Max Cardelli (1965) is an Italian photographer and renowned portrait artist. After high school, he enrolled in the Faculty of Political Science and, at the same time, attended Portrait Photography at the European Institute of Design. Upon completion of his studies, he decided to move to New York where he began shooting his first assignments for Condé Nast America. There, his first editorial stories were commissioned and his own distinctive style began to emerge. His search for expressiveness involves celebrities and lesser known faces, but always with a strong emotional impact. The human face has always been the focus of his research but he also ranges in landscape photography and prints his monochromatic works personally in Platinotype.
His photographs have been exhibited in various international galleries and published in magazines and newspapers worldwide.
EXHIBITIONS
2026 "Innermost", solo exhibition and book presentation, Fabbrica EOS, Milan
2026 "Innermost", The Phair | Photo Art Fair, Turin
2026 "Innermost", Mia Photo Fair, Milan
2025 "Portaits", solo exhibition, Principe di Savoia, Milan
2023 "road" Mia Photo Fair with Still Fotografia, Milan
2022 "Sguardi", solo exhibition of Women portraits printed in Platinum Palladium on Chine-Collé, 7.24 X 0.26 Gallery, Milan
2021/2022 “Sentieri”, solo exhibition of Platinum Palladium prints, Fine-Art Images Gallery, Palazzo Valfré, Torino
2018 "Visage", solo exhibition organized with the support of the Italian Embassy of Georgia, TBC Gallery, Tbilisi
2018 "My face is your landscape", solo exhibition, Kolga Tbilisi Photo
2017 “Blackout”, solo exhibition of landscape photographs printed in Platinum Palladium, P46Gallery, Camogli
2017 “Wonderwomen, Portraits 1996-2016”, solo exhibition and book presentation, Stamberga, Milan
2015 “Wonderwomen", solo exhibition of Women portraits, C. Cuccagna, Milan
2014 “Forma Luce”, solo exhibition of B/W photographs of actress Isabella Ferrari with poems by Aldo Nove sponsored by Bulgari, Horti Sallustiani, Rome
2014 "The Silcence", bitico fine art chromogenic prints, collective exhibition, Garage, Milan
2011 “Havana, 50 Years after the Revolution”, solo exhibition for the fifth edition of the Biennale of Contemporary Art, Ferrara
2005 “Italian Eyes”, a collective exhibition overview on fashion photography in the last 50 years, Milan
PUBBLICATIONS
2026 "Innermost", limited edition of 30 copies (artist book)
2021 “Essere - Portraits off stage (artist book)
2017 “Wonderwomen”, a retrospective that covers twenty years of portraiture in b/w and color, encompassing the beauty of real women, whether it be actresses, artists, musicians, athletes, scientists and models (printed by Trifolio)
2015 “Tunatartare, a vision of the tujuzu fish market” (artist book)
2014 “Forma Luce”, a photographic narration on the actress Isabella Ferrari with poems by Aldo Nove, a volume at the behest of Bulgari Gioielli for Save the Children (Drago Editore)
2011 “Havana, 50 Years after the Revolution”, limited edition of 500 copies, (printed by Grafiche dell’Artiere)
AWARDS
2006 International Kelly Award for the best spread campaign in collaboration with the agency Wieden Kennedy for Nike Women's Fall campaign
COMMISSIONED WORK
Max has worked for international clients such as, among the others, Prada, Lancôme, Nike, Shiseido, Platinum Guild, Pirelli, Etro, Issey Miyake.