Works from the Mario Testino collection were on display in Century City ahead of their auction in London next month, to benefit a non-profit museum in Lima, Peru.
On Aug. 15, Sotheby’s in Century City hosted a VIP reception and private viewing of the traveling exhibition Shake It Up / Works from the Mario Testino Collection from the forthcoming auction, which will take place in London from Sep. 8-13, and will benefit Museo MATE in Lima, Peru.
The Los Angeles exhibition features a strong showing of West Coast artists including Taura Auerbach, Elliot Hundley, Jacob Kassay, Kaari Upson, Mary Weatherford and Anne Collier.
Mario Testino OBE is widely regarded as one of the most influential fashion and portrait photographers of our time. His photographs have been published internationally in magazines such as Vogue, V Magazine and Vanity Fair. Alongside his 40-year practice as a photographer, Testino has realized a body of work as a creative director, guest editor, museum founder, art collector/collaborator and entrepreneur.
Born in Lima in 1954, Testino is passionately committed to his country, deeply aware of its rich history and traditions, and of his indebtedness to all that his upbringing there gave him. In particular, he is committed to nurturing the Peruvian art scene – to creating possibilities for artists there, to expose the wider community to a broad spectrum of international art, to help put Lima on the map as a cultural destination and to awaken Peru’s youth to the power of creative learning. To this end, in 2012 Testino established the not-for- profit Museo MATE in Lima to promote and support culture in Peru. Now focused on taking the work of MATE to the next level, proceeds from the auction will go toward the expansion of the museum’s program of exhibitions, residencies and education initiatives.
A collector for over three decades, Testino discovered and supported many of today’s leading artists long before they became established names. For him, the dialogue between collecting art and creating art has always been a dynamic one. “The art world is where I feed,” he says. “It opens my eyes to new things and shifts my consciousness.” Artists from 45 nationalities are represented across the sale, ranging from renowned international artists including Richard Prince, Georg Baselitz, Wolfgang Tillmans, Rudolf Stingel, Sterling Ruby, Gilbert & George and Cindy Sherman, to emerging names from every corner of the globe.
