Andrea Blanch: Pleasure: New York

Andrea Blanch 

Pleasure

Photographs by Andrea Blanch in conjunction with the launch of ITALIAN MEN: LOVE AND SEX "ITALIAN MEN: LOVE AND SEX" brainchild of Andrea Blanch, is a book of intimate photographs and interviews with some of today's most prominent Italian men. To be released on Monday, February 8 as a precursor to Valentine's Day, Blanch's first solo endeavor sets out to explore the myth and allure of the Latin man. With personal ruminations on sensuality by Giorgio Armani and private thoughts on eroticism by artist Sandro Chia, the book profiles forty-two of the most beloved Italian men and their most confidential perceptions on relationships, sex, power and love.

Fashion photographer Andrea Blanch (aka "the female Helmut Newton") and former apprentice of the legendary Richard Avedon, spent almost three years in Italy photographing and interviewing the likes of opera singer Luciana Pavarotti, Count Roffredo Lovatelli, restauranteur Harry Cipriani, fashion designer Franco Moschino, director Franco Zeffirelli, Jacopo Etro, the world-champion skier Alberto Tomba, actor Alessandro Gassman and actor-director Christian De Sica.

With a foreward by Ivana Trump and essay by renowned cinematographer Linda Wertmuller, photographs from "ITALIAN MEN: LOVE AND SEX" will be part of a retrospective of Andrea Blanch's work that will be held on Monday, February 8 at Serge Sorokko Gallery (430 West Broadway) from 6-9 pm. Curated by Head and founder of IFFP (International Festival of Fashion Photography) Hady Sy, the exhibition will showcase some of Blanch's sexiest photographs from the book as well as from her work with top fashion publications, including Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and Rolling Stone.