Heat
This solo exhibition, Mario Testino’s first in the Middle East, brings together works showing his distinct oeuvre at the crossroads of portraiture, fashion and fine art. Curated by Simon and Michaela de Pury, of de Pury de Pury and sponsored by UAE based GINZA Fashion, the exhibition is housed in a dedicated pop-up gallery at the heart of Dubai Design District (d3).
The idea for "Heat" was borne out of a meeting of minds and mutual love of art and photography between de Pury de Pury and local arts patron and businessman Khaled AlMheiri, Chairman and Founder of the Ginza Group. They have collaborated to bring Testino’s work and creative influence to Dubai at a time when the city’s creative industries are accelerating.
The Exhibition
de Pury, de Pury, Dubai, 2016
de Pury de Pury, Dubai, 2016
de Pury de Pury, Dubai, 2016
de Pury de Pury, Dubai, 2016
de Pury de Pury, Dubai, 2016
Curator Simon de Pury said of the show: “Mario Testino is probably the most successful and best known photographer alive today. Moreover, he is a man of multiple talents who is equally gifted as an artist, a photographer, a discerning contemporary art collector, philanthropist, interior decorator, brand consultant and market maker. No artist has worked more closely with the main muses of our times such as Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bündchen, Natalia Vodianova and Cara Delevingne. It is in no small measure thanks to Mario Testino’s talent that they have become as potent visual symbols today as Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot and Elizabeth Taylor were in their time.
Testino’s commercial success has not happened at the detriment of the artistic quality of his work. He always explores new ways to express himself and doesn’t stick to a formula. Mario Testino’s work is all about energy, the now and a positive outlook on life. I am thrilled that his work is being exhibited for the first time in Dubai a city that conveys the same spirit.”
The title for the show, "Heat", was coined by Mario himself. It is a shorthand reference to both the setting in Dubai and also for his outlook of intensity and vibrancy. The collection consists of a variety of works – many that have been widely exhibited at museums and galleries internationally – alongside more recent pieces that have not previously been exhibited. Lastly, iconic shots of his acclaimed Peru series, Alta Moda, have been included as a tribute to his roots and the strong bond that links him to his home country.
“I am so excited that my work will be exhibited in the Middle East, in Dubai, for the first time. My endless curiosity has contributed to the diversity of my work, and this curiosity extends to the different cultures, people and places I have explored throughout my career. Looking at this exhibition I feel you see this and Dubai is a perfect place to present it with its constantly evolving creativity. I am eager to see and experience the impact that Dubai will make on my work.” – Mario Testino
Mario Testino, "Heat", de Pury de Pury, Dubai 2016.
Selected Works
Kate Moss, Paris, Calvin Klein Jeans, 1998
Cara Delevingne, New York, Allure, 2014
Karlie Kloss, Bahia, American Vogue, 2012
Keith Richards & Mick Jagger, Los Angeles, British Vogue, 2003
Laetitia Casta, Paris, Vogue Paris, 2012
Paris, Atelier Versace, 1997
Carolyn Murphy, Saint-Tropez, Harper’s Bazaar, 1999
Kate Moss, London, National Portrait Gallery, 2001
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