Photo exhibition "Amazônia" opens in Zurich
As part of Zurich's commitment to raising environmental awareness among the population, the insurance company is acting as the main global sponsor of the exhibition, which is on display in the MAAG Hall.
Photographer, photojournalist and environmentalist Sebastião Salgado dedicates his successful exhibition "Amazônia," which has already attracted more than 1.4 million visitors worldwide, to the world's largest rainforest and its indigenous population. His photographs transport the viewer into the midst of magnificent vegetation. They convey the majesty of the vast plains and the mighty mountain ranges of the Amazon region. They give a sense of the sound of rain, waterfalls and rivers, and document the life - and struggle for survival - of people and animals. Since yesterday, the exhibition "Amazônia" has been on display at the MAAG Halle in Zurich under the patronage of Zurich Insurance Group.
Created and curated by Lélia Wanick Salgado, "Amazônia" features more than 200 photographs by Sebastião Salgado. The Brazilian photographer takes his audience on a journey through the Amazon rainforest. He puts the fragility of the ecosystem of the "selva" in the light and points out the urgency of its protection with concise imagery. His works do not show deforestation, fires, illegal gold prospecting and weapons, but the Amazon and the indigenous peoples who preserve the rainforest.
Area for visually impaired visitors
An audio track composed especially for the exhibition by French musician Jean-Michel Jarre accompanies visitors on their walk through "Amazônia. Since the opening in Milan in mid-May 2023, the exhibition has also had a new area for blind and visually impaired visitors to give them the opportunity to experience the world of "Amazônia". The work exhibited there, "Amazônia Touch," is the first book of photographs, consisting of brass plates, conceived and designed for blind and visually impaired people. It is the result of a collaboration between the Salgados and Foundation Visio, an organization that works to give visually impaired people access to cultural activities. The volume was produced in collaboration with Taschen Publishing. 21 panels allow visitors to have a tactile reading experience.
Zurich is the global lead sponsor of the exhibition tour. "Amazônia" is part of a broader Zurich commitment to raise public awareness of the need for concrete environmental action. It complements the insurance group's long-standing collaboration with Instituto Terra, the non-profit organization of Lélia Wanick Salgado and Sebastião Salgado. Zurich supports Instituto Terra in the targeted and sustainable restoration of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.
