Pará, in Northern Brazil, is home to a significant portion of the Amazon Rainforest. The state is a site of rich biodiversity and great environmental importance, with a regional identity that blends Indigenous, African and Portuguese influences. Photographer Rafael Pavarotti (b. 1993) grew up in Pará, with a childhood deeply entwined with the rainforest and surrounding Afro-Brazilian culture. Thirty years on, this influence is the core of his artistic practice. The artist discovered photography at the age of 12, using his father’s camera to document beaches and abandoned buildings. In the decades since, Pavarotti has established himself as one of the most exciting emerging voices in fashion photography. His work is instantly recognisable to anyone with a slight interest in the art or fashion scene. He has a distinct visual signature – one that weaves together light, texture and a bold celebration of identity – as well as an impressive portfolio of publications and subjects. His work has graced the pages of Vogue, i-D, The New York Times and W Magazine, as has captured Rihanna, Beyoncé and Harry Styles. Now, Musée des Arts Décoratifs presents a landmark exhibition dedicated to the photographer.
Rafael Pavarotti: Photographer unfolds as a narrative of Pavarotti’s career, starting with his earliest experiments with the camera. In a particularly poignant moment, audiences are introduced to the artist via a series of personal objects – a baby mobile made by his parents; his father’s camera; one of his earliest photobooks – that give an insight into the trajectory of his life and career. From there, the show documents the defining moments of his early life. It was in 2004, when he came across a video of John Galliano’s Egypt-themed show for Christian Dior, that he had a revelation: he would work in fashion. At 16, he moved from Rio to São Paulo, then to London, before settling in Paris in 2025. There’s a distinctly intimate feel to much of his early work and there’s a sense that his visual world is profoundly shaped by his personal history – the strong women in his family, the colourful objects belonging to his grandmother, his father’s craftsmanship and the Amazonian landscape all form an essential reservoir of images.
Later projects reveal Pavarotti’s commitment to representation. The photographer creates images in which anyone, regardless of the colour of their skin, can see themselves reflected. By giving visibility to bodies that have long been marginalised in fashion, his work carries a clear political and social dimension. In February 2022, his British Vogue cover brought together a new generation of models, including Adut Akech and Anok Yai, marking an urgent call for deeper change in how media represents the world. Pavarotti said: “Colour has always been more than mere pigment to me. It is an ancestor, a rhythm, a spirit, a memory. It is a voice that existed before me and will endure long after I am gone. It stands for something larger, something alive, something that belongs to the Global South and to the world that is taking shape.”
The exhibition transcends just Pavarotti’s practice, zooming out to consider where it sits within the broader artistic landscape. There’s a broader reimagining of fashion’s visual codes happening – long overdue and, perhaps, not moving as quickly as desired – and Pavarotti is at the centre of this. The artist amplifies the expressiveness of his subjects and celebrates strong, free and visible female figures. He frequently portrays them as empresses, goddesses, queens or warriors – always keenly aware of their political, social and seductive power. This theatrical aesthetic, enriched by accessories from couture houses or crafted by the artist himself, also runs through his celebrity portraits, featuring Beyoncé, Bad Bunny, Kate Moss, Rihanna, Harry Styles, Madonna and more.
What sets this exhibition apart from many others is its sense of momentum. Make no mistake, this is not a retrospective of a career that has peaked. It feels like you hit the ground running, going from the heights of international fashion to the environmental commitment he shows to his native Amazon. Pavarotti is a figure who is sure to drive the conversation about fashion photography in the years to come, opening the door models to redefine who graces the covers of the most illustrious magazine.
Rafael Pavarotti: Photographer is at Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris until 2 May 2027: madparis.fr
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
1. Rafael Pavarotti —Bird of a Feather. Adhel Bol for W Magazine, September 8, 2021. (Balenciaga outfit and accessories, styling by Katie Grand, hair by Anthony Turner, makeup by Chiao Li Hsu, manicure by Emily Rose) © Rafael Pavarotti.
2. Rafael Pavarotti —Akuol Deng and Naomi Apajok for Balmain by Olivier Rousteing Fall/Winter 2023 © Rafael Pavarotti.
3. Rafael Pavarotti —Nyaueth Riam for Bottega Veneta by Matthieu Blazy British Vogue, September 2022 © Rafael Pavarotti.
4. Rafael Pavarotti —Bird of a Feather. Adhel Bol for W Magazine, September 8, 2021. (Balenciaga outfit and accessories, styling by Katie Grand, hair by Anthony Turner, makeup by Chiao Li Hsu, manicure by Emily Rose) © Rafael Pavarotti.
5. Rafael Pavarotti. Naomi Apajok for Balmain by Olivier Rousteing. Fall-Winter 2023 © Rafael Pavarotti.
6. Rafael Pavarotti —Jeremiah Berko Fordjour for Dior Spring–Summer 2021. In collaboration with Amoako Boafo © Rafael Pavarotti.
7. Rafael Pavarotti —Mamuor Majeng and Nyaueth Riam for Bottega Veneta by Matthieu Blazy British Vogue, September 2022 © Rafael Pavarotti.
