Artworks
Biography
Massimo Listri was born in 1953 and began his photography career at a very young age. At the age of 17 he was already working for art and architecture magazines, and during his university studies of art and literature he contributed to several photographic reports. But it was with publisher Franco Maria Ricci that he had the opportunity to make his first major reportages with FMR magazine. This prestigious publication was for more than 20 years the major expressive vehicle for Massimo Listri’s photographic tributes to the most beautiful palaces and interiors and the most extraordinary villas and architectural works of all time. In 35 years and in collaboration with the most prestigious publishers in Europe and the United States, he has published more than 80 books.
The interpretive pillars of Listri’s works are color, light and perspective. His artistic vision imbues these historic places with an aura of idyllic silence, allowing the viewer to immerse himself in spaces that, deprived of human presence, rediscover their original beauty. What sets his work apart is his ability to make interiors appear incredibly vivid, as if they possess a hidden life that only he can reveal. Listri has a remarkable talent for capturing the subtle details that distinguish a space and uncover the hidden stories beneath the surface.
His photographs convey an almost overwhelming silence, as if time has frozen and humans have vanished, leaving behind only the interiors that reflect their lives, passions, art, and culture.
Massimo Listri has had solo exhibitions mounted in various parts of the world. The most recent have found space in the Palazzo Reale in Milan, the Morgan Library&Museum in New York, the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, the National Central Library in Taipei, the Museum of Modern Art in Buenos Aires, the Angelica Library in Rome, the Museo National San Carlos in Mexico City, the Benaki Museum in Athens, the Museo de Arte de Querétaro (Mexico), at the San Domenico Museums in Forli, the Vatican Museums in Rome, the Royal Palace in Turin, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, the Museo de Arte Moderno in Bogotá, the Katara Cultural Village Foundation in Doha, the Museo San Carlos in Mexico City (Mexico), the Venaria Reale in Turin, the Brazilian Embassy in Vienna, the Himalayas Museum in Shanghai, and the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon.
Thanks to his unmistakable style, Massimo Listri is considered one of the most important contemporary architectural photographers. His talent and dedication elevate him to a leading figure in the global photography scene, as well as a source of inspiration for passionate photographers from all parts of the globe.
“These architectural works are human creations. While the individual is absent, his presence is palpable. There is a distinct soul within the spaces captured in these photographs. […] I love capturing the beauty and history hidden around every corner. Every room has a story to tell, and I strive to bring these stories to light through my photographs. […] A well-made photograph is not just an image, but a journey through time. It can reveal details that the human eye often does not notice.”
Exhibitions
- TIMELESSNESS Florence from 28/09/2024 to 16/11/2024
- Specchio e Realtà Florence from 20/06/2024 to 20/07/2024