Ralph Hutchings is a contemporary artist, photographer and designer living on the French Riviera. He gained esteem for his work as Creative and Art Director, working for 12 reputed agencies in England and in France. He added another string to his bow when he took to shooting his own photography 20 years ago. His encounter and involvement with the artists of the world renowned art movement ‘the School of Nice’ led him to return to producing art.
Ralph Hutchings is a ‘hereditary’ member of the world renowned art movement the ‘School of Nice’. In his role as cultural journalist of art on the French Riviera, Ralph led many projects with different artists of the movement. But his 15 year friendship with SACHA SOSNO (one of the major members of the movement) was to lead to an important artistic exchange and to the re-birth of his own shape of art. The first exhibition of this renew alwas held in 2014 at the City of Nice National Library LOUIS NUCERA under the imposing and most famous of SOSNO’s works ‘LaTêteCarrée’ (The Square Head) and the prestigious MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM OF NICE.
THE SCHOOL OF NICE - This movement was one of the most important artistic groups of the last century. Its group leaders: YVES KLEIN, ARMAN, CESAR, SOSNO, BEN, MARTIAL RAYSSE that need no introduction, broke new ground in contemporary art and worked with and inspired other famous artists all over the world, amoung which... a certain ANDY WARHOL.
Ralph’s tattoo project is an initiative named NAKED NATION. ( www.naked-nation.com ) It is an artistic study of the state of nudity and the way people use their bodies as a means of communication and self expression.
Ralph has also a passion for film and music and shoots film now on digital format.Today the digital revolution in the moving picture world enables him to exploit his photographic skills to shooting movies. He has directed and filmed on movies now for over 30 years.
As a photographer Ralph chose to turn his talents to capturing the beauty of women. For 5 years he was official photographer to the Elite Model contests in Warsaw, training the girls for their future roles in front of the camera. He was also on the jury for the finals of the contests on prime time tv.
Ralph has put in the limelight the lives and works of many artists through his cultural publications. His activity as a cultural journalist has led him to photograph many of the artists’homes, that are in themselves works of art.
Ralph has had a continuous even obsessional involvement with the world of culture. As a publisher of
books and guides on art and culture over the last 20 years, he has photographed many world renowned
museums and art installations as well as the artists behind the works.
As a renowned art director and photographer in luxury tourism and culture,Ralph played the leading role in the renewal of the image of Monte Carlo in Monaco and of the city of Nice on the French Riviera. He published a City guide to the city of Nice and its region that was to become the ambassador for the region for many years. Its success was mainly due to the quality and innovative style of photography. His design agency was the official agency of the city for over 10 years being responsible for all design, advertising and photographic needs. This experience led him to produce photography and design for over 100 luxury hotels and restaurants over Europe.
Ralph has worked on projects with many Michelin Star Chefs throughout his career. His complicity with certain chefs together with his own passion for fine cuisine gave birth to several original recipe books. He also produces recipe videos.
Ralph started his career as a designer in a top design company in Covent Garden, London. He rapidly became owner of his own design outfit which led him all over the planet working on projects for major brands.He now looks after the image of a handful of prestigious clients including hotels, restaurants, artists and michelin star chefs. His graphic work has won him several design awards and spans from graphics to 3D objects and interior design.
Ralph studied technical drawing as well as design and technology before leaving college to work as a graphic designer. His involvement with the leaders of the house building market in England led to interior design work on the show-houses and showrooms of many housing development projects, heading up his own interior design team. His involvement with luxury tourism clients on the French Riviera led him to work on interior and exterior design projects for luxury hotels and restaurants.
Having studied architecture and technical drawing before starting his carreer, During his early years in London, Ralph designed showrooms and show houses for many major house builders and designed one in particular in Dulwich destined to be the home of UK's Prime Minister Margret Thatcher. Ralph extends his contemporary design philosophy to the design of both commerciel spaces and private living spaces and their exterior environments, harmonising his minimalistic style of interior and exterior design with creation of magnifiscent and generous landscapes.
With his architectural experience and flair for design Ralph produces designs for all kinds of commercial spaces such as exhibition stands, showrooms, boutiques, factories and offices.
Ralph designs objects for different industries such as tableware and furniture. He is also the art director for world renowned window mannequin producers WINDOW FRANCE,developing mannequins for the world’s most successful fashion brands.
Ralph is also a producer of books, from lifestyle to cuisine, from art to travel, driven by the numerous encounters of places and people he meets through his every day work and his determination and eagerness to share this knowledge with others. Pen in hand and camera on his shoulder he seeks to relay each subject with conviction and passion, treating each subject graphically with his own style of esthetic sense that has become his signature.