Press release visionaire a retrospective fashion and art 27 issues – 41 works – 28 artists

opening Wednesday 30^th June 1999

from 7.00 pm
cocktail from 7.00 pm
from 1^st to 4^th July 1999

Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10.30 am – 7.30 pm

Wednesday and Thursday 10.30 am – 9.00 pm

Monday 3.30 pm – 7.30 pm

corso Como 10 – 20154 Milano, Italia

tel. +39 02.653531 fax +39 02.29004080

press@galleriacarlasozzani.org

A container for ideas, a book of images, a concept… VISIONAIRE is all this and much more: a quarterly publication, printed in 6000 copies numbered by hand, that has rapidly become a lifestyle and collecting phenomenon.

Every three or four months VISIONAIRE gathers artists, illustrators, photographers, and well-known and emerging art directors together to produce a monograph issue in which every contributor works around a single theme using different methods, techniques and instruments. An ever-changing publication that offers new packaging, format and contents season after season. The exhibition includes the 27 issues published so far, represented in 41 images by 28 artists telling the story of the magazine founded in the summer of 1991 by Stephen Gan, Cecilia Dean and James Kaliardos.
VISIONAIRE No. 1 Spring. The first issue.

VISIONAIRE No. 2 Travel. Each artist interprets the concept of travel, including "mind travel".

VISIONAIRE No. 3 Erotica. Sheets collected together in a cardboard box. The highlights include art director Jean Paul Goude’s work and illustrator Mats Gustafson’s first series of erotic drawings.

VISIONAIRE No. 4 Heaven. Contains a bag of confetti by Martin Margela, a silk page by Todd Oldham and a series of images of saints by artists Pierre and Gilles.

VISIONAIRE No. 5 The Future. Enclosed in a plastic Lucite binder with a cover by Stephane Sednaoui.

VISIONAIRE No. 6 The Sea. A 3D accordion-folding cover. Images follow one upon the next in a folder.

VISIONAIRE No. 7 Black. An imposing artistic portfolio with laces to tie it shut. The most interesting files are the one by illustrator Edward Gorey and a black on black photograph and a black and white original by Bruce Weber.

VISIONAIRE No. 8 The Orient. A long, narrow portfolio with laces to tie it shut, containing portraits of Chinese opera singers and a fashion photo feature shot in Thailand.

VISIONAIRE No. 9 Faces. 100 portraits in a bright orange box with a relief print of a face.

VISIONAIRE No. 10 The Alphabet. Artistic images of letters. Some names: Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, Nick Knight and Alexis Rockman.

VISIONAIRE No. 11 White. Containing almost no black text, this issue attempts to introduce Braille into magazine publishing with collages of fashion photos.

VISIONAIRE No. 12 Desire. A red satin box impressed with an electric blue metal plate containing an original 3D print by Stephane Sednoui and works by Davis Siedner. Produced in collaboration with DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation for AIDS).

VISIONAIRE No. 13 Seven Deadly Sins. Seven pocket editions included in a portfolio book with a gold and black relief cover. Each book represents a sin: Lust by Mary Ellen Mark, Pride by Mario Testino, Wrath by Mario Sorrenti, Greed by Barbara Kruger.

VISIONAIRE No. 14 Hype! Poster-sized images by artists ironically addressing the fashion industry: fashion “caricatures” by Van Lamsweerde/Matadin, photographs by David Sims, never-made advertisements by John Bartlett, Todd Oldham and Helmut Lang; and a fun article by Hamish Bowles.

VISIONAIRE No. 15 Cinderella. The Cinderella fairy-tale told by different artists. Each one tells one step in the story: Steven Meisel, Bruce Weber, Pamela Hanson, David La Chapelle, François Berthoud, Mats Gustafson, Raymond Meier. Text by fashion reporter Glenn O’Brien.

VISIONAIRE No. 16 The Calendar 1996. A weekly calendar contained in a curved plexiglas box featuring 53 artists – one for each week – including Satoshi Saikusa, Jean-Philippe Delhomme, Serge Lutens, Rita Ackermann, Glen Luchford, Ross Bleckner and Donald Beachler.

VISIONAIRE No. 17 Gold. An opulent gold box with a hologram on the cover. It contains Todd Oldham’s halo, gold leaf printed on translucent parchment by Philip Taaffe and James Nares, gold printed painting, origami and an 8-page series by art director Juan Gatti.

VISIONAIRE No. 18 Fashion. A portfolio by Louis Vuitton. 44 artists interpret a number of stylists' fall/winter 1996 collections. Works by Nan Goldin, Craig McDean, Jean-Paul Goude, Mario Testino, Jurgen Teller.

VISIONAIRE No. 19 Beauty. A portfolio-box with three cosmetics in the cover. Inside are the best make-up creators: François Nars, Kevyn Aucoin, Dick Page, Topolino.

VISIONAIRE No. 20 The Comme des Garçons. A special issue in partnership with the fashion house's legendary stylist Rei Kawakubo in which 13 photographers interpret 13 articles from her collections. Items worthy of particular note include an original sketch of a dress and photos by Mario Sorrenti, Craig McDean, Philip-Lorca di Corcia and Nick Knight.

VISIONAIRE No. 21 The Diamond. A very special pack of cards contained in a black leather box: the hearts were drawn by Harper’s Bazaar creative director Fabien Baron; the clubs are by M/M, a Paris design studio; Visionaire paintings with the participation of David La Chapelle, Mario Testino, Karl Lagerfeld, Bruce Weber, Ellen von Unwerth.

VISIONAIRE No. 22 Chic. A project by Mario Testino. A bound volume of images by the world’s greatest fashion photographers: Richard Avedon, Sara Moon, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, David Sims. With a letter from Catherine Deneuve to Yves Saint Laurent, a bit of a Versace dress for Madonna, and bits of Christian Lacroix, Paul Smith and Pucci fabrics.

VISIONAIRE No. 24 Light. An idea by Gucci art director Tom Ford: a black box that becomes a viewer for reading clear acetate pages by Mario Testino, Nick Knight, Roni Horn, Wolfgang Tillmans, Paul Graham, Lee Jenkins, Christopher Bucklow, Sam Taylor-Wood, Raymond Meier.

VISIONAIRE No. 25. A collection of the best images created by image-makers: Philip-Lorca di Corcia, Eika, Philip Treacey, Fabien Baron, David Bowie.

VISIONAIRE No. 26 Fantasy. Surreal images of Tim Burton, David Byrne, Tyen and a special section presented by Isabella Blow. Inside, a carnival “mask” with Hermès silk scarves.