Controversies stirred by Oliviero Toscani during his lifetime!
The famous Italian fashion photographer, Oliviero Toscani has expired at his age of 82. He had amyloidosis and was admitted in a serious condition for three days at Cecina hospital before he died on 13th January 2025.
Oliviero had a controversial image. He used to do provocative ad campaigns and many of these had stirred a controversy. Know the controversies that enveloped Oliviero during his career.
Controversies of Oliviero Toscani
1992 ad campaign with David Kirby as the face
The most controversial ad campaign of Oliviero was when he used the image of AIDS patient, David Kirby for it. David was on his death bed and was surrounded by his grieving family. This ad released at the time AIDS epidemic was at its peak.
People felt that he has exploited the patient and family. However, the Kirby family clarified that Oliviero did use the pic taken in 1990 by Therese Frare, a photographer but it was after taking their permission for it.
He utilized a colored version of that pic. They added that the picture had helped raise awareness of AIDS in general public. Bill Kirby, David’s father told Life magazine in 2012:
“Benetton didn’t use us, or exploit us. We used them. Because of them, your photo was seen all over the world, and that’s exactly what David wanted,”
Priest and nun kissing ad 1991
This ad in autumn of 1991 showed a priest and nun kissing. The Roman Catholic Church was extremely upset. However, Oliviero justified the ad saying:
“In Spain, which is alive with young people, they see the priest-and-nun ad and smile about that. In Italy, where there are still old journalists, old institutions, they are upset.”
He added that the ad was for the core customers of Benetton which is the younger lot.
Photo of newborn baby with attached umbilical cord
This photo was meant to represent ‘anthem of life’. But it did not go well with the people.
Interracial lesbian couple with adopted baby in a single blanket
This ad of 1990 was too bold for the audience. It came at a time when homosexuality was a taboo and exclusive.
Hearts of three colors
He used three identical hearts of pigs and wrote on them ‘White, black, and yellow’. This ad of 1996 implied racism.
War Pic of Oliviero Toscani
Oliviero had used photo of a soldier in blood-stained uniform who was killed in Bosnia. This was to highlight the ill-consequences of war.
Colored condoms
In 1991, Oliviero had used several colored condoms for an ad. He wanted to raise awareness of AIDS that was ravaging at that time.
Death penalty ad
In 2000, Oliviero along with American freelance journalist Ken Shulman interviewed 26 prisoners who were on death row. They used their pics for an ad of Benetton. They labeled it ‘Sentenced to Death’. This was to request for an end to death penalty.
However, this ad led to a friction between Oliviero and the company and he left the post of an art director of Benetton. Oliviero justified:
“The death penalty is not just a problem for those countries which practise it: this is our problem,”
“And it is my intention that every face in this exhibition should personify this.”
Later, he joined Benetton in 2017 but left again after three years. This was following his remarks on Genoa bridge collapse where 43 died. He had told RAI TV:
“Who cares about a bridge collapse?”
Anorexic model
In 2007, Oliviero did an ad campaign for Nolita with the severely anorexic model Isabelle Caro who died due to the disease later on. Oliviero’s intention was to raise awareness of this disease. But people did not understand his intentions. Oliviero had said:
“We all know that this illness exists, and the easiest thing is not to address the problem.”
The thinking of Oliviero Toscani
Oliviero was of the opinion that ad is a powerful medium to make people aware of social issues. In 2016, at the United Nations of Photography event, he explained:
“In the case of Benetton, I really wasn’t interested in the company’s sweaters. I think that the different companies’ products are more or less the same. On the contrary, I think it’s important for a company to show its social intelligence and sensitivity to the society around it,”
He revealed:
“So I started with the issues that interested me and began experimenting. The results showed that this concept worked. In fact, during the 18 years that I worked with Luciano Benetton, the company grew in size 20 times over. I simply took these areas of interest and put them into the advertising campaign. And today I use, whenever possible, the same concept.”
Also, read Romanian police arrest the controversial Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan!
Moreover, he told Reuters:
“I exploit clothing to raise social issues,”
“Traditional advertising says if you buy a certain product you will be beautiful, sexually powerful, successful. All that bulls*** doesn’t really exist.”
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Posted on: Thursday, January 16 2025
