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Farewell to Oliviero Toscani: the photographer who revolutionized visual communication

Oliviero Toscani, a famous photographer and brilliant innovator of communication, has died at the age of 82. Creator of iconic and provocative campaigns, he marked an era with his social and artistic vision

Farewell to Oliviero Toscani: the photographer who revolutionized visual communication

He died at the age of 82 Oliviero Toscani, famous photographer and brilliant innovator of communication. To give theThe announcement was made by the family with a press release: “It is with great sadness that we announce that today our beloved Oliviero has embarked on his next journey. We ask for privacy and understanding to face this moment in the intimacy of the family. Kirsti Toscani with Rocco, Lola and Ali”.

Toscani he had been hospitalized since January 10th in the intensive care unit of the hospital of Cecina, in the province of Livorno, due to the worsening of his condition related to amyloidosis, a rare systemic disease diagnosed about a year and a half ago. His wife, aware of the seriousness of the situation, had declared that it was now "a road of no return". The artist, with his direct and unfiltered spirit, had he spoke openly about his struggle, stating that he did not fear death but wanted to continue living with the same intensity that had always characterized his life.

“In a year I lost 40 kilos. I can’t even drink wine anymore: the taste is altered by the medicines,” he said, explaining that he had undergone an experimental treatment. And yet, the fear of death had never grazed him.As long as it doesn't hurt. And then I lived too much and too well, I am spoiled. I have never had a master, a salary, I have always been free”. In September, in one of his last public appearances, he flew to Zurich to visit his exhibition Photography and Provocation at the Museum für Gestaltung, a symbol of his artistic and provocative legacy.

On the future, he spoke with his usual visionary enthusiasm: "Who knows, I think of the cosmos, the universe, the stars. When we understand all this, well, that will be the future."

Toscani: the career and the revolution in communication

Oliviero Toscani was much more than a photographer: he was a revolutionary of visual communication. Born in Milan on February 28, 1942, son of the first photojournalist of the Corriere della Sera, trained at the University of the Arts in Zurich, where he studied photography and graphics from 1961 to 1965. His career led him to collaborate with the most prestigious international brands, including Chanel, Esprit, Fiorucci, and to create iconic campaigns for United Colors of Benetton.

From 1982 to 2000, Tuscans revolutionized the way of advertising, using his images to address social issues of great impact such as AIDS, racism, integration and the death penalty. His collaboration with Benetton allowed him to transform the brand into a symbol of social commitment and tolerance. Campaigns such as the kiss between a priest and a nun, the faces of those condemned to death and the body of an anorexic model have shaken consciences and generated debates all over the world.

In 1991 founded Colors magazine, dedicated to the themes of globalization and inequalities, and in 1994 created Fabrica, an international research center on modern communication.

Oliviero Toscani was known for his irreverent spirit and ability to break the mold. “It is not an image that makes your story, it is an ethical, aesthetic, political choice to make with your work,” he loved to say. His autobiographical book, Ne ho fatte di tutti i colori, published in 2022, is a manifesto of his philosophy of life and his creative vision.

Even in recent years, Toscani has continued to work and fight for his ideas. Among his latest public appearances, the exhibition Photography and Provocation at the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich, a tribute to his career and his social commitment.

Oliviero Toscani: Awards and Recognitions

Throughout his career, Toscani has received numerous international awards, including four Golden Lions at the Cannes Film Festival, the UNESCO Grand Prix and the Creative Hero Award from Saatchi & Saatchi. He was an Honorary Academician of the Fine Arts of Florence and Perugia and received honorary degrees from prestigious institutions.

His works have been exhibited in iconic locations such as the Venice Biennale, the Milan Triennale and modern art museums around the world. The his self-portrait is kept in the Vasari Corridor of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence which is recently reopened to the public.

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