Irving Penn: Retrospective Exhibition in A Coruña

Published in Unique Estates Life Spring Issue 2025

“In the hands of Irving Penn, the everyday becomes extraordinary, revealing the profound beauty of simplicity. His work is more than capturing moments; it unveils the essence of his subjects and invites us to see the world differently,” says Inditex president Marta Ortega Pérez about the exhibition Irving Penn: Centennial in A Coruña.

During his collaboration with Vogue magazine, which spanned over half a century, one of the most significant photographers of the 20th century, Irving Penn (1917–2009), revolutionized fashion photography. He photographed models against a neutral background to emphasize both the fabrics and their gestures and expressions. His work in fashion not only changed the rules but also set new standards of artistic and technical excellence. Now, the exhibition Irving Penn: Centennial (until May 1, 2025, at Centro MOP del Muelle de Batería in A Coruña, Spain) showcases 175 photographs taken between the late 1930s and the first decade of the 21st century. Created by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in collaboration with The Irving Penn Foundation, it is the most comprehensive retrospective of the renowned photographer, revealing his extraordinary versatility and artistic range. This is also the fourth in a series of major international exhibitions presented by the MOP Foundation, led by Inditex president Marta Ortega Pérez. It follows the success of Peter Lindbergh: Untold Stories (2022), Steven Meisel 1993 A Year in Photographs, and Helmut Newton Fact & Fiction. The foundation aims to introduce audiences to the work of some of the greatest photographers in the world. Inditex’s headquarters are located in Arteixo, near A Coruña in Galicia.

A SENSE OF TIMELESSNESS

Penn’s deep interest in the ephemeral and the complexity of human states is evident not only in his portraits but also in his masterful still lifes. He approached photography as art long before it was widely recognized as such. Penn combined nuanced composition with a talent for observing human expression, attitude, and behavior. Renowned for his meticulousness, minimalist style, and bold artistic experimentation, he possessed the rare ability to infuse his photographs with a sense of timelessness and narrative depth, whether capturing the weary eyes of workers, the serene beauty of models, or the poignancy of wilting flowers.

FAITH IN HUMANISM

Although he became best known for his psychologically insightful portraits, Penn was a prolific artist whose dynamic career spanned seventy years and encompassed a wide range of interests. These included photographs of celebrities, workers with their tools, abstract nudes, early documentary images of street scenes, and floral compositions. As a leading photographer for Vogue, Penn was in the privileged position of shaping a reflection of 20th-century cultural history. The exhibition features portraits of actresses such as Marlene Dietrich and Audrey Hepburn, iconic designers like Gianni Versace, Issey Miyake, and Yves Saint Laurent, as well as key cultural figures like Truman Capote, Salvador Dalí, Zaha Hadid, and Richard Avedon. Yet, Penn’s faith in humanism and photographic sensitivity shine perhaps most strongly in his portraits of completely anonymous people on the street, which are equally moving and powerful.