It’s a picture-perfect day in Boston! Furrylittlegnome took the day off from work to do something cultural. Yes, readers, you read that correctly. She traveled on the “E” Line to the Museum of Fine Arts to view its newest exhibit – Mario Testino: In Your Face.
Opened to the public, just the other day, and here in Boston until February 3, 2013, the exhibit can be found in the museum’s Gund Gallery. Mario Testino was born in Peru but is based in London. Chances are, most of you have seen his work in magazines like “Vogue”. He tends to focus on showcasing fashion and celebrities of all types in extreme and theatrical poses.
After seeing a quick video clip on numerous screens of the man himself doing different things (working, traveling, etc), you enter the dark exhibit that is in three different rooms. The photos are large – very large. Super models, athletes, singers, actors and actresses are all part of the 100+ photos that are here, and I must caution you, furrylittlegnome readers, there is some nudity.
Gisele Bundchen, a Mario Testino favorite, is featured many times throughout the exhibit. Did Testino choose Boston to show his work in the US because of her?
With so many to choose from, furrylittlegnome did have a favorite. It is this one of Kate Moss taken in London in 2009 for British “Vogue”.
An added bonus? To the left of the great rotunda, at the Huntington Street entrance, was a room full of British Royal Family portraits by Testino! Sixteen photographs, to be exact, hanging on a beautifully painted blue wall. It is the first time these portraits have been shown in the United States. His most famous portraits of the royal family are here. Of course, there is the engagement portrait of William and Kate, and by itself, is a simple but elegant black and white photo, from 1997, of the late Princess Diana.
To furrylittlegnome’s surprise, through the doors to the right of the exhibit is a great museum gift shop full of royal souvenirs and the iconic Union Jack!
furrylittlegnome 
my membership in this museum expired in August,but after your post I maybe go there anyways.
It looks fantastic! Very cool.
My niece attend college in Boston. We did go up for her graduation. Didn’t have much tourist time. Looks like a nice place to visit…even if the exhibits change. I suppose though I should start with local sites. How come it seems to be we miss stuff close to home always thinking we’ll get to them?
Cheers.
PS we did go on a ‘Duck tour’ 🙂
The Duck Tour is one of the best ways to see Boston – another way is to walk the “Freedom Trail”. It’s literally a red line of painted bricks on the sidewalk that starts at the state house and meanders through the different parts of downtown.