{"id":28020,"date":"2025-03-27T18:14:55","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T22:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredjdevito.com\/streetscene\/?p=28020"},"modified":"2025-06-20T16:09:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T20:09:24","slug":"denis-piel-exposed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredjdevito.com\/streetscene\/denis-piel-exposed\/","title":{"rendered":"Denis Piel: Exposed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Scene: Denis Piel: Exposed<\/em> at Staley-Wise Gallery. This exhibition is an overview of Denis Piel\u2019s varied career. It includes his sensual and cinematic photographs for VOGUE in the 1980s and his abstract Padi\u00e8scapes works, which are inspired by his organic sustainable farm in southwest France.
Immediately recognizable for their cinematic quality, Piel\u2019s images were a sensational departure from the posed models of his predecessors in fashion photography, redefining the art of fashion photography.<\/em> Piel\u2019s photographs were more influenced by filmmakers such as Fran\u00e7ois Truffaut and Stanley Kubrick than photographers.
Staley-Wise Gallery is a fine art photography gallery in New York City, focusing on fashion photography, as well as portraiture, landscape, still life, and nudes. The gallery was founded in 1981 by Etheleen Staley and Taki Wise.
“Cinematic elegance, timeless allure. Denis Piel: Exposed at @staleywisegallery<\/a> offers a sweeping look at the photographer\u2019s career… Piel\u2019s work channels the storytelling spirit of filmmakers.<\/em>..“<\/em> AIPAD Visual Arts
Photo above: Denis Piel’s Rosemary (Water Massage), The Perfect Escape, Biarritz, France, US VOGUE<\/em>, 1981.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel and Legendary Supermodel Nancy Donahue. Nancy is in the next photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Joan & Nancy (Reading Time), Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, UK, US VOGUE<\/em>, 1982.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Joan Severance (Peacock Competition 1), Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, UK, US VOGUE,<\/em> 1982.
\u201cThis was the first time I ever had a peacock fall in love with me\u2026 I believe we called him Fernando. He would follow me everywhere\u2014strutting his stuff trying to impress.\u201d<\/em> Joan Severance<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: In the mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: The team Margaret Avery, Denis Piel, and Ezel (Claudio Ezel Cenci). Makeup artist, Photographer, and Hairstylist. The creative team that worked together on many editorial photo shoots for VOGUE.
“When I see a photo of us I think of all the shenanigans, talent, and laughter we shared with a strong bond.” <\/em>Margaret Avery<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Martin Axon, Owner of Art Matters LLC and Master Printer, and Etheleen Staley, Co-owner of Staley Wise Gallery.
Denis Piel: Exposed<\/em> features along with great color fashion works, many images presented as platinum prints. Printed by Martin Axon who has been a long time printer for Denis Piel. Martin moved from England to New York City in the 80s and started making platinum prints for many remarkable photographers including Robert Mapplethorpe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Olho Dashyvets, Ukrainian Model, and Morty Gottlieb, Photographer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Suzanne Accosta (Reading), Key West, Florida,<\/em> 1979.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Erika Kifune, Miss Japan 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Martin Ambrose, Founder and CEO of Rethink Retail & Design LLC, and Marilyn Schotlord, representing Staley-Wise Gallery at the front desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Photographers: Alexander Von Bush, Mark Von Roy, and Wesley Sherow with Daiva Butkuviene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis signing his books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: <\/em>Denis Piel’s Un homme et une femme, Cap Ferrat, France, US VOGUE,<\/em> 1984.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Eva & Nancy (Anticipation), Las Hadas, Mexico, US VOGUE<\/em><\/em>, 1984;
Joan Severance (Peacock Competition 1), Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, UK, US VOGUE,<\/em> 1982; and
Un homme et une femme, Cap Ferrat, France, US VOGUE,<\/em> 1984.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Eva & Nancy (Anticipation), Las Hadas, Mexico, US Vogue<\/em>, 1984.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s images, Far Left: Suzanne Accosta, Red Dress, Key West, Florida<\/em>, 1979.
Left to right. Top: Desert Fight, New Mexico,<\/em>1984; Torso, Mustique, West Indies,<\/em> 1982; Sunbath (1), Mustique, West Indies,<\/em> 1982; Cooling Off (2), Mustique, West Indies,<\/em> 1984.
Bottom: Heat, New Mexico, <\/em>1984; Man & Stone, New Mexico, <\/em>1984; Imagination<\/em>, Mustique, West Indies,<\/em> 1982.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Heat, New Mexico, <\/em>1984.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Man & Stone, New Mexico, <\/em>1984.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s images, Far Left Top: Body in Bed (4), New York City, <\/em>1980. Far Left Bottom: Body in Bed (2), New York City, <\/em>1980.
Left to right. Center Top: Desert Fight, New Mexico,<\/em>1984; Torso, Mustique, West Indies,<\/em> 1982; Sunbath (1), Mustique, West Indies.<\/em>
Center Bottom: Heat, New Mexico, <\/em>1984; Man & Stone, New Mexico, <\/em>1984; Imagination<\/em>, Mustique, West Indies,<\/em> 1982.
