(left) Kate Moss, London, Vogue Italia, 2006 © Mario Testino (right) Untitled, Los Angeles, V man, 2008 © Mario Testino

Last month saw the opening of Mario Testino’s ‘In Your Face’ exhibition at the Kunstbibliothek in Berlin, the first European exhibition since its premiere in Boston in 2012. Running for seven months, the display brings together Testino’s love of fashion and art, with over 125 photographs emphasising the provocative contrasts in his work.

Known for his successful campaigns for Burberry and Dolce and Gabbana and renowned shots of supermodels, like Kate Moss, the exhibition witnesses Testino’s editorial work intermixed with more private snapshots and nudes in fashion. Testino, who was involved in the selection and layout of the work at the Kunstbibliothek hopes that this juxtaposing layout will allow him to break out of the box that image makers are often placed in.

The Peruvian fashion photographer has said that he is using the exhibition as a thank you to the city of Berlin for its continuous inspiration to his work, and this influence is heavily demonstrated through the selection of three key images which were taken around the city.

Throughout his thirty year career, Testino has always found himself returning to Berlin in search of new and exciting art work, which is why the Kunstbibliothek is the perfect place to house this bold new exhibition, as it belongs to a network dedicated to art. Alongside its collections depicting the history of fashion, there is also the Gemaldegalerie, which offers a panorama of European paintings from the Middle Ages to the 18^th century, along with the Kunstgewerbemuseum, which boasts an impression fashion collection that was in the spotlight mere weeks ago.

 

20 January – 26 July 2015
Kulturforum
Kunstbibliothek – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
10785 Berlin-Tiergarten
Matthäikirchplatz