Cristina Mittermeier on display in Palermo on a photographic journey through the beauty and fragility of the planet

From March 7 to June 2, 2025, GAM - Gallery of Modern Art in Palermo will host the exhibition Cristina Mittermeier. The Great Wisdom, an extensive retrospective devoted to photographer Cristina Mittermeier (Mexico City, 1966), a Mexican marine biologist and activist who is among the most influential figures in contemporary environmental photography. Curated by Lauren Johnston in collaboration with National Geographic, the exhibition is organized by Civita Sicilia and Civita Mostre e Musei and is part of Intesa Sanpaolo’s Gallerie d’Italia - Torino exhibition project. Through his lens, Mittermeier documents the extraordinary beauty of the planet and the interconnectedness of ecosystems and cultures. The exhibition brings together some 80 shots taken during his travels around the world to offer an in-depth look at three central themes: the underwater world, the terrestrial world and tribal peoples.

The bond between man and nature in 80 shots

Mittermeier’s images reveal the extraordinary beauty of our planet, from pristine landscapes to wildlife to cultures living in perfect harmony with nature. The photographs explore pristine territories and distant cultures, documenting ancient ancestral cultures. A common thread runs through the entire exhibition: the need to rethink the relationship between humans and nature to ensure a sustainable future.

Central to Mittermeier’s research is the concept of enoughness, a term that invites reflection on what is truly necessary to live in balance with the environment. An idea that contrasts with the logic of unlimited consumption and results in a more conscious existence that respects natural resources. Each shot tells a story. From indigenous peoples to vast seascapes, from tropical forests to Arctic ice, Mittermeier’s photographs testify to the deep connection between local communities and nature. The artist shows us how many of these cultures have developed an instinctive understanding of ecological balance over the centuries.

The images do not merely document, but ask crucial questions. What is our place within the global ecosystem? How can we preserve the planet for future generations? Through the visual power of photography, Mittermeier invites the audience to confront these questions.

Protecting the oceans and the future of the planet

Water is the dominant element in many of the photographs on display. Oceans are fundamental ecosystems for life on Earth. Mittermeier emphasizes how their health is closely linked to the climate, the air we breathe and the food we consume. His photograph thus becomes a warning for the conservation of these environments that are increasingly threatened by human activity. Precisely to reinforce this commitment, in 2014 the artist founded SeaLegacy, an association that brings together photographers, filmmakers and writers committed to environmental awareness. The goal is to tell, through images and stories, the urgency of protecting the oceans, leading the public to greater awareness of the current ecological crisis.

“We are making available, in Italy and abroad,” says Michele Coppola, Intesa Sanpaolo Executive Director Art, Culture and Historical Assets and General Director Gallerie d’Italia, “the work we do at Gallerie d’Italia with leading national and international photographers, to share with an ever-widening public the narrative of the great issues of the present starting with the climate crisis, a theme at the heart of Intesa Sanpaolo’s strong commitment to sustainability. With this in mind, after the 2024 exhibition in Turin, we are pleased that the project of Cristina Mittermeier, one of the world’s most influential activists, whose shots capture moments of the planet’s extraordinary beauty that excite, arouse wonder and invite reflection on our relationship with nature, is coming to Palermo in the spaces of the Gallery of Modern Art.”

For info: www.gampalermo.it

Hours: daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Tickets: Full €10.00, reduced €8.00

Cristina Mittermeier on display in Palermo on a photographic journey through the beauty and fragility of the planet

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