The Germans of the 21st Century by Oliviero Toscani

A sign of diversity, friendliness and integration: Generali Deutschland sponsors the large open-air installation "The Germans of the 21st Century" by Oliviero Toscani in Berlin.

With a kaleidoscope of faces on large steles, Toscani's portrait series of 100 oversized photographs on one of Berlin's most symbolic squares paints a picture of Germany's diverse,

Toscani photographed more than 800 randomly selected people in various cities in Germany. Of these, he chose 100 whose portraits he shows on 50 large steles. With this kaleidoscope of faces, he paints a picture of the diverse, multicultural and integrative society that Germany has become over the past decades. With his series of portraits, Toscani shows a country that has freed itself from stereotypes and beliefs and welcomes influences from outside. His work is impressive evidence of the changed perception and self-image of Germans and at the same time a testimony to diversity and inclusion as the foundation of progress.

Giovanni Liverani, Chairman of the Board of Generali Deutschland AG, pays tribute to the artistic and political power of the exhibition: "Generali was founded in 1831 in Trieste, then in Austria. We have been in Germany since 1837. In the spirit of multiculturalism, which is in our DNA, we wanted to celebrate the 190th anniversary of our foundation by bringing this installation to Germany. Especially in times like these, when the consequences of the pandemic, a war on European soil and economic challenges are putting society to the test, it is important to emphasise what we have in common and what unites us. This is precisely the concern of our exhibition 'The Germans of the 21st Century'. There could be no more suitable artist for its realisation than Oliviero Toscani. He captures the beauty of our species in all its colours and nuances, sending a homage to Germany and all of humanity."

Italian-born Oliviero Toscani is internationally renowned as the creative force behind some of the world's most successful global brands. Toscani has been awarded four Lions d'Or, the UNESCO Grand Prix and two Grand Prix d'Affichage at the Cannes Festival of Creativity. In 2007, he was lauded as a creative hero at the Saatchi & Saatchi Cleo Hero Show. Oliviero Toscani is a graduate of the Zurich University of the Arts.

Oliviero Toscani comments: "The world still has a very entrenched, one-sided image of Germans - tall, blond, blue-eyed. I have always rejected that because it is simply wrong. And stupid. You can't say: that's just the way Germans are. In my eyes, Germany is the most progressive country in the world today. It is the country to learn from. Everyone who comes to Germany immediately senses that it is a very different country from what it used to be. Germany's vision is more progressive than the rest of the world. That was the thought behind my idea."

Photo Exhibition by renowned photographer and creative director Oliviero Toscani, "The Germans of the 21st Century". The exhibition is freely accessible and can be visited around the clock until 15 June

Through 15.06.2022
Potsdamer Platz, Berlin

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