Oscar Marzaroli
Encyclopedia
Oscar Marzaroli was an Italian
-born Scottish
photographer of post-World War II
urban Scotland
. He was born in Castiglione
in northwest Italy
and came to Scotland with his family at the age of two.
Marzaroli had a career in photojournalism
in London
and Stockholm
. But he also operated as a photographer on the streets of Glasgow
and became famed for his iconic images of the city in the 1960s. He was best known for his images of the Gorbals
area as the bulldozers cleared away the streets of the run down tenements.
Marzaroli's work came to national attention in the 1980s with the publication of three collections of his photographs by the Edinburgh
publishing house Mainstream. He was also a film cameraman, as well as director and producer, for Ogam Films, which he founded with three friends in 1967.
In 1991, a number of Glaswegian musicians came together to help compile a tribute album entitled The Tree and the Bird and the Fish and the Bell (the title is inspired by the coat of arms of the city of Glasgow
). The rock band Deacon Blue
, who contributed to the album, had already extensively used Marzaroli's photographs on their album and single covers. In the same year Marzaroli was also the subject of an ITV documentary.
A website of his prints has since been set up by his family.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-born Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
photographer of post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
urban Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was born in Castiglione
Castiglione
-Places:Towns in Italy, many of which were simply called Castiglione prior to the unification of Italy in the 19th century:* Castiglion Fibocchi, in the province of Arezzo* Castiglion Fiorentino, in the province of Arezzo...
in northwest Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and came to Scotland with his family at the age of two.
Marzaroli had a career in photojournalism
Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. But he also operated as a photographer on the streets of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and became famed for his iconic images of the city in the 1960s. He was best known for his images of the Gorbals
Gorbals
The Gorbals is an area on the south bank of the River Clyde in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. By the late 19th century, it had become over-populated and adversely affected by local industrialisation. Many people lived here because their jobs provided this home and they could not afford their own...
area as the bulldozers cleared away the streets of the run down tenements.
Marzaroli's work came to national attention in the 1980s with the publication of three collections of his photographs by the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
publishing house Mainstream. He was also a film cameraman, as well as director and producer, for Ogam Films, which he founded with three friends in 1967.
In 1991, a number of Glaswegian musicians came together to help compile a tribute album entitled The Tree and the Bird and the Fish and the Bell (the title is inspired by the coat of arms of the city of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
). The rock band Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop band formed in Glasgow during 1985. Their name was taken from the title of the Steely Dan song "Deacon Blues". The band consists of vocalist Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, keyboard player James Prime and drummer Dougie Vipond....
, who contributed to the album, had already extensively used Marzaroli's photographs on their album and single covers. In the same year Marzaroli was also the subject of an ITV documentary.
A website of his prints has since been set up by his family.
Books
- Shades of Grey: Glasgow 1956-1987, 1987 ISBN 1-85158-047-6
- Shades of Scotland 1956-1988, 1989 ISBN 1-85158-213-4
- Glasgow's People 1956-1988, 1993 ISBN 1-85158-592-3
- One Afternoon in Lisbon by Kevin McCarra and Pat Woods (Photographs by Oscar Marzaroli).
External link and reference
- Interview with Oscar Marzaroli by Jennie Renton
- National Library of Scotland: Scottish Screen Archive (Biography of Ogam Films / Oscar Marzaroli with links to film details and clips)