We spent our last morning in Ravenna at MAR, the Modern Art Museum. There
was a retrospective of the photographs of
Oliviero Toscani. He takes high quality, undeniably beautiful photos
often featuring alluring models of both sexes in a state of
undress.
However, he has stopped people in their tracks with some of his work. He has managed to turn commercial advertising campaigns into social commentary. For instance, 'United Colours of Benetton' showed jolly pics of happy tots from all races dressed in bright jumpers.
But then they got a bit in your face. His picture of a new born baby, still
with its umbilical cord and red and wrinkled made the point that it was hard to
know which race it came from. All new babies look the same.
Another famous example of his campaigning were shots that he released
during Milan fashion week of a naked anorexic model. He was drawing attention
to the way in which the fashion world drove young women to become thinner and
thinner.
However, he has earned his living as a commercial photographer. Some of
his campaigns were provocative just to get a particular product noticed rather
than for any social benefit, such as his picture of a young woman clad in very
skimpy hot pants by Jesus Jeans with the logo “If you love me follow me.”
Oliviero Toscani is definitely a man who has managed to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.
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