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
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, 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
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.
2012 Finalist for the International London Photography Awards (London Festival of Photography)
COMMISSIONED WORK
Max has worked for international clients such as, among the others, Prada, Lancôme, Nike, Shiseido, Platinum Guild, Pirelli, Etro, Issey Miyake.