Far Right: Cooling Off (1), Mustique, West Indies<\/em>, <\/em>1984.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Quinn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Julia Bahlsen standing in front of Cooling Off (1), Mustique, West Indies<\/em>, <\/em>1984.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Nancy Donahue, Legendary Supermodel and Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker at Keller Williams; Kevin Hatt, Photographer; and Michelle Warner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s images, left to right. Top: Portrait of a Woman (8), NYC, VOGUE Italia,<\/em> 1987; Portrait of A Woman (12), NYC, VOGUE Italia,<\/em><\/em> 1987; Rest,<\/em> Mustique, West Indies<\/em>, 1982; Body in Bed (4), New York City, <\/em>1980.
Bottom: Portrait of A Woman (15), NYC, VOGUE Italia,<\/em><\/em> 1987; Portrait of Another Woman, NYC, VOGUE Italia,<\/em><\/em> 1987; J. Asleep<\/em>, Mustique, West Indies<\/em>, 1982; Portrait of a Woman (5), NYC, VOGUE Italia<\/em><\/em>, 1987; Portrait of a Woman (4), NYC, VOGUE Italia,<\/em> <\/em>1987; Body in Bed (2), New York City, <\/em>1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Jane Russo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Marina Rubin. Her short-story collection “Knockout Beauty and Other Afflictions”<\/em> (Crowsnest Books, January 2023) received an Honorable Mention from Miami Book Fair Emerging Writer Fellowship and is now available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Body in Bed (2), New York City, <\/em>1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Christine de Lassus, Fashion Stylist and Creative Director, and Michel Nafziger, Photographer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Marsore Windman and Fred Gilbert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Robert and Lois Allen Lilly, Authors and Producers, at Lilly Global Group, and Will Helburn.
“Will, the oldest son of photographer William Helburn retrieved 30 bin bags from his father’s basement at his last studio, which are only a partial archive. ‘Because my father was seen as commercial’, explains Will, ‘he never pushed the art button. And so as different people crossed my path over the years, I\u2019d always try to push his case.” William’s dynamic and witty portraits dominated fashion and advertising photography in the 1950s and 60s.
In 2009 Will\u2019s path intersected with Lois and Robert Lilly, who have now pieced Helburn\u2019s story together. The books they\u2019ve produced zoom in on four decades\u2019 worth of famous faces: Jean Patchett, Carmen Dell\u2019Orefice, Ali MacGraw, Jean Shrimpton, Lauren Hutton, Sharon Tate. Women were always Helburn\u2019s inspiration (and distraction): he married two Ford models in a row and had affairs with actress Elsa Martinelli and model Dorian Leigh. The Guardian<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Allie Degen, Toni Rinaldi, and Jackie Hauck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denise Walch, Stylist, and Susan Shacter, Photographer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Franze Walerdorff, Photographer and Artist, with Denis Piel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel: Exposed at <\/em>Staley-Wise Gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Jasper Johns, US VOGUE, NYC, <\/em>1987.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Moiz Alladina, Hairstylist; Wesley Sherow, Photographer; Mindy Saad, Wardrobe Stylist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Nancy Donahue, Legendary Supermodel and Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker at Keller Williams, and Barbara Tate, Interior Designer TATE ID.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Rosemary<\/em>, 2025. Denis Piel devotes a book to her with his photographs. Legendary Rosemary McGrotha is undoubtedly one of the most iconic models in the industry with her beauty, elegance, and authenticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Margret Avery, Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Actor, Makeup Artist, and Ana Stjepanovic, Gallery Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Rodger del Valle, Prop Stylist, and Barry Weinbaum, Creative Consultant, with Denis Piel.
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Scene: Marja Samsom with her pooch Bibichibi and Jean of Idiosyncraticfashionista.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Ruthie and Richard Warren, Photographer. Richard was Denis’ photo assistant.
Mark Woytovich who attended the exhibit was also Denis’ photo assistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Charlotte Rampling, NYC, US VOGUE<\/em>, 1984.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Barbara Isenberg, Children\u2019s Book Writer and Toy Designer; Etheleen Staley, Co-owner of Staley Wise Gallery; Christopher Sweet, Editor, Writer, and Curator at Large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Pata Luna LLano, Founder Lunaversal Design creating one-of-a kind couture headpieces and costume elements; Daiva Butkuviene; Timothy Au, Assistant Director at Apicha Community Health Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Down to Earth No. 23, Ch\u00e2teau de Padi\u00e8s, France, <\/em>2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel talking with guests about his work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Dahlia Redfield, Ch\u00e2teau de Padi\u00e8s, France<\/em>, 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel and his wife, Elaine Merkus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Valentina Benaglio, Artist; Julia Bahlsen, Photographer and Filmmaker; Christian Larson, Photographer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel: Exposed at <\/em>Staley-Wise Gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Joan Didion & John Gregory Dunne (1), NYC, Vanity Fair, <\/em>1983.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Kalania and Roberto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Rosemary (Baby in Bathtub), Donna Karan, New York<\/em>, 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s Rosemary (In Between Moment), Donna Karan, New York<\/em>, 1987.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scene: Denis Piel’s photos from an advertising campaign featuring legendary Rosemary McGrotha for Donna Karen, NYC, 1986-1987.
“My work with Denis was unique. You couldn’t get away with just being a pretty face. A lot of the campaign took place in the back of a limousine. This was a reflection of Donna’s lifestyle and the women she wanted to dress. She’s a business woman trying to juggle everything – a baby, a work scedule, or a thousand bags. This women has a lot going on… The pictures capture all the pressure and stress of being a powerful working women and I think a lot of women related to that.”<\/em> Rosemary Mc Grotha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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