CELEBRATING A BEAUTIFUL WORLD
A Beautiful World began as a personal journey of curiosity and has become a global reflection on identity, tradition, and how we connect through culture. It asks a simple but profound question: how do people express who they are through what they wear, celebrate, and protect?
Through the series, Mario Testino has travelled across continents, capturing the spirit of communities bound by ritual, belonging, and beauty. From the Peruvian highlands to Mongolian plains, from Swiss guilds to African ceremonies, each image tells the story of people rooted in place yet part of a shared human rhythm that moves beyond borders.
Installation view of A Beautiful World by Mario Testino, Rome, 2024. The exhibition brought together portraits from over 30 countries, reflecting the beauty of tradition, identity, and shared humanity.
In 2024, A Beautiful World: Italy opened in Rome, marking one of the project’s most significant exhibitions to date. Set within the historic architecture of the city, the show presented a striking dialogue between Italian heritage and global identity. Testino’s portraits of local communities and ceremonial guilds were displayed alongside works from other countries, revealing how the visual codes of devotion, pride, and tradition transcend geography. The exhibition reaffirmed the project’s universal message: that beauty lives in continuity, and that culture connects more than it divides.
As Mario reflects,“This project has shown me just how beautifully different we all are. Every place, every person, every tradition tells its own story. And yet, at the heart of it all, we share the same hopes and ideals. We live, celebrate, and express ourselves in ways that connect us more than they divide us. We are one people, shaped by the landscapes we call home.”
In an age where identity is often simplified or performed, these images remind us that culture is not costume, it is continuity. Testino’s portraits, made with patience and respect, honour the rituals that hold communities together. They remind us of the grace in ceremony, the meaning in colour, and the strength found in heritage.
A Beautiful World continues to evolve. It has become a living record of beauty in all its forms and an invitation to see the world through empathy and care. As Testino notes, “Every country has migrated and left its imprint wherever it went. It happened in the past, and it continues today.”
