Davide Sorrenti. ArgueSKE 1994-1997
London: IDEA, 2019. 1st Edition. Large quarto, publisher's charcoal cloth, spine and boards stamped in red, carmine endpapers, original photo-illustrated dust jacket.
First edition monograph on late wunderkind photographer Davide Sorrenti, signed and stamped by his mother Francesca Sorrenti. Born into the Italian fashion family dynasty, Davide began chronicling the downtown New York scene as a teen in the early 90s. A graffiti artist and skateboarder, he spearheaded "heroin chic," with its aesthetic of sleepless, emaciated models in grunge-inspired garb. Recognizing his talent, his mother opened the door to numerous shoots, including editorials for Interview, i-D, and Surface magazines, along with campaigns for Hugo Boss, Supreme, Hysteric Glamour, and Zoo York. Barely out of his teens, Davide died in 1997 from thalassemia, a rare congenital blood disorder (it was initially believed the small amount of heroin in his system had ended his life). His death led to a cultural tipping point, with President Clinton making a public address condemning the fashion world for romanticizing drug use. Published in conjunction with See Know Evil, a documentary film on his life and work (named after his and his friends' crew, which often used the graffiti tag "ArgueSKE"), this collective portrait of 90s youth comprises Sorrenti's portraits of friends, models, skaters, hip hop artists, and downtown dilettantes taken on his Leica M6, alongside reminiscences by his girlfriend Jaime King (featured throughout) among many other intimates and collaborators. Illustrated with color and black-and-white plates. Edited and produced by Francesca Sorrenti, with her signature to upper endpaper, which has been stamped with Davide's official stamp. Fine un unclipped dust jacket. Item #12724
$750.00