Widely regarded as one of the most influential fashion and portrait photographers, Mario
Testino is responsible for the creation of emblematic images, transmitting emotion and
energy in an open and intimate way, transgressing cultures and gender to document all
people of the world.
Testino's work has been exhibited in museums around the world, including the Helmut
Newton Foundation in Berlin (Undressed, 2017) the Shanghai Art Museum (Private View,
2012) and the National Portrait Gallery in London (Portraits, 2002). Continuing his discerning
vision of the world, Testino’s most recent body of work is an artistic exploration of cultural
identity, part of a wider project to highlight diverse beauty. As he travels the world, Testino
reveals what makes traditional culture in each country special, challenging us to find a more
sustainable balance between growth and preservation of cultural heritage.
More than 17 books of his photography have been published, including MaRIO DE JANEIRO
Testino, Kate Moss by Mario Testino, Alta Moda and Fina Estampa. Alongside his 40-year
practice as a photographer, Testino has realised a body of work as a creative director, guest
editor, art collector, philanthropist and museum founder in Lima. MATE – Museo Mario
Testino was established in 2012 to contribute to his homeland of Peru through the
cultivation and promotion of South American culture and heritage. In recognition of his
charity work, Testino was awarded the Legion of Honour of France in 2017, the Order of the
British Empire in 2013, and the Order of the Sun in the Grand Cross of Peru, in 2014. In
October 2016, Testino opened the first Parques Teresita playpark in association with Natalia
Vodianova and the Naked Heart Foundation, in Cusco, Perú, and the second in January 2019
in Ayacucho, Peru.