Mario Testino’s exhibition – Rome

“Anywhere I go, I always try to watch people. It’s the foundation of our profession, because you can always spot somebody who may inspire you, something that clicks…”.

These are the words of Mario Testino, the Peruvian photographer with Italian-Irish origins who arrived in London in 1976: the right place for someone like him, dynamic and curious.

Testino with time has conquered covers, realized shootings for the most prestigious international magazines, has portrayed unapproachable celebrities who agreed to pose for him and he is now good friends with. Just think of Kate Moss, the icon of a beauty based not much on appearance but rather, as he says “on lots of other things”.

Mario Testino. Todo o Nada is the right occasion to review his entire career, an anthological exhibition that has joined forces with fashion event Altaroma, Rome’s Chamber of Commerce and labels Fendi, Gucci and Valentino.

From July 8th to November 23rd at the Fondazione Memmo-Palazzo Ruspoli, 54 shots describe the activity of a witness of an era who has captured, for all of us, unique figures and moments: just think of the official photos of the last global phenomenon, Kate and William’s wedding.

The title Todo o Nada is the verbal reflection of the type of woman whom not only Testino has portrayed, but has also contributed to create: “…strong, independent women. Women who, despite their strength, they never lose their femininity and never use their beauty as a weapon.”