(en) Exposition Richard Bellia

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ROCK ICONS | EXHIBITION OF RICHARD BELLIA | PHOTO | 2016

HONG KONG

In the year 2016, PRAHK is going to host a photo exhibition in Hong Kong for the renowned French photographer Richard Bellia, who is well-known for his story-telling Rock photography with black-and-white film, and who is a very passionate photographer committed to shooting the Rock culture (artists, events, scenes etc.).

Richard Bellia had an exemplary career that lasted over thirty years. His photos have been exhibited throughout Europe and in the United States. This exhibition, which brings together 30 - 60 exclusive photos (depending on size chosen), showcases his unique works on the Rock scene.

The photo exhibition also comes along with other related activities. We would have Richard Bellia in Hong Kong to share his experiences to photography students and professionals so as to enrich the latters’ know-how. We plan to organize a series of photography workshops, conference and visits where participants can shares ideas and work with Richard Bellia in Rock photography, achieving the ultimate goal of cultural exchange.

BIOGRAPHY

Richard Bellia, born in 1962, is a renowned french photographer specialized in portraits of rock stars. He turned to photography at the age of 18 and is entirely self-taught. Being always passionate about music, Richard Bellia has photographed the world of music and captured rock stars off stage and on since the early 80s. He worked closely with the rock legends of his days: The Cure, James Brown, Paul McCartney, The Clash, Neil Young, David Bowie, Radiohead, Nirvana and Marilyn Manson etc.

Richard Bellia started his career in France, Luxembourg and Belgium where he photographed in numerous concerts and festivals. In 1980, he moved to London where the rock scene flourished vigorously. In the 1990s, he had been seen everywhere in Europe, in particularly in Munich, Prague, and Switzerland.

He has worked for several English newspapers such as Melody Maker, New Musical Express. He has also worked for French daily newspaper Libération and magazines Les Inrockuptibles and Rocksound. Since 2007, he has published two books, Sex And Rock and Un œil sur la musique (An Eye On The Music), a collection of texts and photos about music.

Since then, Richard Bellia’s photos have been exhibited throughout Europe (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Georgia, the United Kingdom) and in the United States.

ABOUT HIS PHOTOGRAPHS

Richard Bellia only works with silver-based photography. He is famous for his work on Black and White Film (24X36 and medium format), taken with a medium-format hasselblad camera or with a Leica m4p. all prints are hand-made, reproduced from the original negative. His is often a wry and satirical eye, drawn to the minor absurdities of the rock world, such as the misspelling of Joy Divison on Peter Hook’s bass guitar case at a gig. And he has the ability to capture the personality of the musicians and the emotion of the moment. Whether it is David Bowie on stage, or Nirvana at Piccadilly Circus, by looking at the photo, you can hear the crowd, feel the music and understand Richard Bellia's subjects.

“There are no rules, only that as a photographer, if you have access to the stage, you’re happy, and if they take you backstage, you’re happier, because the real essence of the character is captured backstage, like Joe Strummer with his guitar at the Town and Country Club or John Peel...”

How does Richard make a choice to freeze a particular moment? “This is your job as a photographer. You decide...but...you have to make a list of the things you have control of and the things you don’t: like where you’re standing; when are they going to let you film. But you can choose the technical aspects, and I believe it’s a balance of what I wish I could do and what they’ll let me do.” He advises aspiring photographers to have above all a detailed technical knowledge of their camera. According to him, with that you can enjoy greater freedom and go faster.

“It is false to believe that multiplying the number of photos gives a greater chance of having one which stands out. It is better to capture the attention of the people. I take ten seconds to adjust the light. After, I talk about music, off promotion, in a special relationship, on a human level. And that is where the natural comes out.”

PORTFOLIO

Official website of Richard Bellia: http://www.richardbellia.com/

Facebook Page : https://goo.gl/qRPygA