Farewell to Oliviero Toscani Remembering of the most influential photographers of our time

The shots by Oliviero Toscani were as straightforward as the photographer himself. He didn’t beat around the bush, nor did he use many words to express what he wanted: he simply said it as it was. Frankness was the characteristic that most closely linked Toscani’s work and personality, a similarity that is evident in his 2022 autobiographical book Ne ho fatte di tutti i colori. The Italian photographer passed away this morning, January 13, in Tuscany, surrounded by his loved ones who shared the news on social media, signed by his wife Kirsti and his children. Photographer, advertiser, provocative genius: Oliviero Toscani shaped the history of communication, influencing the lives and successes of all the personalities, publications, and brands he worked for. From Andy Warhol to Fellini, from Benetton to Fiorucci, his work defined the ’80s and ’90s, teaching subsequent generations what it means to impact the public, to provoke not for the sake of it but to share a message. He himself said that «an image doesn’t change the world, but it can make people reflect. That’s the power of photography.»

Toscani’s work extended beyond fashion brands and lifestyle magazines: in addition to photographing internationally renowned figures like Andy Warhol, John Lennon, Muhammad Ali, Federico Fellini, Mick Jagger, Lou Reed, and Patti Smith, he also supported Italian communities with campaigns such as "Banana e pisello" in 2009, an anti-bullying photograph created for the city of Bolzano, and "Non uccidere" in 2004, promoting road safety. In the 1990s, he launched the magazine Colors, further delving into the themes and social issues previously addressed with Benetton: Toscani condemned the war in Kosovo, anorexia, the death penalty, and religious wars. In 2004, he founded La Sterpaia, a modern communication research center in Pisa offering photography, filmmaking, graphic design, and writing workshops with expert tutors. Throughout his career, the photographer actively defended his political views, publicly sharing his disagreement with the Meloni government in 2023. Over the years, he was involved in various legal cases, from the 2000 lawsuit by Missouri accusing him of deceiving death row inmates into being photographed, to a fine of 4,000 euros in Milan for criticizing the Church during a broadcast of La Zanzara. Also accused of misogyny for his statements on the use of the female body in advertising, Toscani brought shockvertising beyond the photographic lens from the 1960s to today. His provocative images are still discussed; his analytical and bold approach to life will forever be remembered.