“What I do are spontaneous photographs of people in scenes I discover, scenes that tell a story. […] You could call it Street Photography for simplicity’s sake, knowing that the pictures are often taken while walking down the streets.” – Richard Kalvar

The exhibition Journey into a Fantastic World, dedicated to the renowned American photographer Richard Kalvar, officially opened on November 15, 2024, at Palazzo Tadea in Spilimbergo. Organized by the Center for Research and Archiving of Photography (CRAF) in collaboration with Magnum Photos, the event saw the participation of the artist himself. During the opening ceremony, Kalvar was awarded the prestigious 2024 International Award of Photography.
Richard Kalvar has been a member of Magnum Photos since 1977 and is widely regarded as a trailblazer in contemporary photography. His work has been exhibited globally, and he is the author of several notable photobooks, including Earthlings, published alongside his major 2007 retrospective at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris.
Kalvar’s photography is celebrated for its playful, ironic, and at times surreal portrayal of life. His unique style, which often juxtaposes the ordinary with a sense of absurdity, is perfectly encapsulated in the 80+ black-and-white photographs on display at Palazzo Tadea. “Life is a farce, and the skill lies in proving it,” Kalvar has said, and this philosophy resonates throughout his work.
Far from embracing the label of photojournalist, Kalvar’s creative vision explores the ambiguity of reality, capturing moments that feel simultaneously banal and strange. His images are spontaneous and unpredictable, thriving on the tension between everyday situations and the oddities revealed through his lens.
Public spaces—sidewalks, parks, bus stops, and shop windows—are often the settings for his work. Faces, both human and animal, are central to his narratives, transformed into evocative stories through his sharp eye for detail and composition.
This exhibition, the third and final chapter of the 38th Friuli Venezia Giulia Photography Festival, has been made possible thanks to the collaboration of Magnum Photos, the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, and the Municipality of Spilimbergo, with support from the Friuli Foundation, contributions from Banca 360, and the patronage of the University of Udine. A catalog curated by Alvise Rampini and Eric Gudas, with a foreword by Michele Smargiassi, accompanies the show.