A compact, but well-chosen selection of work by Paris-based photography icon Frank Horvat is currently on view in a show titled Frank Horvat — A Twentieth Century Fashion Photography Giant (20世紀時尚影像巨擎—Frank Horvat 攝影展).
Born in Italy to Jewish parents of different nationalities, Horvat started with documentary photography in the 1950s, producing often superbly composed and people-focused snapshots that make great use of the versatility of black-and-white film under natural lighting.
He continued to do so into the 1990s, switching to color and to digital and Photoshop. However, he is best known for his early fashion photography, starting with pioneering stylish monochrome pictures of high fashion in the streets (and metro) of the French capital while on assignment for fashion magazines. The work on display is mainly from the early 1960s.
Photo: Shir Bashi
Sometimes visibly staged and other times infused with purposeful spontaneity, the photographer presents models wearing haute couture and pret-a-porter, using fresh angles and sometimes successfully deceiving the viewer into taking the image for an everyday scene from “Paris reality.”
The exhibition has a minimalist setup: The photographs are original prints, well-lighted and well-presented, and the selection is good considering space limitations, but more explanation would help to contextualize Horvat’s very diverse oeuvre. Color photographs are notably absent, even though some work from the 1970s are included.
For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/events/705627163170214/
■ Leica Gallery and Store, 3, Lane 6, Qingtian Street, Taipei City (台北市青田街6巷3號),
■ Until Jan. 23. Open daily from 11am to 7pm until Jan. 23
■ Admission is free
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