Milan Prepares for 2026 Winter Olympics with a Focus on Photography
Milan, January 9 – With the anticipation building for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, the Lombardy capital is blossoming with cultural events and exhibitions designed to enrich the winter season. Photography takes center stage in the early months of the year, with a quartet of master photographers inviting the public to explore the art of the lens in its various facets. These exhibitions promise to be a significant draw for both art enthusiasts and visitors to the city.
Robert Mapplethorpe. The Forms of Desire at Palazzo Reale
From January 28 to May 17, Palazzo Reale will host Robert Mapplethorpe. The Forms of Desire. Curated by Denis Curti, this exhibition will showcase the most powerful and unconventional images by the American master. The collection offers a journey through Mapplethorpe’s aesthetic research, highlighting his position as one of the most original, refined, and controversial photographers of the 20th century. Prominently featured are his celebrated erotic nudes, distinguished by their formal perfection, where musculature and physical tension are emphasized, reminiscent of ancient Greek sculptures of Olympic athletes.
Giovanni Gastel. Rewind at Palazzo Citterio
Palazzo Citterio will present Giovanni Gastel. Rewind from January 30 to July 29. Five years after his passing, La Grande Brera pays tribute to a master of contemporary photography by reinterpreting his career from a new, poetic, and deeply personal perspective. The exhibition features 250 photographs, including many previously unseen works, ranging from portraits to innovative still lifes and iconic fashion campaigns. Visitors will also have the opportunity to engage with his writings and poems, creating an emotionally rich experience. Gastel famously stated, “Photography is a necessity, not a job. Making an encounter between two souls eternal enchants me.”
Steve McCurry & Milan Airports at Malpensa Airport
From January 30 to April 30, the check-in area of Terminal 1 at Malpensa Airport will be transformed into an exhibition space for Steve McCurry & Milan Airports. One of the most beloved contemporary photographers, Steve McCurry’s latest photographic project, realized last September within the airport itself, centers on the theme of travel. This initiative aims to convert transit areas into spaces of culture and inspiration. The exhibition’s protagonists are the passengers of Malpensa, whom the American master observed and photographed in the same manner as his renowned reportages from around the world.
Werner Bischof. Point of View at the Diocesan Museum – Cloisters of Sant’Eustorgio
In collaboration with Magnum Photos, Andrea Holzherr, and Marco Bischof, an exhibition titled Werner Bischof. Point of View will be held at the Diocesan Museum – Cloisters of Sant’Eustorgio from May 19 to October 18. This exhibition pays homage to the great Swiss reporter, a master of light and visual storytelling, who was the first member of Magnum after its founders. Bischof’s photography is characterized by comparisons and contrasts, adding an acute analytical and reflective attitude to immediate testimony. He was capable of expressing societal contradictions with an original artistic eye. The exhibition will feature approximately one hundred vintage photographs, spanning from his early works in Switzerland to images of World War II and the post-war period; from adventurous journeys to India, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Indochina, to his reportages in North and South America in the 1950s, where Bischof tragically lost his life in a car accident.
These exhibitions underscore Milan’s commitment to cultural enrichment as it prepares to host a global sporting event, offering both residents and international visitors a rich artistic experience.
