Robert Vano
Encyclopedia
Robert Vano is a Slovak
photographer currently residing in Prague
.
, Slovakia
, to parents of Hungarian
descent. He studied in Bratislava
and after his closing exams in 1967, instead of joining the armed forces for duty, he emigrated via Yugoslavia
and Italy
to the United States
where he made a living as a hairdresser
and beauty parlour assistant. Later on, he worked as an assistant for a number of fashion photographers and since 1984 he has been active as a stand-alone artist.
Over the years, he has worked in New York
, Paris
, Milano and Prague
, shooting photographs for fashion magazines such as Cosmopolitan
, Harper's Bazaar
and Vogue
. He has been residing in Prague
since 1990, assuming the post of Executive Art Director in the Czech
edition of the Elle
fashion magazine 1996 through 2003 and subsequently until 2009 in Czechoslovak Models advertising agency.
More than anything else, Robert Vano is regarded to be a visionary fashion
and commercial photographer
. He mostly takes black-and-white portrait
s and nude art photography on standard celluloid
, in addition to using the nowadays rarely used technique of platinotype
. He has been working together with renowned brands and is in charge of a number of "Daylight Nude" workshops. He prefers to shoot by daylight.
Vano has never been secretive about his homosexuality
. In 2009, the Czech
gay
portal Colour Planet pronounced him one of the most influential gay figures in the Czech Republic. This aspect of his being is also reflected in his work as he has mainly earned his reputation with nude photography
of male models. He himself has cited American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe
as one of his ideals, in addition to Nadar and Sarah Moon.
Vano's largest exhibition called "The Platinum Collection", referencing his signature technique, took place in Prague's Mánes venue in 2009.
Robert Vano has been heard multiple times stating how difficult it is for him to bear the burden of aging.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
photographer currently residing in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.
Life and Work
He was born in Nové ZámkyNové Zámky
Nové Zámky is a town in southwestern Slovakia.-Geography:The town is located on the Danubian Lowland, on the Nitra River, at an altitude of 119 metres. It is located around 100 km from Bratislava and around 25 km from the Hungarian border. It is a road and railway hub of southern...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, to parents of Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
descent. He studied in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
and after his closing exams in 1967, instead of joining the armed forces for duty, he emigrated via Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he made a living as a hairdresser
Hairdresser
Hairdresser is a term referring to anyone whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques...
and beauty parlour assistant. Later on, he worked as an assistant for a number of fashion photographers and since 1984 he has been active as a stand-alone artist.
Over the years, he has worked in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Milano and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, shooting photographs for fashion magazines such as Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
, Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
and Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
. He has been residing in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
since 1990, assuming the post of Executive Art Director in the Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
edition of the Elle
Elle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
fashion magazine 1996 through 2003 and subsequently until 2009 in Czechoslovak Models advertising agency.
More than anything else, Robert Vano is regarded to be a visionary fashion
Fashion photography
Fashion photography is a genre of photography devoted to displaying clothing and other fashion items. Fashion photography is most often conducted for advertisements or fashion magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, or Elle...
and commercial photographer
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
. He mostly takes black-and-white portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
s and nude art photography on standard celluloid
Celluloid
Celluloid is the name of a class of compounds created from nitrocellulose and camphor, plus dyes and other agents. Generally regarded to be the first thermoplastic, it was first created as Parkesine in 1862 and as Xylonite in 1869, before being registered as Celluloid in 1870. Celluloid is...
, in addition to using the nowadays rarely used technique of platinotype
Platinotype
Platinum prints, also called platinotypes, are photographic prints made by a monochrome printing process that provides the greatest tonal range of any printing method using chemical development....
. He has been working together with renowned brands and is in charge of a number of "Daylight Nude" workshops. He prefers to shoot by daylight.
Vano has never been secretive about his homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. In 2009, the Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
portal Colour Planet pronounced him one of the most influential gay figures in the Czech Republic. This aspect of his being is also reflected in his work as he has mainly earned his reputation with nude photography
Nude photography
Nude photography is a style of art photography which depicts the nude human body as a study. Nude photography should be distinguished from glamour photography, which places more emphasis on the model and her/his sexuality, and treats the model as the primary subject. Nude photography should also be...
of male models. He himself has cited American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, known for his large-scale, highly stylized black and white portraits, photos of flowers and nude men...
as one of his ideals, in addition to Nadar and Sarah Moon.
Vano's largest exhibition called "The Platinum Collection", referencing his signature technique, took place in Prague's Mánes venue in 2009.
Robert Vano has been heard multiple times stating how difficult it is for him to bear the burden of aging.