Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado has passed away at the age of 81, leaving behind a legacy of powerful black-and-white images that captured the natural world and marginalized communities. Born in 1944, Salgado grew up in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, where he witnessed the destruction of the Atlantic Forest due to development.
Salgado’s work focused on the exploitation of both the environment and people, but he also used his platform to promote environmental restoration and hope for humanity. His iconic photography collections, such as “Exodus” and “Amazonia,” showcased global migrations and the struggles of indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest.
Throughout his career, Salgado was known for his epic photographs that revealed the world’s contradictions, often capturing moments of violence, danger, and quiet reflection. Despite criticism that his style romanticized poverty, Salgado argued that the poor world was not inherently uglier than the rich one.
The photographer was a mentor and founder of the nonprofit Instituto Terra, which he co-founded with his wife Lelia Deluiz Wanick Salgado. His death has been met with tributes from artists, public figures, and leaders worldwide, including Brazil’s president, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, who praised Salgado’s work as a “wake-up call for the conscience of all humanity.”
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/23/a-lens-on-poverty-and-the-environment-sebastiao-salgado-is-dead-at-age-81