different function for me… there is nothing for me like the darkness and the dazzling intensity of black and white. It is an abstraction that happens in addition. Yes, there is much more color in black and white than there is in color.” The results of his approach to color and large format were nevertheless stunning.
Rodney Smith’s works are now exhibited in museums, galleries, and important private collections around the world. This upcoming retrospective at Palazzo Roverella will offer the Italian public an unmissable opportunity to immerse themselves in the enchanted world of an undisputed master of timeless elegance.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog published by Silvana Editoriale, curated by Anne Morin and enriched by texts from international curators Anne Morin and Susan Bright, and Leslie Smolan, Executive Director at Estate of Rodney Smith.
The images displayed here have been provided by Studio Esseci sas through the event Organizers
