Witness to the world: a tribute to Sebastião Salgado

Fotografiska Shanghai will present the first comprehensive retrospective of Sebastião Salgado's extraordinary career – a landmark exhibition honoring the life and legacy of the world-renowned documentary photographer (1944-2025).

Spanning more than 40 years of Salgado's extraordinary career, the exhibition features iconic works captured across his native Brazil and over 100 countries worldwide. The powerful images reflect Salgado's deep connection to his homeland and his unflinching commitment to documenting the shared challenges of humanity and nature, offering a rare chance to step into the compelling world seen through his lens.

Born in Aimorés, Brazil, in 1944, Salgado originally pursued a career in economics before turning to photography in 1973. He began his journey as a professional photographer in Paris, quickly gaining international acclaim for his signature style and profound social insight.

His journeys took him across the globe, documenting pristine landscapes, wildlife, and indigenous communities, with a deep empathy for both human suffering and dignity, as well as the splendor and fragility of the natural world. His work championed both humanitarian awareness and environmental conservation.

With his wife, Salgado founded an independent photo agency exclusively representing his work. His photographs have been exhibited at top cultural institutions around the world and featured in leading publications, making him one of the most respected figures in contemporary photojournalism. To date, his exhibitions have toured more than 300 museums and galleries across the globe.

Salgado was also the subject of "The Salt of the Earth," a critically acclaimed documentary that earned the Special Prize in the "Certain Regard" section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, won Best Documentary at the 2015 Frances César Awards, and was a finalist for Best Documentary at the 87th Academy Awards.

In recognition of his impact, Salgado was elected a lifetime member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts of the Institut de France in 2016, the same year he was named Chevalier (Knight) de la Légion d'Honneur. In 2018, he was elected Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York.

Salgado's death in May this year sent ripples through the global art, environmental and humanitarian communities. He once said, "What I want is the world to remember the problems and the people I photograph." The exhibition is not only a tribute to his artistic legacy – it is also a continuation of his mission to raise awareness, provoke reflection, and awaken collective consciousness through the power of photography.

During the exhibition, a series of forums, workshops and cultural events will take place.

Date: July 18-November 9

Opening hours: 10:30am-11pm (Tuesday to Sunday; closed on Mondays); Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

Venue: Fotografiska Shanghai | Fotografiska 影像艺术中心

Address:127 Guangfu Rd | 光复路127号

Admission:

• Adults: 120 yuan (US$16.7)
• Students / Seniors 65+ / Children aged 8-12 (or above 1.2 meters): 80 yuan
• Children aged 0-7 (or under 1.2 meters): Free admission