STEVEN MEISEL'S WORK HAS ALWAYS FASCINATED ME. IT'S CLEAR, TO ME AND TO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SENSITIVE TO THE WORLD OF FASHION AND BEAUTY, THAT STEVEN HAS A GIFT.

HOWEVER, IT WASN'T UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN I STARTED COLLABORATING WITH HIM, THAT I REALLY GOT A SENSE OF THE ORIGIN OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY WORK. THEN, MY FASCINATION TURNED INTO A DEEP ADMIRATION FOR THE MAGIC HE CREATES WITH HIS PHOTOS.

TEVEN IS MUCH MORE THAN A GREAT PHOTOGRAPHER; HE IS A VISIONARY, A PERFECTIONIST, A TRUE LOVER OF FASHION AND BEAUTY IN ALL ITS FORMS. AN EXQUISITE ARTIST WHO TAKES CARE OF EVERY DETAIL AND LEAVES NOTHING TO CHANCE. I BELIEVE THAT THE STRENGTH OF HIS WORK STEMS FROM AN EXCEPTIONAL SENSITIVITY AND A PERSONAL STYLE THAT IS ALWAYS APPROACHABLE AND FRIENDLY, THE RESULT OF AN ENORMOUS SELF-CONFIDENCE. TO WATCH HIM WORK IS TO WITNESS AN INCREDIBLE EMOTIONAL JOURNEY THAT TRANSFORMS EVERYONE IN FRONT OF HIS LENS INTO THEIR MOST BEAUTIFUL VERSION.

AS WITH ANY PROFESSIONAL WHO EXCELS AT HIS CRAFT, WORKING WITH STEVEN IMPLIES A CERTAIN PRESSURE TO GET EVERYTHING RIGHT. YET THE TRUST AND RESPECT WITH WHICH HE LEADS HIS TEAM ALWAYS CREATES AN AURA OF CALMNESS AND CONFIDENCE. WHEN YOU WORK WITH STEVEN, YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN THE HANDS OF A MASTER. I AM CONVINCED THAT THE EXQUISITE WORKS OF ART HE CONCEIVES ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF HIS CONFIDENCE, TECHNICAL SKILL AND A DEEP LOVE FOR WHAT HE DOES. IF THERE IS ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED FROM KNOWING AND WORKING WITH HIM, IT IS THE REALISATION THAT THE TRUE GENIUS OF AN ARTIST COMES FROM HUMILITY, KINDNESS, AND RESPECT.

PEOPLE WHO SHINE AS STEVEN DOES HAVE NO NEED TO BELITTLE OR IGNORE THE TALENT OF OTHERS; ON THE CONTRARY, MANY OF THOSE WHO HAVE ENTERED HIS WORLD HAVE BUILT THEIR OWN PRESTIGE AND SUCCESS THROUGH HIS INFLUENCE. I GUESS WHEN YOUR TALENT AND CREATIVITY ARE SO POWERFUL, IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE TRUE TO YOURSELF WITHOUT BEING IMPRESSED BY FAME OR DISTRACTED BY TRIVIAL MATTERS BEYOND YOUR CONTROL. BY CREATING EXTRAORDINARY IMAGES TIME AND TIME AGAIN, STEVEN JUST LETS HIS WORK SPEAK FOR HIM.

FOR THIS REASON, AND BECAUSE I ADMIRE HIM AS THE IMMENSELY GENEROUS ARTIST THAT HE IS, I WAS HONOURED THAT HE AGREED TO BRING SUCH AN EXCEPTIONAL AND SPECIAL EXHIBITION TO A CORUÑA, THIS SMALL AND UNIQUE CORNER OF THE WORLD THAT IS MY CITY. THE EXHIBITION GIVES US A GLIMPSE INTO THE MAGICAL WORLD OF STEVEN MEISEL DURING THE TWELVE MONTHS OF 1993, ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC YEARS OF HIS CAREER.

IN EACH OF THESE STUNNING PORTRAITS, STEVEN BREAKS THROUGH THE SURFACE TO CAPTURE THE INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIES OF HIS MODELS. THEY ARE, UNDOUBTEDLY, SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL AND RELEVANT FASHION PHOTOGRAPHS EVER TAKEN. THIS EXHIBITION WILL NOT ONLY ADD TO THE RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE OF GALICIA, BUT WILL ALSO BE A SOURCE OF ENORMOUS INSPIRATION FOR THOSE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SPEND TIME IN FRONT OF STEVEN'S MAGNIFICENT IMAGES. I CAN ONLY SMILE AS I CONTEMPLATE HIS SPLENDID WORK, BROUGHT TOGETHER HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME. I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY IT. THANK YOU, STEVEN, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

AND THANK YOU, A CORUÑA, FOR YOUR CONSTANT SUPPORT.
WITH ALL MY LOVE AND ADMIRATION,