Marta Ortega foundation spotlights Irving Penn in upcoming exhibition

The Marta Ortega Pérez Foundation (MOP), steered by the Inditex chairwoman, is set to launch its fourth photographic showcase this November. The exhibition, entitled ‘Irving Penn: Centennial’, is dedicated to the American photographer Irving Penn and will be the first major retrospective of his work in Spain, hosted by the foundation.

Following three major exhibitions in recent years, which featured iconic photographers like Peter Lindbergh, Steven Meisel, and Helmut Newton, the MOP Foundation will launch its next showcase on November 23. Exclusive to Spain, the exhibition will be open to the public until November 23.

‘Irving Penn: Centennial’ will offer a retrospective of the American photographer, born in 1917, including about 175 photographs taken from the late 1930s until his death in 2009. The exhibit is curated in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Irving Penn Foundation.

According to a statement from the MOP Foundation, Irving Penn was one of the most significant photographers of the 20th century, renowned for his meticulousness, minimalist style, mastery of printmaking, and bold artistic experiments. A regular contributor to Vogue for over 70 years, Penn “revolutionized fashion photography by shooting models against neutral backgrounds to highlight textures, gestures, and expressions.”

The A Coruña retrospective will include Penn’s diverse range of subjects, from cultural icons and workers to abstract nudes and street scenes, including floral compositions and still lifes. Notable portraits of celebrities like Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn, and designers such as Gianni Versace, Issey Miyake, and Yves Saint Laurent will also be featured, alongside writers and artists like Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Salvador Dalí, Zaha Hadid, and Richard Avedon.

Marta Ortega, president of the MOP Foundation and Inditex, stated, “Irving Penn’s image creation is exemplary; in his hands, the everyday becomes extraordinary, unveiling the profound beauty of simplicity.”

She described the exhibition as “a wonderful journey through the lens of one of the greatest photography professionals,” celebrating “the art, vision, and printmaking of a photographer whose work remains as relevant and powerful as decades ago.”

Established in April 2022 as a private, non-profit entity, the MOP Foundation aims to promote and disseminate culture, art, and literature, with a special focus on audiovisual arts and photography. Concurrently, the entity seeks to enhance the international recognition of A Coruña, the region where Inditex was founded and where its headquarters are located in Arteixo. The Foundation also undertakes cultural projects and maintains an educational program related to photography.

In May, the Official State Gazette confirmed the grant of land at Muelle de Batería for the Foundation’s cultural activities for the next six years.

Triana Alonso with EFE