For anyone still wondering whether photography can truly be considered an art form, a visit to "Giovanni Gastel Rewind" in the heart of Brera will put all doubts to rest. Far from being a “minor art,” Gastel’s universe merges photography, poetry, and imagination into something that transcends genres. The exhibition at Palazzo Citterio — dedicated to the acclaimed photographer who passed away in 2021 — reveals a limitless creative mind that reached well beyond fashion, portraiture, and still life, the realms that first made his name.

On view until July 26, the retrospective brings together more than 250 photographs, videos, poems, writings, and personal objects, offering an intimate journey through Gastel’s world.

There is no strict chronological order, but rather an emotional and visual rhythm that draws visitors deep into his creative energy.
The exhibition opens with his dazzling still lifes — many originally created for Donna and Mondo Uomo, the influential magazines conceived and directed for years by Flavio Lucchini and Gisella Borioli. These visionary editorials became launchpads for countless talents, and Gastel’s work within them remains striking for its inventiveness and humor. He could animate clothes and accessories with uncanny wit: a bunch of bananas becomes a curious creature when paired with glasses and a tie; a partly unfolded handkerchief morphs into a nose supporting tortoiseshell frames; a citrus juicer transforms into a human face beneath an “orange-slice hat.”
In each case, Gastel never trivialized the object — he gave it personality, identity, and narrative. As some have said, he photographed objects like models, and models like objects — a phrase that captures not irony, but his deep respect for both. Every subject, animate or otherwise, became a character in his visual theatre.
One gallery recreates Gastel’s personal studio, complete with his books, papers, treasured objects, and verses — a glimpse into the poetic foundation of his practice. Nearby, a smaller room displays portraits of models framed like Russian icons, sacred yet playful. Elsewhere, portraits of beloved figures — Barack Obama (2017), Andrea Bocelli, Michele De Lucchi, Flavio Lucchini, Carlo Verdone — reveal his genius for empathy. His lens captured not just a likeness, but the human warmth that lies beneath the surface.
A full wall is devoted to portraits of Gastel himself, taken by friends, colleagues, and fellow artists. Together, they form a mosaic of connections, reflecting a man deeply loved by those who knew him. A video shown nearby, in which Gastel speaks about his life and art, confirms that impression: a man passionate yet humble, lyrical yet grounded.
“Photography is not a job — it’s a necessity,” he once said “To make an encounter between two souls eternal — that is what enchants me.”

Giovanni Gastel Rewind 
Curated by Uberto Frigerio 
Palazzo Citterio, Via Brera 14, Milan 
On view until July 26, 2026