Lucrezia Ciotti It has gone out Gianni Berengo Gardin, one of the greatest masters of Italian and international photography. With his unique gaze and talent for telling stories in black and white, he captured the essence of an authentic, often hidden Italy, made up of faces, landscapes, and moments that have marked the collective memory. His work remains a precious legacy, a journey through time that continues to excite and inspire generations of photographers and enthusiasts.
Today, the world of photography mourns the loss of a true interpreter of visual art.
The Mayor of Venice expresses his condolences for the death of Gianni Berengo Gardin.
In the 1960s, Berengo Gardin was appointed by Olivetti as an official photographer, a role that represented a crucial step for him in the career, allowing him to combine technical skill and visual language. Through his work for the Ivrea-based company, considered a pioneer in visual communication, he managed to to tell the story of a rapidly changing ItalyA dynamic, industrialized, and modern country, yet still deeply rooted in its social traditions. During this period, he photographed production plants, scenes of corporate life, and innovative architectural projects.
“With the passing of Gianni Berengo Gardin, Venice loses a great interpreter of its soul. His photographs have been able to narrate the city with an authentic and profound gaze, restoring its beauty, humanity, and the eternal contradictions between water, earth, and sky. He was a participating witness, capable of transforming every image into a reflection on time., on society, on change. Despite our different positions, I have always recognized him as an artist capable of striking a sincere chord. On behalf of the entire City of Venice and myself, I wish to express my deepest condolences for his passing, and I respectfully join in the grief of his family and all who loved him.
Attention to detail and rigorous composition became distinctive features of his style, ensuring that his photographs went beyond simple technical documentation to become authentic portraits of Italian industrial identity.
Farewell to the master of black and white: Gianni Berengo Gardin has died.
Gianni Berengo Gardin passed away in Genoa at the age of 94 years, leaving An indelible mark on the global photography scene. Born in Santa Margherita Ligure in 1930, he lived and worked in several European cities before settling in Milan in 1965, where he began his professional career.
His work, deeply rooted in the visual narrative of Italy and beyond, encompasses social reportage, architecture, and environmental description. Contributor to important newspapers Italian and international, Berengo Gardin has published more than 260 volumes and held over 360 solo exhibitions, earning prestigious recognition throughout the world.
His approach to photography was distinguished by a great attention to the social and civil aspect, privileging ethical commitment over mere aesthetics. Through his images, he documented with sensitivity and rigor decades of transformations cultural, urban, and industrial environments, revealing often hidden or overlooked realities. Among his most celebrated works are his reportages in Italian mental institutions, which contributed to an important social debate, and his photographs of Venice, a city he always considered his spiritual home.
“My work is not artistic, but social and civil. I don't want to interpret, I want to tell".