From past to future, from analog to digital: an artist who has interpreted change through a passion for music, art, and travel.
From March 8 to 28, as part of the MFR19 (Rome Photography Month 2019) program, the evocative halls of Palazzo Velli will host a solo exhibition by photographer Roberto Polillo.
It is an exceptional venue in the heart of the Trastevere district—a historic 14th-century residence transformed into a multi-purpose exhibition space spanning approximately 400 square meters.
This unique event offers a glimpse into the artist's past and present by showcasing two pillars of his creative work:
the projects Visions of Future Cities and Icons of 1960s Jazz.
Born in Milan in 1946 and a Roman by adoption, Roberto Polillo divides his time between Milan, Rome, and Miami, having dedicated his life to both information technology and photography.
------------------------
The first part of the exhibition presents a re-release of significant photographs taken during his youth at jazz concerts in Italy, France, and Switzerland. His father, Arrigo—a music critic and co-founder of the magazine Musica Jazz—had asked him to come along and provide images for the articles he was writing for the publication. During these trips between 1962 and 1974, Polillo photographed the greatest musicians in jazz history across more than 100 concerts—ranging from "classic" jazz legends (such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald) to the pioneers of the new avant-garde (including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman). Many of these images are well-known and have become part of the collective consciousness of music enthusiasts, serving as iconic representations of the subjects themselves.
The photographs in this collection are now being re-released in limited editions, including large-format prints. To achieve this, the original negatives have been re-scanned at ultra-high resolution. Following meticulous post-production and restoration work designed to showcase them at their best, each image has been carefully printed on fine-art baryta paper.
----------------------------------------------------
In the second part of the exhibition, the artist transports us to a completely different realm: the digital world.
Driven by a desire to pursue other interests starting in the 1970s, Polillo—who studied physics at university—successfully turned his attention to the field of computing as both an entrepreneur and a university lecturer, channeling his creativity through the lens of scientific rationality.
In the early 2000s, he returned to active photography, exploring new modes of expression and applying them to travel photography in order to capture the genius loci—the unique spirit—of the places he visited. His travels took him across more than twenty-five countries, spanning locations from Venice to the Middle and Far East, and from North America to Central America. One of his many projects involves exploring visual hypotheses regarding the cities of the future.
The Future Cities Visions project—with select images featured in the book Future & The City (Fiameni, 2017)—portrays some of the world’s most rapidly transforming metropolises (New York, Miami, Vancouver, Mexico City, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, and Shanghai). Through images of buildings that appear to belong to a single, vast metropolis, the work serves as a synthesis and manifesto of the architectural and urban vision of the future. Fascinating and evocative pictorial representations of reality, created using a distinctive digital photography technique known as ICM (Intentional Camera Movement). This process involves long exposure times, moving the camera during the shot—using it like a paintbrush on a digital canvas—and a meticulous selection process during post-production.
Unlike the narrative found in Jazz Icons of the ’60s, in Future Cities Visions, the unreal becomes real. These cityscapes are not realistic depictions; instead, they form a dreamlike, ethereal narrative, inviting the audience to perceive these places from a fresh perspective—through light, suggestive shapes, and emotion.
----------------------------------------------------
Organized by Medina Roma in collaboration with Noema Gallery Milan, the exhibition is part of the MFR19 (Rome Photography Month 2019) calendar. This event aims to promote and disseminate photography in all its forms and expressions, featuring over 250 initiatives, including exhibitions, talks, seminars, educational activities, workshops, and artist meet-and-greets.
INFORMATION
The exhibition opening (vernissage) is scheduled for Friday, March 8th, at 6:00 PM, featuring a buffet provided by Prodotti Parè and Cantina Villa Simone.
Exhibition dates:
March 8 – 28, daily
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM / 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Free admission
Guided tour with the artist:
Saturday the 9th at 11:30 AM / 5:00 PM Wednesday the 20th at 6:00 PM.
Press Office: Flavia Marincola