A vibrant antidote to the gray monotony of everyday life — that is Chromotherapia, a visual manifesto celebrating the power of color in photography. Just the cover, featuring an adorably sweet cat, reveals the book’s playful spirit: it doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it absolutely honors color as a vital artistic language.
For a long time, color photography was dismissed as less serious than its black-and-white counterpart. Yet Chromotherapia impressively demonstrates how artists since the 20th century have embraced color photography as a playground for creative freedom — moving beyond documentary rigor and instead exploring realms of fantasy, surrealism, and pop appeal.
Edited by the renowned Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and curator Sam Stourdzé, the book offers a fresh perspective on the history of color photography. Featuring works by over 19 internationally acclaimed photographers, it immerses readers in vivid, oversaturated, and often surprising visual worlds — from sunny yellows and vibrant reds to sparkling oranges. Artists include Yevonde Middleton, Harold Edgerton, Erwin Blumenfeld, Walter Chandoha, William Wegman, Hiro, Guy Bourdin, Alex Prager, Juno Calypso, Adrienne Raquel, Miles Aldridge, Ouka Leele, Hassan Hajjaj, Ruth Ossai, Pierre et Gilles, Sandy Skoglund, Martin Parr, Arnold Odermatt, and Toiletpaper.
Sam Stourdzé is an exhibition curator and, since 2020, director of the French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici, where he was previously a fellow. He formerly headed the Rencontres d’Arles (France) and the Musée de l’Élysée in Lausanne. Maurizio Cattelan is one of the most significant contemporary Italian artists. Over his thirty-year career, he has explored social paradoxes and offered profound reflections on political and cultural landscapes. Through iconic imagery and biting visual language, his work sparks intense public debates and fosters a sense of collective engagement.
Published by Damiani Books, Chromotherapia is a colorful delight and a visual vitamin boost — a must for anyone who believes images should be felt, not just seen.