Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado captures the essence of a continent in his series Other Americas
Salgado returned to South America in 1977 in an attempt to reconnect with his native land
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.In an attempt to reconnect with his native land, the great Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado returned to South America in 1977, having been exiled in 1969 for joining the movement against his country's military government. Until 1984, he worked on a series he would later call Other Americas, in an attempt to capture the continent's essence.
"After some years of adventures in Europe and Asia, my only desire was to return to my beloved land – to this Latin America so dear and profound," writes Salgado about the images in a forthcoming exhibition at London's Photographers' Gallery. "Here dignity and poverty ride on the same horse. The struggle for survival is very difficult, and man, a hard beast, faces it from birth till death."
The 71-year-old, who now lives in Paris, began his photographic career in 1973, having previously worked as an economist. Other Americas was shot during a time of industrial growth, rising inequality and political turmoil, and shows a way of life under threat.
"The seven years spent making these images were like a trip seven centuries back in time to observe, unrolling before me … all the flow of different cultures, so similar in their beliefs, losses and sufferings. I decided to dive into the most concrete of unrealities in this Latin America, so mysterious and suffering, so heroic and noble."
Sebastião Salgado: Other Americas is at The Photographers' Gallery, London W1 (thephotographersgallery.org.uk) from Friday to 1 November
© Sebastião Salgado/Amazonas Images/NB pictures
Courtesy of The Photographers' Gallery
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments