Yesterday in Milan, Veuve Clicquot and Magnum Photos unveiled “Emotions of the Sun” at Milan Design Week, a radiant traveling exhibition of photography, gastronomy, and bespoke shopping experience on view through April 21. Summoning the effervescent vision of pioneering businesswoman Madame Clicquot, as well as the maison’s signature sunny-hued label, eight international photographers were given creative carte blanche to develop original artworks. Magnum’s visionary Steve McCurry was energized by the power of the sun and its masterful guidance for the 250-year-old champagne house, alongside photographers Alex Webb, Trent Parke, Olivia Arthur, Lindokuhle Sobekwa, Cristina de Middel, Nanna Heitmann, and Newsha Tavakolian. 

Upon entering “Emotions of the Sun,” visitors will embark on a sensorial journey of tones, textures, and visually-arresting photographic masterpieces. A circular portal makes way for a lyrical presentation in which images are framed and set upon walls of varying sunlit shades—in addition to being suspended in silky and evocative materials reminiscent of the sun’s universal nourishment. Ever-focused on capturing the many shades of the human condition, the renowned McCurry continues over 40 years of striking exploration with a lustrous series set in Japan, embracing the sun’s glow onto earth and sky, man and mountain. 

“The colors we perceive in the natural world are influenced by a combination of sunlight, the objects themselves, and atmospheric conditions,” remarked McCurry. “The changing light at sunrise or sunset makes Mount Fuji even more magical.” 

Whitewall had the opportunity to speak to McCurry while in Milan about historic symbols, working exclusively with natural light, and evoking a sense of warmth and hopefulness. 

WHITEWALL: Why did you choose Mt. Fuji as the subject of your photographs for this exhibition?

STEVE MCCURRY: There were a lot of reasons why it made sense to have Japan be a location for the project. We wanted to give it an international feel with the theme of the sun. They have the sun on their flag. It’s also an important market for the brand. I wanted something that was iconic to Japan, that was a symbol of Japan. I thought, Fuji is a kind of symbol, recognizable, it’s been in art, painting, and photography for hundreds of years. I thought that that might be a really good location. I also picked Kyoto, one of the most famous cities in the world and a place I’ve been to many times. 

A Magical Location of Great Beauty and Symmetry Unfolds in Mt. Fuji and Kyoto

WW: What makes the location “magical,” as you’ve described it? How did you want to capture that magic?

SM: If there are ten famous mountains in the world, Fuji would be one of those ten. There’s Kilimanjaro, the Matterhorn, Montblanc, Everest, etc. Certainly it’s a very famous location. There is a beauty to the symmetry. And Kyto is unique in the world. It was kind of obvious to pick those locations in Japan.

WW: You captured the majestic landscape at different times of the day. Can you tell us about how you wanted to capture the light in these images?

SM: There’s the mountain and the sun, and I wanted them to be in the same frame. The sun had to be close low next to Mount Fuji. I wanted to shoot at sunrise so that the sun was close, otherwise it’s up high. And I wanted the sun to be a little bit soft with some color, because when the sun gets too high, there’s no color. The shape of this was all sunset and sunrise.

WW:  From different vantage points, can you tell us about your choice of location?

SM: There are several lakes around Mount Fuji, which gives a clean foreground. It was all about trying to create a graphic image of the mountain. I thought that the lake would be the best solution to show the mountain. 

Steve McCurry Works with Natural Light to Evoke Warmth and Optimism 

WW: Natural light is so central to photography. How do you like to work with natural light when creating an image?

SM: I only work with natural light. Rarely, I’ll use a little LED. But I would say 95% of the time I’m using just natural available light. You train your eye, and your way of working, to natural light. If you start getting lights, it’s too complicated, it’s too much equipment. It’s not really natural. I think you can do anything you want to, but for me it’s simpler just to go with what’s there.

WW: What kind of feeling did you want to evoke in the viewer here?

SM: I wanted to get a sense of warmth, something that’s sort of optimistic and hopeful. The sun renews life and it grows trees and plants—and it grows people. There are a lot of references to the sun throughout history and throughout Japan. I thought this is positive, to get the sun and the mountain. If it’s cloudy, you might not see the mountain, and the shape is obscured by clouds. You might not get that beautiful symmetry. So It took some patience. I hoped the weather was going to be good. 

“I wanted to get a sense of warmth, something that’s sort of optimistic and hopeful,”

— Steve McCurry

WW: Your images have an incredible ability to transport the viewer. You can almost feel the sun on your skin at sunset, smell the mist in the air at sunrise. What kind of sense of place did you want to convey in these images?

SM: I just wanted to convey what my emotion was when I was there—the grandeur. Almost anything you put in front of the mountain is going to be interesting. I thought, If I can get the light right, keep it simple, graphic, that would be enough.

The Boutique and Clicquot Café Await

Visitors will also not want to miss the exhibition’s wondrous boutique where iconic VCP objects and champagnes are available for purchase, along with an exclusive coffret of 8 electronically signed photographs. 

Within the singular Clicquot Café, guests may enjoy a glass of champagne and sample four signature dishes by world renowned Chefs: Jean Imbert, Karime Lopez, Valentina Rizzo, and Mory Sacko.

“Emotions of the Sun,” Garden Senato, Via Senato, 14. Open until Sunday April 21 from 11am to 9pm. Free entrance, exhibition, café, boutique. To book your visit or table at the café, visit: Emotions of the Sun – Mostra fotografica (veuveclicquot.com)

The exhibition will travel to New York City in early June, 2024.