Gabriele Basilico
Mythical Monte-Carlo:
150 Years in the Making
Co-presented with the Consulate General of Monaco
and the Monaco Government Tourist Office in New York
June 20–August 23, 2013
Screening: Monte-Carlo, Birth of a Legend
Wednesday, June 19 at 8pm
FIAF Gallery
Florence Gould Hall
22 East 60th Street
NYC
www.fiaf.org
www.MonacoTakesNewYork.com
To celebrate the fabled history of Monte Carlo, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York’s premier French cultural center, joins the Consulate General of Monaco and the Monaco Government Tourist Office in New York to present Mythical Monte-Carlo: 150 Years in the Making, an exhibition showcasing the remarkable architecture of this captivating Principality on the Mediterranean, as seen through the lens of award-winning documentary photographer Gabriele Basilico (1944–2013). Mythical Monte-Carlo will be on view at the FIAF Gallery from Thursday, June 20 through Friday, August 23.
The exhibition features a selection of works from MONACOPOLIS: Architecture, Urbanism and Urbanization in Monaco, Realizations and Projects – 1858-2012 from the Nouveau Musée National of Monaco, curated by Nathalie Giordano-Rosticher, Curator in Chief NMNM.
As a complement to this exhibition, FIAF will screen Monte-Carlo, Birth of a Legend on Wednesday, June 19 at 8pm. This docudrama, written by Kate Krasuski and directed by François Freynet, recounts the fascinating, behind-the-scenes story of Monte-Carlo’s creation.
Mythical Monte-Carlo: 150 Years in the Making
Thursday, June 20–Friday, August 23, FIAF Gallery
In 2006, the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco commissioned Gabriele Basilico to photograph the legendary destination, resulting in over 200 photographs. His vision revealed a Principality shaped by history, labyrinthine urban development, and its geographic location between the mountains and the sea.
Born in Milan, Basilico is an award-winning photographer known for capturing the world’s largest metropolises, including Beirut, Sao Paolo, San Francisco, and Naples. He began his career documenting the industrialization of Milan and the transformation of the transalpine landscape.
The exhibition also features archival footage evoking the history of the Principality of Monaco, including an interview of Prince Rainier (the “Builder Prince”) from the film Rainier de Monaco Prince & PDG, and an installation of postcards in the shape of Monaco, commissioned by the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco.
About Gabriele Basilico
Born in Milan in 1944, Basilico was an award-winning photographer known for capturing the world’s largest metropolises, including Beirut, Sao Paolo, San Francisco, and Naples. After studying architecture, Basilico began his career photographing the factories of Milan. He was then commissioned by the French government, alongside an international group of photographers, to document the transformation of the transalpine landscape. Basilico photographed the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990, and accepted a commission in 1991 to photograph Beirut and the effects of fifteen years of civil war within Lebanon’s capital. In 1994, The Foundation Gottardo, Lugano hosted the first retrospective of Basilico’s work, and he was awarded the prestigious Osella d’Oro award at the Venice Biennale in 1996. Basilico’s photographs have been the subject of numerous international museum exhibitions, biennials and publications, including the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, which hosted the largest retrospective of his works to date. Gabriele Basilico died on February 13, 2013.
Media Contacts:
Natascha Bodemann / T 646 388 6677 / nbodemann [at] fiaf.org
Elle Berdy / T 212 286 0500 / eberdy [at] monaco-consulate.com
*Gabriele Basilico, Monte-Carlo 05 2A 12-74, 2005. Gelatin silver print, 15.75 x 11.8 inches. Control of the Association of Friends of NNMM. Collection New National Museum of Monaco (inv. 2007.13.46).
© Gabriele Basilico / NNMM / ADAGP, Paris 2013. Photo: Gabriele Basilico Studio / NNMM.
