The Marta Ortega Foundation presents the Irving Penn exhibition in A Coruña (#1681644)

The photograph returns to the Battery Dock in A Coruña, Spain. After three exhibitions dedicated to iconic figures of the fashion industry such as Peter Lindbergh, Steven Meisel and Helmut Newton, the Marta Ortega Foundation (MOP), created in 2022, has reaffirmed its commitment to photography and fashion with a complete exhibition that pays tribute to the American photographer Irving Penn. . Open to the public on Saturday, November 23, the exhibition marks the most extensive retrospective of the artist's work ever presented.

Initially created to commemorate the centennial of Penn's birth in 2017, the exhibition titled “Irving Penn: Centennial” was first shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Since then, he has made international tours in cities such as Paris, Berlin, San Francisco and São Paulo. Its arrival in A Coruña, Inditex headquarters, marks the final stage of this monumental project.

For the Marta Ortega Foundation, founded by the president of Inditex, hosting this exhibition in A Coruña is a moment of pride and a continuation of its mission to promote photography, a commitment established two years ago.

“Irving Penn: Centennial” takes place in an industrial-style venue enhanced by an architectural installation designed specifically for the occasion. Visitors can explore more than 160 photographs along with unique artifacts, including the iconic backdrop Penn used in his studio. The exhibition offers a comprehensive view of the photographer's multifaceted career, from still lifes and floral compositions to portraits of renowned cultural figures.

The exhibition features portraits of luminaries such as Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn, Gianni Versace, Issey Miyake, Yves Saint Laurent, Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Salvador Dalí, Zaha Hadid and Richard Avedon. True to Penn's democratic vision, it also includes portraits of ordinary people captured during his travels.

“Irving Penn worked on Fashion with the clear understanding that he was an artist,” said Jeff L. Rosenheim, curator of the exhibition, adding that the show includes “some of the most beautiful objects in the history of photography and hand-made prints.” Tom Penn, executive director of the Irving Penn Foundation and the photographer's son, reflected on his father's dedication to his craft, noting that Penn's meticulous printing techniques often required more than 50 hours of work. “The decline of magazines motivated my father to demonstrate how photography could achieve extraordinary quality,” he commented.

Marta Ortega celebrated the opening of the exhibition and described it as an honor to be able to host such an important showcase in A Coruña. “Irving Penn's image-making is exemplary. The ordinary becomes extraordinary, revealing the profound beauty of simplicity. “His work captures more than moments in time: it captures the essence of his subjects, inviting us to see the world differently,” he said. Ortega also reiterated the Foundation's goal of presenting the best fashion photography exhibitions and announced the publication of an exclusive catalog in Spanish of the exhibition, with nearly 300 images of the artist.

Prior to its public opening, the Foundation hosted a private preview event on November 20, attended by a number of celebrities and industry figures. Among the guests were supermodels Linda Evangelista, Malgosia Bela and Eugenia Silva; Pierpaolo Piccioli, former creative director of Valentino; Alaïa designer Pieter Mulier; the creative director of Balenciaga, Demna Gvasalia; the stylist Ludivine Poiblanc; and the CEO of Saint Laurent, Cédric Charbit.

The event turned A Coruña into a glittering international red carpet, generating excitement among residents who gathered outside the NH Collection Finisterre hotel, where many of the guests were staying.

Beyond glamour, the work of the Marta Ortega Foundation significantly raises the profile of A Coruña as a center of culture and fashion. Exhibitions such as “Peter Lindbergh: Untold Stories”, “Steven Meisel 1993: A Year in Photographs” and “Helmut Newton: Fact & Fiction” have cemented the city's reputation as a venue for major artistic events, often bringing exhibitions to an audience wider from the outside. traditional cultural capitals. Just as Inditex's headquarters in Arteixo serves as a corporate anchor, the Foundation's activities affirm its deep connection with Galicia while promoting its international reach.

Admission to “Irving Penn: Centennial” is free and the exhibit will be on display daily through May 1, 2025. Proceeds from merchandise sales, including posters, postcards, notebooks and sweatshirts, will support the “Future Stories” initiative. ” of the Foundation, aimed at nurturing young artistic talents Additionally, the Foundation has renovated its fashion, art and design bookstore located in the venue's spiral-designed silo, which also includes a small cafe for visitors.