John Randolph Pepper

John R. Pepper (a.k.a. John Pepper and John Randolph Pepper) is a photographer and theatre director. His life and career, in photography, film and theatre has been described as "dedicated to the investigation of the dynamics between ‘selves’ in order to bring to light the solitude, the flaws, the hidden needs that make their actions a poignant expression of their inner being".

Biography

John R. Pepper was born in Rome, Italy in 1958 to Curtis Bill Pepper, a war correspondent and the head of the Rome bureau for Newsweek magazine, and the sculptor Beverly Pepper. He has one sister, poet Jorie Graham. He was raised in Rome, Italy. He studied History of Art at Princeton University (1976) where he was also one of the original painting members of the ‘185 Nassau Street Painting Program’ and was awarded the Whitney Painting Fellowship in 1975. In 1981 Pepper was admitted as a ‘Directing Fellow’ to The American Film Institute, Los Angeles, California. Pepper has married twice and has two sons (Sheppard, 1990, and Jameson, 1993) from his first marriage.

Photography

Pepper began his career as an apprentice to Ugo Mulas who gave him his first formal training in the art of street photography. Pepper pursued his work in photography (analogical) for three decades all while directing theatre and film. His show 'Rome: 1969 – An Hommage to Italian Neo-Realist Cinema' (USA/France 2008)[1][2] lead him back to his native Italy where Lanterna Magica Edizioni published the book ‘Sans Papier’ (Italy 2011) [3] with subsequent exhibits in Rome,[4][5][6][7][8] Venice, Saint Petersburg (Russia),[9] Paris, Palermo (Sicily).[10] In 2012 the Manège Museum in Saint Petersburg, (Russia) shows Peppers new work [11] of which in 2014 the Istituto Superiore Per la Storia della Fotografia (Italy) publishes a new book of photographs, ‘Evaporations’ [12] that previews at the Galleria Studio Paolo Morello (Palermo, Italy) [13][14] and at the Officina delle Zattere in Venice (Italy). In 2015, the Italian Institute of Culture and the Russia Federation Ministry of Culture sponsor a traveling exhibition that opens at the Rosphoto Photography Museum (Saint Petersburg, Russia).[15] In 2015 ‘Evaporations’ travels throughout Siberia, Russia (Vladivostok, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Yekaterinburg, Samara) as well being shown at the ‘PhotoMed’ photography festival in Sanary Sur Mer (France) in May 2015. Also in March of 2015 Pepper has a retrospective exhibit at the Showcase Gallery in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).[16] The Italian Institute of Culture sponsors a travelling exhibition (2014) commencing at Rosphoto Gallery (Saint Petersburg, Russia) and traveling to Finland, Italy, France and the United States.

Theatre and film

John Pepper began in film, working as assistant director for many directors including Joseph Losey (‘Les Routes du Sud’), George Roy Hill (‘A Little Romance’ and ‘The World According to Garp’) and Dan Curtis (‘Ghostbusters’). As a producer Pepper developed and brought to fruition the motion picture ‘The Plague’ (Albert Camus) directed by Luis Puenzo with William Hurt, Robert Duval, Raoul Julia, Sandrinne Bonnaire and Jean Marc Barr. Music by Vangelis (Gaumont Distribution, France 1992).[17][18] Pepper’s work in New York theatre include: ‘Cubistique’ (Tom Cohen),[19] The Cruelties of Mrs. Schnayd (David Suesdhorf),[20] ‘Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All To You’ (Christopher Durang);[21] he was the youngest director at the Spoleto Festival (Charelston) when he presented ‘Inner Voices’ by Eduardo De Filippo.[22]

Pepper directed plays in Paris, France, in Europe and Russia. His productions include ‘Retraite de Moscow’ (‘Retreat from Moscow’) by William Nicholson at Theatre Montparnasse (Paris 2008);[23][24][25][26][27] ‘Underneath the Lintel’ by Glen Berger, Lederman Theatre, Stockholm, Sweden (2005);[28] ‘Pour En Découdre’ by Marc-Michel Georges;[29][30] ‘Danny et la Grande Bleu’ (‘Danny and the Deep Blue Sea’) by John Patrick Shanley at Avignon Theatre Festival (2000) [31] then Paris’ Theatre Déjazet with actor Léa Drucker nominated for a Molière Award (2001).[32] He directed the film version, ‘Papillion de Nuit’ (Trinacra Productions, 2001,[33][34][35][36][37] winner of the ‘Prix Mediavision’ (2002) at the Sarlat Film Festival. Pepper was the first foreign director to be invited to the Drama Theatre on Vasilievsky (aka Teatre Satir) in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His Russian language, production of ‘My Dear Mathilde’ by Israel Horovitz is now permanently in the repertoire (2012).[38]

