The pop icon and LGBTQ+ advocate, Madonna, has thrown a wild and decadent dinner party. This is no dream or fantasy about unreal worlds, but a real event that took place at the ‘Luigi & Iango: Unveiled’ photographic exhibition at Palazzo Reale, Milan.
Portrait of Madonna © Luigi&Iango photography. Courtesy of Palazzo Reale
The exhibition showcased THAT cover, shot for Vanity Fair’s Icons issue earlier this year. The whole city talked about it, and we couldn’t help but join in the conversation, so we visited just in time, squeezing a moment into our busy schedule of lectures, deadlines and assignments. That’s right, because the most talked about art exhibition of the last month has just closed its doors. Your agendas were even tighter than ours, and you didn’t get to experience it? We’ve got you covered with the digital journey you deserve. So, sit back, grab your favourite coffee, and read on.
Portrait of Luigi and Iango © Luigi&Iango photography. Courtesy of Palazzo Reale
Beyond Milan, fashion and stardom. Human diversity, inclusivity and evolving modern beauty
At Palazzo Reale, the ‘Unveiled’ photographic exhibition by Luigi & Iango showcased a brilliant mix of black and white images with vivid shots reminiscent of the Italian Trecento paintings.
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Beyond exploring the symbiotic relationship between Milan and Fashion, it nurtured a visual dialogue, inviting viewers to embark on an emotionally charged journey through human diversity, inclusiveness, and evolving ideals of modern beauty.
Rihanna © Luigi&Iango photography. Courtesy of Palazzo Reale
Portraying stars from Julianne Moore and Rihanna to Naomi Campbell, Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa, artists and photographers Luigi Murenu and Iango Henzi seamlessly blend their personal and professional spheres, crafting a visual narrative that reflects contemporary values. With an impressive portfolio of over 300 covers for esteemed publications like Vogue, i-D and Vanity Fair, they have immortalised the timeless allure of Claudia Shiffer, the irreverent spirit of Madonna and the sophisticated chic of Cindy Crawford.
Dua Lipa © Luigi&Iango photography. Courtesy of Palazzo Reale
Renowned for collaborations with luxury giants such as Chanel and Dior, as well as Burberry, Versace, Givenchy, Tom Ford and Cartier, their work gained further acclaim and was featured in the 2019 Thierry Mugler retrospective exhibition ‘Couturissime’. The exhibition showcased a close partnership between the photographers, the work of the iconic fashion designer who passed away at the beginning of 2022, and their longtime muse, Gisele Bündchen.
Kabuki Dancer © Luigi&Iango photography. Courtesy of Palazzo Reale
Additionally, with their daring and seductive photographs showcased in their major solo exhibition at Palazzo Reale, the renowned Swiss-Italian photography duo has now revealed their extraordinary collection of work – from celebrities to supermodels, Japanese Kabuki and portraits of artists and performers – in ‘Luigi & Iango: Unveiled’ as their first monograph.
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The book was published by Phaeton and edited by Thierry-Maxime Loriot, with a foreword by no one other than Madonna herself.
Do not be retrospective (but introspective)
Luigi & Iango’s solo showcase was a shift from past expositions as it focused on contemporary beauty ideals, making it introspective instead of retrospective.
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The rooms were arranged non-chronologically, creating a sensory journey where touch and hearing enhanced the appreciation of the shots.
Penelope Tree © Luigi&Iango photography. Courtesy of Palazzo Reale
The exhibition, curated by the Canadian Thierry-Maxime Loriot, showcased over a hundred fine art prints of Luigi & Iango’s acclaimed works, inspired by 14th-century Italian art with a touch of Surrealism.
Bella Hadid © Luigi&Iango photography. Courtesy of Palazzo Reale
The photographic exhibit also unveiled unpublished archives, behind-the-scenes materials, and videos accompanied by pulsating beats reminiscent of iconic hits by Madonna or the Johnsons. Graphic contrasts between light and shadows further enhanced the essence of each picture.
If nothing follows a conventional sense, everything radiates beauty
Portraying subjects as interpreters, Luigi & Iango always transport their iconic divas into a world that pushes boundaries and challenges preconceived notions.
Akin to the cinematic journeys by Pier Paolo Pasolini or Federico Fellini, nothing follows a conventional sense, but everything radiates with beauty.
Vittoria Ceretti and Hugo Marchand © Luigi&Iango photography. Courtesy of Palazzo Reale
For instance, consider the captivating portrait of Vittoria Ceretti at the Opéra de Paris for Vogue Italia. Wrapped in a black Valentino cape, the supermodel’s silhouette is intertwined with the muscular legs of French dancer and danseur étoile Hugo Marchand, depicting the birth of a new creature and revealing the allure of hidden beauty with a touch of mortality.
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Furthermore, Madonna’s latest Vanity Fair shoot mirrors the chaos of modern existence while referencing the Bacchanalia, with wine stains and dirty plates. The disintegration of the bread symbolises society’s lusciousness, decadence, and selfishness, highlighting a stark contrast to Madonna’s role as the mother of all, embodying unity, motherhood, and inclusiveness.
The Good, the (not so) Bad and the Marvellous
Reflecting on the ‘Unveiled’ exhibition, Luigi & Iango truly succeeded in celebrating women’s bodies with a powerful portrayal of freedom and sensuality while transcending vulgarity and offering profound knowledge transformed into art.
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The contrast between Palazzo Reale’s neoclassical aesthetics and the modern beauty of Luigi & Iango’s pictures was marvellous. However, the arrangement of the works within each room was a little confusing, potentially leaving the observer overwhelmed and confused as to where to start observing the images.
Nonetheless, by liberating iconic celebrities from their “diva’s aura,” Luigi & Iango know how to return to the essential truth where photographic art comes to life, instantly dispelling the world of soullessly framed false images.
Diletta Moschella
MA student in Fashion Promotion, Communication & Digital Media, Milan