IRINA IONESCO

It was only at the age of 34 that Irina Ionesco discovered photography. Born in Paris in 1930, she grew up in Romania in the circus world alongside her grandmother and uncles. Fleeing the Soviet occupation, she returned to Paris in 1946 and became a professional snake dancer and contortionist. This experience would then allow Irina to travel for many years, touring cabarets. But after an accident during a number, she settled permanently in Paris, studied art and then discovered photography.

Irina Ionesco developed her own universe, marked by baroque, around the female figure, which made her particularly known in the fashion world. In the 70s, she gained recognition and a certain success in the art world thanks to her baroque and erotic images, populated by femme fatales posing in the middle of busy settings. She photographed many personalities during the 70s and 80s, contributing to the bulk of her body of photographic work.

Her first solo exhibition was organized in 1974 at the Nikon gallery in Paris, at the same time as she published her first book. She immediately became a revelation for the art world as well as the general public, and marked the beginning of a long series of solo exhibitions and various publications, in France and abroad.

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Irina Ionesco only discovered photography at the age of 34. Born in Paris in 1930, she grew up in Romania in the circus world alongside her grandmother and uncles. Fleeing the Soviet occupation, she returned to Paris in 1946 and became a professional snake dancer and contortionist. This experience enabled Irina to travel for many years, touring cabarets. But when she had an accident while performing, she settled in Paris for good, studied art and discovered photography.

Irina Ionesco developed her own baroque universe around the female figure, which made her particularly well known in the fashion world. In the 70s, she gained recognition and a certain success in the art world thanks to her baroque and erotic images, populated by femmes fatales posing in the midst of elaborate settings. She photographed many celebrities in the 70s and 80s, contributing to the bulk of her body of photographic work.

Her first solo exhibition was held in 1974 at the Nikon gallery in Paris, at the same time as she published her first book. It immediately became a revelation for the art world and the general public, and marked the beginning of a long series of solo exhibitions and various publications in France and abroad.