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BOOKENDING AN ICONIC

PHOTOGRAPHER’S CAREER

A brother’s love sparks and preserves a distinctive oeuvre

by Katy Smith

uxe and highly saturated images As a young adult, Bill Silano was a bank ‘This acquisition
were his trademark, and he brought teller. At his brother’s suggestion, he took a
surrealism to fashion photography photography course from Alexey Brodovitch, the
using scale and color. Now, Bill famed art director of Harper’s Bazaar. It became adds new depth
Silano’s photos will expand the clear that the young photographer had an innate
fashion collection at the University talent and a tremendous passion for the craft, but and dimension to
of Arizona’s Center for Creative he lacked connections and experience.
LPhotography, thanks to his brother “He was struggling in Manhattan, trying our growing fashion
George Silano. to get going, and I took him to Europe as my
“When you see a Bill Silano photograph, you assistant,” George Silano says.
know it’s his work. You don’t have to search for a Bill Silano joined his brother on a job shooting photography collection
credit,” says George Silano. an industrial film for Volkswagen in Germany.
From the 1960s to the ’80s, Bill Silano’s photos He used the opportunity to spend time in Paris, and strengthens
appeared on many Harper’s Bazaar covers as well where he met influential people and his first
as editorial spreads for Italian, French and British photos were published. the potential for
Vogue; French Elle; Mademoiselle; Town and When he returned to New York, he began his
Country; and Glamour. decades-long relationship with Harper’s Bazaar.
A New York native, Bill Silano died at age 80, “That trip turned him into what he became. multidisciplinary
and his life and works were celebrated in his And after he died, I’m the guy who got him into
2014 obituary in The Villager: “Silano’s unique CCP. I’m very grateful I was able to help him in scholarship.’
vision and dedication propelled him to the that way,” George Silano says.
heights of the ultra-competitive world of fashion A meeting with Chief Curator Becky Senf
photography at a time when the art of the craft convinced George Silano that his brother’s
ruled.” original slides and working materials would be in
Soon after choosing CCP as the home for the good hands with CCP.
photographer’s prints and working materials, “It was because of Becky’s enthusiasm and
George Silano made a second gift in his will, her impeccable eye. When she saw Bill’s work,
representing a significant portion of his estate, she understood it had a position in the history of
to support fashion photography in his brother’s fashion photography,” he says.
honor. He takes particular pride in “bookending” Fashion photography is a priority for the
his brother’s career through both gifts, because center, Senf says. The archive of Louise Dahl-
he helped launch it. Wolfe and a strong Richard Avedon collection
George Silano, a well-known cinematographer were the existing cornerstones. Adding Bill
and director, now retired, piqued his brother’s Silano’s materials brings opportunities to make
interest in photography when he set up a meaningful comparisons between the artists.
darkroom as a child. Later, returning from And fashion photography’s scholarly potential
military duty, he gave his brother an Army Field goes beyond visual disciplines, says Anne
Manual of Photography. Breckenridge Barrett, the center’s new director.
Shortly before his death, Bill Silano told a “This acquisition adds new depth and
writer from the magazine Glass that he read the dimension to our growing fashion photography
book cover to cover and learned much about the collection and strengthens the potential for
technical aspects of photography. multidisciplinary scholarship across themes such
“It was written by the best minds, to be easily as culture, society, gender roles and feminism,” William Silano, untitled, c. 1970. William Silano
Archive, Center for Creative Photography,
understood by those of lesser inclination. I found Barrett says. University of Arizona © Center for Creative
it incredibly informative, and tried to apply what “I am thrilled that William Silano’s archive Photography, Arizona Board of Regents
I learned to realize my vision.” will be stewarded by CCP.”

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