Key takeaways

• Sebastião Salgado, a photographer renowned worldwide for his black and white images with strong social impact, has died at the age of 81.

• An icon of humanitarian photography , he has documented migrations, conflicts, work and even unspoiled nature.

• Retrospective exhibition in Deauville until September 1, 2025, with 166 iconic photos.

• Environmental commitment : co-founder of the Instituto Terra for reforestation in Brazil.

Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado, a major figure in world photography, has passed away at the age of 81. His deeply humanist and committed work continues to give voice to the invisible throughout the world.

A disappearance that saddens the world of art and photojournalism

The passing of Sebastião Salgado leaves a huge void in the international artistic landscape. Born in 1944 in Aimorés, Brazil, Salgado devoted more than 50 years of his life to documenting, through images, the great tragedies and beauties of our world. Trained as an economist, he abandoned a promising career in the 1970s to devote himself to photography, with a profoundly human perspective.

A final tribute to Deauville, as part of the France-Brazil joint year

Ironically or by chance, Sebastião Salgado was recently in Deauville , Normandy (France) , to inaugurate a major retrospective of his work. The exhibition, presented at the Franciscaines until September 1, 2025, is part of the France-Brazil cross-year . This collaboration with the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) offers a unique panorama of his entire body of work.

Simply titled "Sebastião Salgado," this retrospective looks back over 50 years of his career through a selection of 166 iconic photographs from his greatest series. It includes the powerful images of "Workers," the poignant stories of "Migrations," the majestic visions of "Genesis," and other excerpts from his work on indigenous peoples, war zones, and unspoiled nature.

Art as an act of resistance

Sebastião Salgado was more than just a talented photographer. He was a witness to the upheavals of his time: famines, genocides, exiles, hardships... Always with a respectful distance, but never neutral. He captured with rare intensity the faces and landscapes of pain, resilience, and sometimes rebirth.

His graphic and dramatic black-and-white approach gave an almost sacred dimension to his subjects. Each of Salgado's images tells a story, a struggle, a silent cry.

A commitment to the planet

Alongside his wife Lélia Wanick Salgado , he founded the Instituto Terra , a pioneering reforestation project in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Together, they revived a devastated forest, planting more than 2 million trees and recreating a sustainable ecosystem. This environmental project is in line with "Genesis" , a series that celebrates the unspoiled beauty of our planet.

An immense and living heritage

A photographer for the Magnum agency and later founder of the Amazonas Images agency, Salgado has successfully combined the aesthetics of reportage with the timelessness of art. His work is exhibited in the world's greatest cultural institutions and is included in the permanent collections of numerous museums.

The retrospective in Deauville (France), which will continue throughout the summer of 2025, takes on a special dimension today: that of a final farewell , but also of a vibrant tribute to one of the greatest photographers of our time .

FAQ

Who was Sebastião Salgado?
Sebastião Salgado was a Brazilian photographer internationally renowned for his humanist reportage and black-and-white style. He began his career as an economist before devoting himself to photography in the 1970s.

Why is he famous?
He is renowned for his powerful documentary series on human labor, migration, social crises, and the planet's pristine landscapes. His unique photographic style combines aesthetics, engagement, and humanity.

Where to see his work in 2025?
A major retrospective of his work is on display in Deauville , at the Franciscaines , until September 1, 2025 , as part of the France-Brazil year.

What are his most famous works?
His most iconic series are: Workers (the workers), Migrations (the exiles), Genesis (the preserved nature) and Gold (the gold rush).

Was he also committed to the environment?
Yes, with his wife Lélia, he founded Instituto Terra , a reforestation project in his native region of Brazil, which restored an entire forest.