Terry O’Neill’s iconic captures on display in Rome
Rome’s Complesso del Vittoriano continues its grand exhibit dedicated to photography by inaugurating a new exhibition dedicated to icons. Till 20 May, get ready to embark on a journey into some of the world’s all-time film, music, fashion and sport legends. A fantastic retrospective by the famous British photographer: Terry O’Neill
One of the best things about this exhibit is that you know what you’re going to get. With Amy Winehouse as the cover, you can expect to see some of the biggest icons to date. With such a big name like Terry O’Neill and even bigger names like David Bowie, the expectations are seemingly insurmountable. However, while one may expect breathtaking, humanizing, behind the scenes photos of some of the biggest stars in the world taken by a personal friend, that isn’t exactly what you get.
What is to be most appreciated about this exhibit is that it captures these icons as the stars they are. From photos taken on a movie set and in the studio to moments just before a performance ,O’Neill captures the awe of it all. Whether it’s a fur coat that only Mick Jagger could pull off or a pose perfected by Audrey Hepburn, these photos capture the star’s quality, they capture IT. Walking through the exhibit, one may think to themselves, “what makes these portraits so special?”
O’Neill’s ability to take a photo coupled with context and make it more than just an artist doing what they do, but an icon changing the world, even in these little minute moments, is borderline incomparable.
He is capturing moments that maybe we wouldn’t care to see. Why see a photo of Amy Winehouse before going on stage when I could see her on stage? O’Neill captures the true icons, not simply the artist putting on a show for us, but the creative on the road to stardom.
Complesso del Vittoriano
Via San Pietro in Carcere (Piazza Venezia)
Till 20 May, 2018
Opening hours:
Mon–Thurs 9.30am–7.30 pm; Fri –Sat, 9.30 am–10 pm; Sun 9.30am – 8.30pm
Entry fee: €6-8
