In the early 90s, youth culture pulsated from the heart of New York City where a mass of emerging creatives captured something raw and tangible in any way they could. For Davide Sorrenti, who spearheaded the ‘heroin chic’ movement through his lensing of a razor-sharp life lived in New York City, his photographs weren’t interested in fashion; they told the story of a young creative cursed with an expiration date on his timeline. One who saw the heaviness of each moment’s magnificence, and unfurled his soul in the documentation of his fleeting life in an infinitely mesmerising way.
Passing away months before his 20th birthday, his legacy is solidified in the raw and irreverent imagery he captured of both of his youth and the company surrounding him, utterly disconnected from the fashion photography we knew on the heels of 80s glamour. Imagery of his then girlfriend, model Jaime King, Mila Jovovich and photographer Glen Luchford were nihilistic, untouchable and nuanced, Sorrenti’s most iconic photographs capture his fervent attitude and perception of life, in a way so transparent, with his heart reflected in each.
"He was a street kid, but yet he lived up in the stars and the heavens." - See Know Evil
"Anyone who feels like there's an expiration date on their life will constantly shift between melancholy and wanting to live life to the fullest." - See Know Evil
Sorrenti’s legacy is both prolific enigmatic, and now the story of his short life and work comes together on screen in the feature length documentary, See Know Evil. Directed by New York-based filmmaker, Charlie Curran, the film documents an uncensored look into the fearless life of the Italian-American photographer, and the era he defined.
Get your first look now at the trailer below.
