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When the Bronzi di Riace were first unveiled to the public at the Palazzo del Quirinale in 1981, the ancient Greek bronzes confronted viewers with an unapologetic vision of virility and voyeurism, their statuesque forms embodying both strength and vulnerability. Now, decades later, that sentiment resurfaces in Versace Embodied, a new project that includes photography, poetry, illustration, and performance to trace the fashion house’s intermingling with culture across time.
In this collection, the bronze figures are part of a bigger picture that also includes Andrea Modica’s black-and-white portraits of youth exploring Southern Italy, Eileen Myles’ poem Put It Back, and Collier Schorr’s intimate illustrations that probe sexuality and intimacy.
Unlike a campaign, Versace Embodied operates as a collective expression, according to the Italian brand. Introduced as the first in a series of chapters under the new creative direction of Dario Vitale, it draws together individuals and collectives whose work pushes cultural boundaries. Photographers, artists, poets and performers are invited into an open dialogue with Versace, responding to its values of strength, rigour and sensuality.
The opening chapter gathers an eclectic group of contributors. Camille Vivier turns her lens to the bronze Medusa that guards Via Gesù 12, the Milanese address that once housed Gianni Versace’s original atelier. Andrea Modica connects the house to its Mediterranean heritage with portraits of youth in Southern Italy, while Steven Meisel’s archival Istante catalogue from Spring/Summer 1997 is reintroduced as a reminder of his long-standing collaboration with the brand. Collier Schorr confronts intimacy with a series of original illustrations, and Stef Mitchell captures model and artist Binx Walton in a moment of youthful independence. Each contribution speaks to a different aspect of Versace’s identity, including references to history as well as the present.
Versace Embodied highlights the house’s legacy of standing with cultural pioneers. From fashion and interiors to fragrance and hospitality, Versace has consistently positioned itself at the heart of culture since its founding in 1978. This project reaffirms that stance by fusing the archive from the contemporary.
