How photography duo Coppi Barbieri mastered the art of the still life
A rich new monograph traces Lucilla Barbieri and Fabrizio Coppi’s formative creative years in the 1990s
![still life photo of an glass object](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HwkvkJLSMfmeJAvyTxmjJj-415-80.jpg)
Lucilla Barbieri and Fabrizio Coppi and first met in Milan at design school in the late 1980s, forming an alchemical partnership in work and in life. The husband and wife duo, now based in London, have since joined ranks with the most in demand commercial photographers working today. From interiors to jewellery, beauty, and accessories, the longtime Wallpaper* contributors have earned plaudits for their alluring approach to advertising, amassing a client list that includes Apple, Chanel, Cartier, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton.
Before their commercial career took off, Coppi Barbieri were honing their craft with early experiments of photographs of flowers submerged in water, household objects like plastic bottles and glassware, and backlit dresses animated by fans. Now, a monograph published by Damiani traces these formative creative years, from 1992-1997, and how they mastered the art of the still life from their Milan home and photography studio.
Although the pair have now adopted digital cameras to keep up with the mercurial pace of commercial commissions, Coppi Barbieri first sharpened their photographic skills on a large-format Sinar camera. The process was inherently slow, calm, and intimate: shooting 5x7 inch transparency film allowed them an all-important control over colours, while also providing immediate results that did not need to be printed. They would develop sheets of film – sometimes sending one at a time – at nearby lab, before making any adjustments to the set-up of the image.
Their ethereal images share an affinity with the paintings of Giorgio Morandi and Domenico Gnoli, who they’ve named among their influences. Coppi Barbieri, too, looked to fashion photographers for inspiration, from Paolo Roversi (who has penned the foreword of the pair’s new monograph) to Sarah Moon and Javier Vallhonrat. Ultimately, their vision feels distinctly their own. Whether they’re bringing British pop art pioneer Patrick Caulfield’s paintings to life, or taking a Technicolor tumble into cocktail hour, the duo have an unparalleled knack for elevating the ordinary into the extraordinary.
INFORMATION
Coppi Barbieri: Early Works 1992-1997, €59, published by Damiani. For more information, visit the Coppi Barbieri website
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
-
‘Hedonistic and avant-garde’: Rabanne’s Julian Dossena on the legacy of the chainmail 1969 bag
Paco Rabanne’s 1969 chainmail handbag encapsulates the late designer’s futuristic, space-age style. Current creative director Julien Dossena tells Wallpaper* about the bag’s particular pleasures
By Jack Moss Published
-
Postcard from Paris: Olympic fever takes over the streets
On the eve of the opening ceremony of Paris 2024, our correspondent shares her views from the streets of the capital about how the event is impacting the urban landscape.
By Minako Norimatsu Published
-
The Mercury Prize nominees for 2024 have been revealed
Charli XCX, The Last Dinner Party and Beth Gibbons are amongst this year's nominees
By Charlotte Gunn Published
-
How the west won: Ivan McClellan is amplifying the intrepid beauty of Black cowboy culture
In his new book, 'Eight Seconds: Black Cowboy Culture', Ivan McClellan draws us into the world of Black rodeo. Wallpaper* meets the photographer ahead of his Juneteenth Rodeo
By Tracy Kawalik Published
-
‘Package Holiday 1968-1985’: a very British love affair in pictures
‘Package Holiday’ recalls tans, table tennis and Technicolor in Trevor Clark’s wistful snaps of sun-seeking Brits
By Caragh McKay Published
-
‘Art Exposed’: Julian Spalding on everything that’s wrong with the art world
In ‘Art Exposed’, Julian Spalding draws on his 40 years in the art world – as a museum director, curator, and critic – for his series of essays
By Alfred Tong Published
-
Marisol Mendez's ‘Madre’ unpicks the woven threads of Bolivian womanhood
From ancestry to protest, how Marisol Mendez’s 'Madre' is rewriting the narrative of Bolivian womanhood
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Photo book explores the messy, magical mundanity of new motherhood
‘Sorry I Gave Birth I Disappeared But Now I’m Back’ by photographer Andi Galdi Vinko explores new motherhood in all its messy, beautiful reality
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Best contemporary art books: a guide for 2024
From maverick memoirs to topical tomes, turn over a new leaf with the Wallpaper* arts desk’s pick of new releases and all-time favourite art books
By Hannah Silver Last updated
-
The best photography books for your coffee table
Flick through, mull over and deep-dive into the best photography books on the market, from our shelves to you
By Sophie Gladstone Last updated
-
Behind the scenes of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining: new book charts the making of a horror icon
Published in February 2023 by Taschen, a new collector's book will go behind the scenes of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, charting the unseen making of a film that defined the horror genre
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Published