This May Hamiltons celebrates photographer Albert Watsonâs monumental exhibition Rome Codex at the Palazzo Esposizioni Rome.
Watson was hand-picked by representatives of the City of Rome to capture the essence of the city. In counting down to the opening of this landmark exhibition, opening 29 May 2025, Hamiltons has curated a selection of iconic images that highlight the diversity of Watsonâs practice in an Online Viewing Room which will be open for a limited duration and close on June 6th 2025.Â
Albert Watson: Virtuoso is a carefully selected overview of the illustrious and varied career of the master photographer. Born in Scotland in 1942, by the 1970âs Watsonâs distinctive style, influenced through his background in graphic design, caught the eye of many American and European fashion magazines, Albertâs photographs have appeared on more than 100 covers of Vogue worldwide and been featured in countless other publications, from Rolling Stone to Time to Harperâs Bazaar. Albert also has created the photography for hundreds of ad campaigns for major companies, such as Prada, the Gap, Leviâs, Revlon and Chanel. Additionally, Watson has shot dozens of Hollywood movie posters, such as âKill Billâ and âMemoirs of a Geisha.âÂ
Hamiltonsâ viewing room features work from the artistâs fashion and editorial work shooting models such as Christy Turlington and Helena Christensen on location for Vogue to personal projects which include his seminal image of Neil Armstrongâs spacesuit as well as later work taken in Syke in Watsonâs homeland of Scotland.
Rome Codex  will feature over 200 large format prints printed on UV linen â a practice that was first developed by Watson for his 2023 exhibition SKYE at Hamiltons. In Rome, Watson has used this medium to capture the city of Rome through his own unique lens.  According to the Palazzo Esposizioni “this will be the biggest photographic exhibition ever held in Italy dedicated to the iconic New York photographer. Rome Codex is a challenge to conventional representations of the Eternal City, a contemporary tale that transcends visual stereotypes drawing to the most authentic essence of the city.”
Watsonâs photographs and hand-made prints are been exhibited worldwide and are included in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He has won numerous honours, including an Order of the British Empire (OBE) from Queen Elizabeth II for his contribution to the art of photography, and a lifetime achievement award from the Royal Photographic Society. Other awards include a Cartier Lifetime Achievement Award, Lucie Award, three Andys, a Der Steiger Award, and a Hasselblad Masters Award.