Mariano Vivanco (Lima, 1975), she still remembers the Peruvian characters who shaped her childhood in her mother’s voice: Santa Rosa de Lima, Túpac Amaru, San Martín de Porres, Micaela Bastidas. “I lived in Lima until I was ten and then emigrated to New Zealand because of my parents’ work. However, Peru always stayed with me. “It grew with me through the stories my mother told me, the Peruvian mythologies that I began to look for curiously as a child,” recalls Vivanco in an exclusive dialogue with Somos from New York.
The photographer with Peruvian roots has arrived in the Big Apple from his home in London (where he settled more than two decades ago) to launch his brand new project “Perú”, a book that very well combines his passion for photography . , the power of fashion and the history of the country where she was born.
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A creation that, moreover, is not only a personal journey through Vivanco’s memories, but also for the international public an unprecedented walk through the Peruvian heritage, a panorama in which the photographer stands out and is considered one of the most popular Peruvians and professionals shooting fashion -Editorials.
The Peruvian “top model” Juana Burga brought the lady from CAO to life. YOUR SUIT FOR THESE PHOTOS WAS HANDCRAFTED BASED ON RESEARCH AT THE EL BRUJO COMPLEX SITE MUSEUM IN TRUJILLO. (PHOTO: MARIANO VIVANCO)
“I don’t shoot just to shoot. Every project is always well focused and constructed, so every shot is worth its weight in gold,” says Mariano, explaining the working method that has brought him to the top.
WORLD SIZE
It is impossible to talk about Peruvian photography and not mention Mario Testino’s legacy, which is now obscured by allegations of mistreatment and abuse of staff and models. Although Vivanco prefers not to compare himself, it is inevitable not to draw a parallel between both careers, because although Testino’s name has been the most popular for years, Mariano has also achieved no less: he has portrayed personalities such as Antonio Banderas, Rihanna, Penelope Cruz, Lady Gaga and Priyanka Chopra; worked for brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino and Chopard; and set covers for Vogue, Dazed and Rolling Stone. With a career like this, Vivanco could also be classified as a Peruvian photographer with a global impact, a talent that more people should know about.
THE STORY OF TÚPAC AMARU II AND HIS WIFE MICAELA BASTIDAS WAS ALSO RE-INTERPRETED ON THE SHORE OF LAKE TITICACA IN PUNO. (PHOTO: MARIANO VIVANCO)
“Big dreams require bigger faith. “I think that’s what continues to drive me in my work: the positive attitude of pushing forward with everything, even if things might turn out differently along the way,” he reflects.
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Looking at his promising future, producer Lucero Boza points out that it’s not just the Peruvian’s talent that matters, but also his closeness to the person he puts in front of the lens, his modesty. “He has worked with many models and artists in this field. He has photographed Cindy Crawford, Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne and Rihanna. And everyone loves him, his energy is contagious. I’ve always heard nice things about Mariano. “He is not only talented but also a very good person, which is very important to stand out in the industry,” says Boza, who was also responsible for producing the book at Vivanco.
THE STORY OF TÚPAC AMARU II AND HIS WIFE MICAELA BASTIDAS WAS ALSO RE-INTERPRETED ON THE SHORE OF LAKE TITICACA IN PUNO. (PHOTO: MARIANO VIVANCO)
As he revisited his memories to create the book “Perú,” he also recalled his first steps in fashion photography. “It was preordained,” he defends himself, remembering the teenager who loved listening to Donna Summer, watching Sophia Loren films and spending hours admiring Linda Evangelista’s photographs in glamorous magazines.
“I was 16 years old when a friend took a photography course that piqued my curiosity. A few hours were enough for me to no longer want to return the old Olympus that I had borrowed for the lessons,” he comments. “I wanted my own camera so badly that today one of the best memories I have with my father revolves around it. He wasn’t a man who would buy us anything we wanted, and when he gave me my own Olympus, it felt very real and very emotional,” he adds wistfully.
