Mario Testino

On the eve of the renowned auction house Sotheby’s sale in London of over 400 works formed over 30 years from his art collection, HELLO! chats with the celebrated photographer.

- Farah Palia

Born in Lima, having lived in Paris, London and LA, and having travelled the world from India to Australia – how do people and places continue to influence you?

“Everything inspires me. People, cities, a certain look, a certain artwork, a new artist. If it’s difficult it can be inspiring - constant change and challenge is everything to me. Safe is boring. As soon as you think you ‘are’ – you’re no longer.”

Tell us about ‘Shake It Up’

“Shake It Up is the sale of a selection of works from my art collection to benefit my museum in Peru, Museo MATE. Sotheby’s London will be exhibiting as many as 400 works from my own art collection that I have collected over the last 30 years. The name came about because it’s to do with letting the whole thing carry on being alive. I want to shake up my collection and I want to shake up my museum. I feel that it is time for these pieces to go and be lived by someone else and working with Sotheby’s for this has proved just that. I feel I have consumed these pieces and I don’t want to hold on to things just because of their value or their historical value. I want to actually let things move. When you close a door, another door opens, and I think it’s important to let go, to allow new things to come in.”

How did the collaboration with Sotheby’s come about?