References

  1. ↑ Mallet, Caroline (October 2008). "Néo Réalisme Italien". Réponsephoto (n.199).
  2. ↑ Benoit, Laurent; Molly Mine (October 2008). "John R. Pepper". Actualités.
  3. ↑ Semeraro, Roberta (2011). Sans Papier. Italy: Lanterna Magica Edizioni. ISBN 978-88-97115-16-8.
  4. ↑ Cerasa, Giuseppe (24 March 2011). "Giochi fra adoloscenti nelle foto di John Pepper". La repubblica.
  5. ↑ "John Pepper in Bianco e Nero". Corriere della Sera. 23 March 2011.
  6. ↑ Gantz, Menachem (March 2011). "In the Courtyard". Yedioth Ahronot, Tel Aviv, Israel.
  7. ↑ Ladune, Benoit (October 2011). "Street Blues". Photographic Magazine, France.
  8. ↑ "Alla Ricerca di...". Cinemagazine. March 2011.
  9. ↑ Jigarkhanyan, Marina (2011). The Melodies and Passion of the Mediterranean. Russia: Manége Museum.
  10. ↑ Trovato, Simonetta (3 September 2011). "Pepper, Piccoli Mondi Fuori dal Mondo". Giornale di Sicilia.
  11. ↑ Jigarkhanyan, Marina (2012). Cities and People. Russia: Manége Museum.
  12. ↑ Elizabeth Ferrer, "Evaporations", Istituto Superiore Per la Storia della Fotografia (Italy), ISBN 978-88-87928-19-8
  13. ↑ Paola Nicita, La Repubblica, 22 March 2014
  14. ↑ Antonella Filippi, Giornale di Sicilia, 22 March 2014
  15. ↑ Irina Bilik, The Saint Petersburg Photographer, Russia, 2014
  16. ↑ "Pick of the week", Time Out, Dubai, 04 March 2015
  17. ↑ Van Gelder, Laurence (20 October 1989). "Buddy Movies". New York Times.
  18. ↑ Parent, Denis (March 1992). "La Peste de Luis Puenzo". Studio Magazine: 108.
  19. ↑ Stasio, Marylin (8 January 1983). "Triple-threat Treat". New York Post.
  20. ↑ Gussow, Mel (13 February 1986). "Theatre: Cruelties of Mrs. Schnayd". New York Times.
  21. ↑ Driscoll, Richard (23 July 1983). "Director maintains a madcap pace on Ithaca's summer stages". The Ithaca Journal.
  22. ↑ Thompson, Jay (26 May 1986). "Well Polished 'Voices' is Shining Success". The Evening Post, Charleston SC.
  23. ↑ Beaumont, Monique (28 February 2007). "La Retraite del Russie". L'Action Francaise.
  24. ↑ Libiot, Eric (1–7 March 2007). "La Retraite de Russie". L'express (n. 2904).
  25. ↑ Kuttner, Héléne (22–28 February 2007). "Divrorce á l'Anglaise". Paris Match (n. 2904).
  26. ↑ Nerson, Jacques (8–14 February 2007). "L'amour de L'aube au Crépuscule". Le Nouvel Observateur (n. 2205).
  27. ↑ Thomas, Bernard (14 February 2007). "La Berenzina". Le Canard Enchainé.
  28. ↑ Ring, Lars (13 November 2005). "Multilayered Cultural Thriller". SVD, Stockholm.
  29. ↑ Pascaud, Fabienne (2–8 November 2002). "Pour En Découdre". Telerama (n. 2632).
  30. ↑ Dalbard, Agnés (28 September 2002). "Pour En Découdre: attention, couple en furie!". Le Parisien.
  31. ↑ "Avignon, Danny et la Grande Bleue". Telerama (n. 2632). 25–30 June 2000.
  32. ↑ Jener, Jean Luc (19–25 April 2000). "A Ne Pas Manquer". Le Figaro (Scope).
  33. ↑ Bertholon, Delphine (January 2002). "Papillon de Nuit". Cahiers du Cinema (n. 564).
  34. ↑ "Papillions de Nuits". Le Canard Enchainé.
  35. ↑ Le Figaro, Paris (n. 1854). 16 January 2002. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  36. ↑ "Papillions de Nuit". Le Monde, Paris.
  37. ↑ Telerama Magazine, France. 23 January 2002. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  38. ↑ Dazhunts, Elvira (30 March 2012). "In Saint Petersburg Wit Excitement & Nervousness". Nievsky Times.

Bibliography

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