One of the must-see photography exhibitions in Venice 2026
From February 21 to July 5, 2026, Le Stanze della Fotografia on the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice will host one of the year’s most anticipated photo exhibitions:
“Horst P. Horst. The Geometry of Grace.”
Curated by Anne Morin in collaboration with Denis Curti, this Horst P. Horst exhibition offers a fresh and multifaceted reading of the work of the German-born, American photographer — revealing the depth of his artistic vision beyond the world of fashion photography that made him a legend in Vogue.
A highlight for art lovers visiting Venice and the Biennale
Featuring over 300 works, including photographs, vintage prints, drawings, and rare documents — many on view in Italy for the first time — this Venice photography exhibition invites visitors to rediscover Horst as a master of composition, proportion, and light.
Horst saw photography as an architecture of form and illumination: a precise harmony between geometry and sensuality. His images reflect a timeless search for perfection that connects antiquity to modernism — from Phidias to Le Corbusier, his mentor during his Paris years.
“Horst P. Horst’s photography goes beyond what is visible,” explains curator Anne Morin. “It captures the essence of beauty as a living truth — something that transcends appearance.”
Between art, architecture and fashion photography
Before turning to photography, Horst studied architecture in Hamburg and Paris, where he worked with Le Corbusier. This training shaped his vision of “pure form,” where light and space meet in perfect equilibrium.
Influenced by the Bauhaus and modernist principles, Horst created “visual architectures” — compositions that unite classicism and modernism, rigour and grace.
As Denis Curti notes, “Horst sought not decoration, but elegance born from the perfection of form and line.”
The exhibition journey
The exhibition unfolds as an artistic journey through Horst’s lifelong pursuit of balance.
From Bauhaus influences and architectural composition to his iconic fashion photography, floral still lifes, and portraits of cultural icons — including Coco Chanel, Marlene Dietrich, Yves Saint Laurent, Salvador Dalí, and Luchino Visconti — the show presents an artist who merged art, design, and photography into a language both modern and eternal.
This Horst P. Horst exhibition in Venice offers an unmissable experience for those exploring art during the Biennale Arte 2026.
Open call for photographers under 30 | Applications open until February 1, 2026
Are you between 18 and 30 years old, and is photography your passion? Participate in the open call by Le Stanze della Fotografia Foundation!
Participation in the open call is completely free and open to everyone, whether professionals or photography enthusiasts. Participants are required to produce three photographs that tell a story inspired by the figure of Horst. P. Horst and the themes of the exhibition project.
