Benno Graziani & Jackie Kennedy, Amalfi, Italy 1962

Benno Graziani Jackie et moi
Exhibition September 7th - 28th, 2013

Closing Reception Saturday, September 14th, 7-11pm

drkrm announces the Closing Reception of it's last exhibition at our Chinatown location--Jackie et moi, Benno Graziani's rarely seen photographs of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy taken in 1962 on an official White House trip to India and on vacation in Italy with her sister Lee Radziwill. Closing reception Saturday, September 14th, 7-11pm. However the exhibition will be on view through September 28th.

Photographer Benno Graziani's iconic black and white images of the stars of the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies recall halcyon days when it was always sunny, the women were always beautiful and life was good. The legendary publication Paris Match was there - and he asserts that's exactly how it was, as the magazine encouraged the young photographers to "spend what you want" and "live like kings" on the condition they produced quality images.

Graziani (b.1923) was friends with some of the biggest celebrities of his era. He was the inspiration for Fellini's La Dolce Vita. "Match was our little club," Graziani revealed. "There were no editors meetings because we hardly spent time apart from each other - and it worked! Some editions sold more than two million copies...very quickly we were the best. The worlds press envied us and tried in vain to imitate us."



Throughout an incredible career he became close to many stars; including Kirk Douglas, Charlie Chaplin, Audrey Hepburn, Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot and Princess Grace of Monaco amongst others, and as such gained unprecedented access. Having met as journalists while Jacqueline Kennedy, then Jacqueline Bouvier, was working for the Washington Times Herald in the 1950's, Graziani had the privilege of documenting the Kennedy lifestyle when she became First Lady. "She (Jackie) began as a reporter-photographer and led a truly exceptional life, a fairy tale transformed into Greek tragedy. Today she is part of history." Graziani adds, "There are people who make history, those who endure it, and there are those who tell about it. That's me."

Graziani's work is held in numerous high profile collections and has been exhibited internationally at The Metropolitan Museum, New York, 2000; Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, 2001 and Galerie Photo 12, Paris, 2007, amongst others.

drkrm is an exhibition space dedicated to the display of popular cultural images, fine art photography, documentary and photo-journalism, cutting edge and alternative photographic processes. drkrm is located in the historic Chung King Road of contemporary art galleries in Downtown L.A.'s Chinatown. Regular gallery hours are Wednesday – Saturday 12-6 pm, Sunday 12-4 pm and by appointment.