Triennale Milano Presents the Highly Anticipated Juergen Teller i need to live

From January 27 to April 1, 2024, Triennale Milano presents the exhibition Juergen Teller i need to live, curated by Thomas Weski in collaboration with Juergen Teller and Dovile Drizyte. The exhibition, which was held at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris from December 16, 2023 to January 9, 2024, is the largest-ever survey show on the German photographer’s work, covering his creative output from the first half of the 1990s to the present day.

Juergen Teller is the star of a minority group of internationally acclaimed photographers who are highly regarded in both commercial photography and contemporary art. Teller is best known for his candid portraits of celebrities, influential fashion editorials and distinctive campaigns for various designers. Since gaining prominence as a photographer in London in the early 1990’s, Teller has also produced major bodies of personal works in which he explores himself, his family, his roots, and his identity. In the past five years, Teller has collaborated with his wife, Dovile Drizyte in mutual projects that reflect various aspects of their relationship, marriage, and parenthood. These works are defined by a typical mixture of serious, intimate, yet often humorous characters created in the style of the grotesque.

Produced with the support of Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, Juergen Teller i need to live presents over 1000 works, bringing together both personal and commissioned bodies of work, recognisable images, and new photographic series as well as videos and installations. The selection of works partly differs from that of the Grand Palais Éphémère: for all intents and purposes, this is a new exhibition project designed for the spaces of Triennale Milano.

The title of the exhibition, “i need to live”, represents Teller’s reaction to existential incidents which have shaped his life, sometimes in tragic ways. The artist addresses these topics in the same manner as he practises his photography, in a straight-forward, realistic style, which is completely his own. With his unique imagery, Teller celebrates the value of being alive, whilst acknowledging the fragility of human existence.

On the occasion of the exhibition at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris and at Triennale Milano, the publication i need to live, edited by Steidl and with texts by Leïla Slimani, Anthony Vaccarello, Rick Owens, Roni Horn, Thomas Weski, Tom Emerson, and Alistair O'Neill, was produced by Juergen Teller and Dovile Drizyte. In parallel, 4 author's books, edited by Steidl, were published: Juergen Teller, Fashion Photography for America 1999–2016; Juergen Teller, Jurgaičiai; Juergen Teller, More Handbags; Juergen Teller, The Myth. All publications are available online and at the Triennale store.

The exhibition Main Partner Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello and Triennale Milano’s institutional partners Lavazza Group and Salone del Mobile.Milano support this exhibition.

Please contact triennale@alphakilo.com for more information.