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Farewell to the rebel Oliviero Toscani: a revolutionary of photography

Farewell to Oliviero Toscani, the photographer who transformed advertising into social denunciation. From his shots for fashion houses to campaigns against indifference, his vision remains unique.

Farewell to the rebel Oliviero Toscani: a revolutionary of photography

The world of photography and communication has lost one of its most iconic figures: Oliviero Toscani died at the age of 82, as announced by his family on January 13, 2025. Toscani suffered from amyloidosis, a rare disease that had severely compromised his health, but not his passion and desire to do.

A life dedicated to creativity and provocation

Born in Milano On February 28, 1942, Toscani took his first steps in photography at a very young age, publishing his first shot on Corriere della Sera at just 14 years old. After graduating from the University of the Arts in Zurich, he embarked on a career that led him to collaborate with the most important fashion magazines, such as ELLE, Vogue, GQ, and Harper's Bazaar, as well as working for major fashion houses such as Valentino, Chanel and Fiorucci.

However, it is with Benetton that Toscani has left an indelible mark on the history of communication. Since 1982, his advertising campaigns for the brand have not been simple promotional images, but powerful vehicles of social denunciation. his shots, often controversial, they have addressed issues such as equality, the death penalty, AIDS, anorexia and homophobia, transforming the advertising medium into a powerful tool for reflection.

An art that divides and provokes discussion

Toscani's images did not leave anyone indifferent: from the kiss between a priest and a nun, to the portraits of those condemned to death, to the famous photo of Isabelle Caro, a model suffering from eating disorders. These works often generated controversy, but also opened a debate on fundamental issues, making Toscani not only a photographer, but a activist.

In 1991, he founded the magazine Colors, a laboratory of visual and cultural experimentation that anticipated many of today's central issues, such as racism and the environment. Three years later, he created Fabrica, an international center for the arts and communication, in collaboration with the Benetton group.

The Consistency of a Rebel

Toscani has always remained true to himself, even at the cost of paying a high price. In 2000, his partnership with Benetton ended after a campaign portraying people sentenced to death in the United States. Subsequently, he collaborated with organizations such as the Red Cross and the Istituto Superiore della Sanità, continuing to use art as a tool for denunciation.

Award-winning and internationally recognized, Toscani has received, among others, the Golden Lion at the Cannes Film Festival and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the German Art Director's Club. Despite the successes achieved during his career, he didn't want to be remembered for a single image, but for the overall message of his works.

The man behind the lens

Oliviero Toscani was not only a photographer, he was defined over and over again as a free thinker, a man capable of looking beyond conventions and simple appearances. He was not even intimidated by his illness: “I don't fear death, as long as it doesn't hurt. I've lived too long and too well.“, he declared.

Today, the world said goodbye to an artist who made photography his means of communication and social expression. He leaves a legacy of ideas, images and provocations, with the invitation to look at the world with new eyes, to see beauty and truth even where they seem to be missing.

Addio al ribelle Oliviero Toscani: un rivoluzionario della fotografia

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