In Your Face
by magazinemorgan
Packed on the Heath Street T like bundled up snowmen, people quietly chat on their way to the Museum of Fine Arts. Like kindergarteners on a field trip, visitors walked into the museum in a single file line from the T stop to the entrance where they all waited on the curving line to purchase a ticket to enter.
A gust of warm wind hits as the big gold doors to the Museum open. Different shapes and sizes of people were all mixed together as they waited to pay their entrance fee to the many exhibits that the museum had to offer on a sunny, Sunday afternoon. As the line moved along, some intrigued visitors made the best of their waiting time by snapping photos of art, that was displayed on the walls, with professional SLR cameras.
Once inside the museum, everyone goes off into his or her prospective areas of interest. Some to the European Art, others to the Asian history section, but most walk together to the basement, to the Gund Gallery, where the Mario Testino “In Your Face” exhibit is being displayed.
One of the most influential photographers in his field, Testino has photographed celebrities and models that have then been featured in ad campaigns and editorial magazine spreads. Testino’s “In Your Face” exhibit, which will be shown from on October 21st to February 3rd of this year, is the photographer’s first U.S. exhibition, which displays photos from his thirty-plus years of being in the business.
At the bottom of the stairs, which lead into the exhibit, is the entrance to a different world filled with photos of the rich and famous. The lights are dimmed as multiple videos are being played on a dark wall, showing behind the scenes and interviews of Testino while on photo-shoots.
Upon entering the room where the exhibit is being shown, it is like you’ve entered the Lido Deck of a Celebrity Cruise. It’s filled with energy, noise, and lots of young people. Upstairs, where the more “serious” exhibits are, is similar to a cocktail party of business executives, clinking their champagne glasses as they discuss politics and culture. The contrast between the two areas of the museum is clear upon arrival.
It is so dark that the vibrant colors of clothing, makeup and skin tones in the photographs are what brighten the room. The first photo that stands out is of Lady Gaga in a magenta coat, with her platinum blond hair peaking through the hood. This photo seems to mimic the dynamic of the room: loud. This is definitely not a hushed-tone, library-like location. People of all ages nudge each other to make it through to a new section of the four-room exhibit.
College girls gossip about their late nights as they look at a photo of Tom Brady mimicking the opened mouth of the dog he is posing next to. Another section of female students in the room laugh as they take a photo of themselves underneath a photograph of Jennifer Lopez and Sean “Diddy” Combs, posing sexually while laying next to each other.
“This exhibit is like wow, it’s just amazing,” said Boston University sophomore, Elise Yancey, 19, as she gazed at the photographs with her Delta Gamma sorority.
“I just love being here, I don’t want to leave,” said another museum visitor while giggling to her friend. Many positive comments were overheard while walking from one section of the exhibit to the other. One female student had a negative feeling about the exhibit, though.
“I don’t know where anything is and I’m tired and I’m bored,” said Erica Miller, 21, Boston University junior, also at the museum with her sorority. Not everyone had positive comments to say about the exhibit. “It’s the same old things with photos of Kate Moss,” said Selin Ekincioglu, 20, Boston University junior, who, when asked if she would visit the exhibit again, replied, “No.” Meanwhile, a student group walked the exhibit with their teacher as their guide, the children looked much more interested in their smartphones, then the photos of Gisele Bunchen and Naomi Campbell.
Like all art, it’s not for everyone. Some people see the beauty and deeper meaning in a nude photo of Victoria’s Secret model, Candice Swanepoel, and others just see the exposed breasts and naked skin. For some people who visit the exhibit, they see the stop to break down the beauty in each photograph, but for most that visited this particular Sunday afternoon, the exhibit was more like visiting the newest social venue.
Sources:
http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/mario-testino
Erica Miller
Selin Ekincioglu
magazinemorgan 