Photographer

Mario Sorrenti

Mario Sorrenti was born in Naples, Italy in 1971. When he was ten years old his family moved to New York City which provided great opportunities for an unusually creative clan. Mario’s father was an artist, and his mother worked in the fashion industry. In his teens Mario began documenting his life through photography and elaborate diaries, filled with his own pictures, drawings, inspirational images and notes. Still in his teens he began taking photographs professionally in London, for The Face, and rather quickly into the bigger arena of Elle and Harper’s Bazaar. His work came to the attention of Calvin Klein and at the age of 21 he created the Calvin Klein Obsession fragrance campaign starring the young model Kate Moss, including television spots. Moving to New York, Sorrenti quickly became a star photographer for such publications as Harper’s Bazaar, French Vogue, Italian Vogue, V Magazine, W Magazine, Vanity Fair, Self Service, Another Magazine, Arena Homme Plus and Vogue Hommes International.

In addition to Calvin Klein, Mario Sorrenti has also worked with many leading fashion houses, beauty and fragrance clients including Giorgio Armani, Barney’s New York, Hugo Boss, Chloe, Dolce and Gabbana, Hermes, Kenzo, Lancome, Longchamp, Max Mara, Missoni, Yves Saint Laurent, Jil Sander, Shiseido, and Prada.

Sorrenti has directed commercials and moving image pieces for Calvin Klein, Emporio Armani, Dsquared, John Mayer and Usher among others. He has published the books The Machine, (Steidl/editions Stromboli, 2001), a photographic study of his younger brother and fellow photographer Davide who passed away in 1997, and Mario Sorrenti: Blood for Work (Steidl, 2011). Other books containing his photographs include Kate, (Pavilion Books Ltd., 1995); Fashion, (Scalo 1996); The Imperfect Beauty, (V&A Publications 2000); Tomo (in memory of Davide), (Sartorial Communicazione 2001); Archeology of Elegance, (Thames & Hudson and Shirmer/Mosel 2002); Water Culture, (Trolly Ltd., 2003); Fashioning Fiction: Photography since 1990, (The Museum of Modern Art, 2004), and Face of Fashion, (National Portrait Gallery, 2007).

Mario Sorrenti has mounted solo exhibitions at Gallery 213, Paris, October 1997; Ferrini and Biondi (photographs and diaries) Los Angeles, November 2002; and Draw Blood, Roth Horowitz, New York City, May 2004. Significant group shows include “Festival de la Mode”, Monaco, 1995; “The Imperfect Beauty (the making of contemporary fashion photographs)” at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, September 2000; “Attitude, a story of posing,” the Victoria & Albert Museum London, September 2000; “Copy,” Roth Horowitz, New York City, May 2002; “Archeology of Elegance”, Paris 2002; “Chasing its Tale”, Sara Meltzer Gallery, New York, April 2004; and “Face of Fashion,” National Portrait Gallery, London, February 2007. In July 2008 Sorrenti was chosen to be part of an international group show entitled “Fashion in Motion,” as a recipient of the “2008 Martell Artist of the Year” Award. The exhibition traveled from Guandong to Shanghai, and ended in Beijing at the Today Museum.

Mario Sorrenti’s work is in many important collections, public and private including: The Victoria & Albert Museum, The New York Public Library, and The National Portrait Gallery, London. Mario Sorrenti lives in New York City with his wife and children.