About the book
The Peruvian Mariano Vivanco, who was distributed by Rizzoli, designed the book “Perú” as a love letter to the country in which he was born. Our folklore is reflected on every page with stories ranging from pre-Columbian cultures to mythical characters and religious figures. For the cover, the photographer chose the postcard of Juana Burga in the skin of the Lady of Cao, a Moche ruler discovered in 2006. “This photo illustrates the need to have more female leaders for a global balance of energies,” he says. It can be purchased via Amazon.
AND IT’S CALLED PERU
Hours of work, effort and detailed production go into every photo in Vivanco’s book. Iquitos, Trujillo, Cusco and Lima are some of the destinations he visited, scenarios that went back in time for a few hours to represent the vivid image of the Lady of Cao and Túpac Amaru, with costumes tailored according to historical and scientific references.
“One of the most impressive subjects was that of the Lady of Cao,” says the photographer, who chose Peruvian top model Juana Burga for the role. On that day, January 21, 2022 to be precise, everything was magical.
Burga was at the El Brujo Archaeological Complex in Trujillo, dressed in gold and covered his body with temporary tattoos that imitated snakes and spiders. For the postcard, he also accompanied Sonia Rodríguez’s theater group from Trujillo, which performed a Moche performance, making the atmosphere even more unforgettable.
THE RELIGIOUS SCENES OF THE BOOK VIVANCO WERE PRODUCED IN THE MONASTERY OF SANTO DOMINGO. HIGHLIGHTS THE CHOICE OF PERUVIAN MODEL PALOMA SANTA CRUZ TO REPRESENT SANTA ROSA DE LIMA. (PHOTO: MARIANO VIVANCO)
“I don’t know how to describe it, but my hair stood on end. The energy on set was unmatched. Seeing Juana playing with the sticks and the theater team while the wind blew from the Moche Valley was something very powerful,” Vivanco saves.
To the pre-Columbian history are added photographs inspired by Peruvian mythologies, stories that have survived from generation to generation, such as the charm of mermaids for fishermen or the story of the red bufeo. For Mariano there could be no better siren than the model and presenter Natalie Vértiz. “He is a great person. When I told him about the project he was 100% committed. She let her hair grow long to cover her breasts and posed on a rock in Punta Negra for an hour and a half in the most professional manner,” she says. The photographer’s nieces, Valentina and Máxima, as well as Natalie’s model and husband, Yaco Eskenazi, also appeared on the postcard as mermaids as fishermen.
Vivanco discovered his calling at the age of 16. His references in the world of photography were prominent in the fashion world such as Edward Steichen (Luxembourg) and Horst P. Horst (Germany).
“The result was great. Many people think that I used Photoshop for the movement and colors of the sea, but that wasn’t the case. As the sun began to set we thought about leaving, but I talked myself into taking a few more shots. The water looked like a painting when I started trying long exposures. My heart didn’t stop beating and I kept going until I got the perfect photo,” he concludes.
MODEL NATALIE VERTIZ AND HER HUSBAND YACO ESKENAZI LOOK IN ONE OF VIVANCO’S MOST INCREDIBLE PHOTOS. SHE WAS CAUGHT IN PUNTA NEGRA. (PHOTO: MARIANO VIVANCO)
For Vértiz, the experience was just as great. She will never forget the day she took on the role of a mermaid and the challenges that came with it. “The tail weighed more than 10 kilos. To position me on the rock, three of them had to carry me. But it was a unique and entertaining session. Working with Mariano is an honor and makes me proud to be part of a wonderful book,” says the model in a dialogue with Somos.
Mariano Vivanco’s work has left its mark worldwide. His book “Perú” has already been presented in London and New York. Of course, his next dream is to do the same on Peruvian soil. After all, it only took the photographer a decade of his life to establish an incomparable connection with his homeland, a connection that seeks from time to time between childhood memories and historical figures, between myths and legends or journeys to absorb our essence. If photography is your language, this book is a love letter to the country that inspires you most. //