ImpArt: I heart Salgado

One day, I am going to meet Sebastião Salgado.

I want a glimpse into his brain. Or more specifically, I want to understand how his eyes see what they see and how he has the innate ability to capture what he sees so beautifully in a photograph.

I am in total awe of his work, even jealous I admit. And there is no surprise why. The black and white photographer has produced some of the most striking social documentary photographs ever. 

In the past, Salgado’s collections have focused on human-related social issues such as migration and urbanization. His current project, Genesis, documents the world's many eco-regions and serves as his homage to the planet. Recently, The New York Times sent the photographer to Alaska to add to his current collection.

Salgado’s photographs are never just art pieces, gracing the walls of a gallery. They are catalysts for change and move their viewers in disparate ways. Shocking, beautiful, serene, and haunting all in one glance.

Devoted to social impact through photography, Salgado also serves as one of UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassadors.

As an ambassador, photographer, and activist, his message is simple:

What I want is the world to remember the problems and the people I photograph. What I want is to create a discussion about what is happening around the world and to provoke some debate with these pictures. Nothing more than this. I don't want people to look at them and appreciate the light and the palate of tones. I want them to look inside and see what the pictures represent, and the kind of people I photograph.  -Sebastião Salgado