Letizia Battaglia quits Palermo photo center after Lamborghini ad backlash

Letizia Battaglia has resigned as director of the Centro Internazionale di Fotografia in Palermo following controversy over her advertising campaign for Lamborghini. The photographer announced her decision in an interview with Rai News, citing hurt over criticism from colleagues and the position taken by Palermo mayor Leoluca Orlando. Orlando had publicly asked Lamborghini to suspend the campaign, stating the municipality did not authorize it and objecting to the use of young girls' bodies for commercial messages. Battaglia, who has long focused on female subjects, defended her work, saying she plans to continue photographing nude women "looked at with a woman's eyes." Lamborghini removed the posts in response to Orlando's request, expressing regret but clarifying the campaign was intended as an act of love for Italy. The center, housed in a 600-square-meter space at the Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa, opened in 2017 and has hosted exhibitions by Franco Zecchin and Josef Koudelka.