A selection of 50 black-and-white photographs dedicated to glaciers on display
"And our strength melted within our chests, like when hope is lost" ("The Glacier," 1946). Primo Levi’s words, powerful then and even more so today, plunge consciences into turmoil and evoke the pain and helplessness of a global wound from within. Choosing to introduce the catalogue (Contrasto Editions) of Sebastião Salgado’s solo exhibition at Mart (on view until September 21, curated by Lélia Wanick Salgado) with the poet’s verses is a stylistic statement, foreshadowing the profound impact of the show dedicated to the giants of ice. Through a selection of 50 black-and-white photographs, with a play of contrasts and chiaroscuro so representative of his artistic language, the Brazilian photographer reasserts his leading role in raising awareness about biodiversity and social issues.
A play of contrasts and chiaroscuro reaffirms his leading role in raising awareness on biodiversity and social issues
Throughout his career, Salgado has repeatedly emphasized urgent matters concerning ecosystem conservation and the fight against injustice and disparity in the world's remote corners. His work is not only characterized by artistic projects but also by significant scientific initiatives, marking the endeavors of a man constantly on a journey, an active witness and advocate for change. The multi-award-winning documentary “The Salt of the Earth” (2014), directed by Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, delves into his profound commitment to celebrating cultural wealth and the delicate balance between living beings and the environment through the series The Other Americas, Sahel: The End of the Road, Workers, Migrations, and Genesis. However, the documentary's most striking focus is the monumental challenge Salgado undertook to regenerate the Atlantic Forest by founding Instituto Terra in 1998 and creating a paradisiacal nature reserve on his family’s former farmland.
From Antarctica to Patagonia to the Himalayas, his vision joins that of researchers determined to save the future
In Rovereto, in the exhibition “Glaciers”, part of the UN’s International Year for Glacier Preservation, both iconic and unpublished works are on view, complemented by a site-specific installation at the Muse in Trento. Until January 11, 2026, this installation occupies Renzo Piano’s Grande Vuoto with a series of photographs taken in Canada. The sound—the cry for help—within the silence of the ice permeates the majesty of these subjects, immense yet fragile, destined for inevitable extinction. In the darkness of collapse, depicted through the magnificence of the exhibited works, including some large-scale pieces emphasizing the urgency of the crisis, some of these majestic sources of water, beauty, and life have already vanished. From the Antarctic Peninsula to Patagonia, the Himalayas, South Georgia, and Russia, Salgado’s gaze upon the planet aligns with the mission of researchers committed to saving the future.
On view: the series The Other Americas, Sahel: The End of the Road, Workers, Migrations, and Genesis
