Vittoria Ceretti by Luigi & Iango for Vogue Italia, July 2017

Photographer: Luigi + Iango. Model(s): Bram Valbracht, Charlotte Stevens, Kevin Adrian, Linus Jasper, Sasha Vilianskaia, Vittoria Ceretti. Source: Vogue Italia. Stylist: Paul Cavaco, Set Designer; Cooper Vasquez. Makeup: Yumi Lee. Hair: Luigi Murenu.

Posted Jul 10, 2017

Vittoria Ceretti brandishes the color of blue sky over her eyes by Luigi & Iango for Vogue Italia, 07/17. Sometimes we find that art moves us at just the right time. Here we see Vittoria boldly baring out the fury or her feelings. She’s gone to the center of the universe to showcase the abstract oneness of our being. True to form, Luigi & Iango celebrate the strange by putting it front and center. No need for any qualifiers or needless explanation. Baring out the rawness of being, she floats inside a box filled with water on the side of a placid lake. The symbolism of this story speaks for itself as we are witness to the chaos of commercialism. Along side this we are met with giant screens replaying an array of visual strangeness. Standing in this sea of strange we watch as bodies (some nude) seem to gather around. With her head marked in indigo it seems clear that she’s here from another dimension. Naked bodies are flanked by oranges, as randomness makes a great expression of nature. When sun kisses the blue sky color awakens the eyes, taking forth a… “New Exit to Heaven“. Art and excess work to blend while in the denseness of richness they are whole again.

By forcing together two opposing elements we see that these worlds aren’t different at all. To explore this conceptual awakening they take us into the heart of the dessert. Set Designer; Cooper Vasquez and Stylist Paul Cavaco fuse the back drop of natural beauty with the heat of high fashion, both giving us a unique perspective. Reaching inside we deign to find a version of ourselves we don’t recognize. A jarring reality. This takes us to our core, where we can then begin to build our way back. So let go of any constraints that tell you this is just a simple story made to sell clothing. Instead, why don’t we slip inside the inner workings of this masterpiece. Where the chaotic nonsense of commerce crashes all around us, and we are left with just ourselves. Wearing looks that go from sensuous silk to free flowing fur, Ceretti stands flanked by two muscular men as their red hair screams through the aire. Laying on sand surrounded by oranges, she wears a see-thru jacket with thigh-high red boots. Luigi works to tame the tendrils with a tacit understanding of how the hair falls.

A blue shade emanates above her eyes marking her forehead as a being from another planet. Subtle tones blend into the skin as Yumi Lee captures the natural essence of this comely creature. Her naked makeup gives the face an otherworldly illusion, illuminating in kind from an unknown light source. Eyes are alive with a simple swipe of mascara, while features pop with soft peach covering the lips. Powder presses on, allowing a dash of freckles to dance across her cheeks. Is this real or is it fantasy? Ceretti looks ever more like a beauty from the beyond, as she’s surrounded by a cast of characters. Standing on the edge of the world she appears as if she’s longing for home. There are few examples of artists masking as models. However, here we see a strange & poetic cross pollination of such a strong talent. Vittoria is without question a true beauty to behold. When our eyes are cast upon her face we are then sent to another place. A arena of living, breathing artistry. Often we find our mind limited by the idea of live art outside of an installation setting. Here we have a human work of art. Someone so unique in her carriage and craft, we can’t help but to view her through this lens. And that’s not to say I can’t see the human element divinely alive. It’s just that her unique creative expression is one of divine exception.