Salgado's profound impact on photography and environmental awareness will live on through his legacy.
Sebastião Salgado, Renowned Documentarian Photographer, Passes Away at 81
Sebastião Salgado, Renowned Documentarian Photographer, Passes Away at 81
The world mourns the loss of a visionary artist who captured the essence of humanity and nature.
Sebastião Salgado, an iconic Brazilian photographer renowned for his compelling portraits of the human experience and the environment, has passed away at 81. His death was announced on Friday by Instituto Terra, the environmental nonprofit he co-founded with his wife. While details surrounding his demise remain unclear, his family indicated that he had faced numerous health challenges, including complications from malaria.
Instituto Terra shared a heartfelt tribute, stating, “Sebastião was much more than one of the greatest photographers of our time. His lens revealed the world and its contradictions; his life, the power of transformative action.” Salgado's body of work has left an indelible mark on both documentary photography and environmental activism.
Known particularly for his monochrome images, Salgado gained international acclaim for his striking visual narratives, especially those representing the Amazon rainforest and its inhabitants. His landmark project in 1986, which showcased gold miners in the Brazilian state of Pará, is among his most recognized works.
Throughout his illustrious career, he has been honored with numerous prestigious accolades, including the Leica Oskar Barnack Award and multiple World Press Photo awards. In recognition of his contributions to the arts, he was elected an honorary member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1992 and became a member of the French Academy of Fine Arts in 2016.
Born on February 8, 1944, in Aimorés, a small town in Brazil's Minas Gerais state, Salgado's journey as an artist began after he fled his homeland due to a military dictatorship in the late 1960s. A more detailed obituary will follow soon, celebrating the life and accomplishments of this extraordinary artist.
Instituto Terra shared a heartfelt tribute, stating, “Sebastião was much more than one of the greatest photographers of our time. His lens revealed the world and its contradictions; his life, the power of transformative action.” Salgado's body of work has left an indelible mark on both documentary photography and environmental activism.
Known particularly for his monochrome images, Salgado gained international acclaim for his striking visual narratives, especially those representing the Amazon rainforest and its inhabitants. His landmark project in 1986, which showcased gold miners in the Brazilian state of Pará, is among his most recognized works.
Throughout his illustrious career, he has been honored with numerous prestigious accolades, including the Leica Oskar Barnack Award and multiple World Press Photo awards. In recognition of his contributions to the arts, he was elected an honorary member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1992 and became a member of the French Academy of Fine Arts in 2016.
Born on February 8, 1944, in Aimorés, a small town in Brazil's Minas Gerais state, Salgado's journey as an artist began after he fled his homeland due to a military dictatorship in the late 1960s. A more detailed obituary will follow soon, celebrating the life and accomplishments of this extraordinary artist.
