The “Pleasant Illusions” of OCCHIOMAGICO

OCCHIOMAGICO was born in 1971 (Giancarlo Maiocchi in 1949).

 Profoundly influenced by Man Ray’s work he theorized (1974) on the

“Very pleasant illusion” of photography.

Mixing symbolist, surrealist, metaphysical and psychedelic experiences,

he his research moved toward a multimedia language he defines “New Photography”.

The titles of his exhibitions are emblematic of the phases of this research

on going beyond photography: Niepce’s door, 1978 (Milan):

on going beyond photography as a document.

Fictional landscape, 1981 (Paris, Rotterdam, Groningen, Milan, Zurich).

The made-up image, 1982 (Milan, Bologna, Paris, Rimini).

Archaeology of the future, 1982 (Rome, Milan, Venice).

“Words are places. Even when we are silent, we find ourselves travelling.”
Words are stories that photography helps me to represent by constructing invented theatres, contrary to its documentary nature, at the same time assisting me with its Magical Realism. I stage tales and dreams, both lived and imagined, present and past, dark and light.
I can see my “secret garden” through it, finding similarities, complicities, half truths, memories…” remember how many times we lay on the grass wondering about the meaning of “The Big Blue”?
Those that came before us, and those that will come after.
And what will we tell ourselves and the women?
Stories…

Meantime he worked with Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottssass jr, Matia Bazar,

Moschino, C. Ruggeri, Studio Alchimia in designing images to illustrate their work.

Since 1990 he has investigated a more intimate dimension building imaginary,

but credible, landscapes inhabited by female figures and objects suspended

in eternal expectation.

This approach has led to works like Falso Movimento, 1989/1992

(Brescia, Milan, Salonicco, Chiasso, Prato, Pavia).

IO non sono IO, evidentemente, 1993/1994 (Milan, Paris, Rome, Fiesole).

Covers, 1996/1999 (Brescia, Arles, Bologna, Milan, Linz, Orvieto): an imaginary, private museum

of photography that reinterprets its history and Mi Vida, 2000 (Mantua, Milan, Bologna, Genova): a panorama

of at times rather warped stories of women, sometimes crooked.

Talking about… 2004 (Milan) in the age of virtul reality.

Since 1990 he combines his artistic activity with teaching (I.E.D. and IIF: Italian Institute of Photography in Milan,

Visitor Professor at the Ecole d’Arts in Lausanne, Futurarium and Bauer in Milan).

Conferences and Workshop (Aesthetics and Ecstasy, Changing and Shining Mithology).

Works by OCCHIOMAGICO are present in important public and private collections in Italy and abroad.