Milan, at Palazzo Reale, humanity immortalized in the shots of Jimmy Nelson

“As a photographer, my journey revolves around the subject of my artwork: indigenous peoples. Rooted in a deep sense of empathy, my work aims to connect with people of different cultures and inspire others to embrace the beauty of humanity, recognizing that we are all one people.”

British photographer Jimmy Nelson (Sevenoaks, 1967) is featured from Sept. 20, 2023, to Jan. 21, 2024, in an exhibition at the Palazzo Reale in Milan, Italy: JIMMY NELSON. Humanity is the title of the exhibition promoted by Comune Milano - Cultura, produced by Palazzo Reale and Skira Editore, in collaboration with the Jimmy Nelson Foundation, curated by Nicolas Ballario and Federica Crivellaro. Through 65 large-scale photographs (some measuring 2x3 meters), belonging to the most famous cycles of Nelson’s production, the exhibition documents the creative evolution of the author, who spent his life traveling the world and photographing some of the indigenous cultures most at risk of disappearing, recounting the traditional customs and traditions that have been preserved in an increasingly globalized planet and bringing out their emotions as well.

Initially attracted to indigenous cultures as custodians of ancient wisdoms, examples of resilience and rootedness, over the years, the photographer realized how much his work could challenge and dispel the preconceptions that classified these ethnic groups.

“From an artistic standpoint,” says Jimmy Nelson, “I remain fascinated by the aesthetics of indigenous peoples. Their vibrant clothing, sophisticated crafts and breathtaking landscapes provide me with a rich visual tapestry to capture beauty through my lens.” Through his photographs, Jimmy Nelson celebrates the cultural diversity he has encountered in his travels in contact with the myriad communities of West Papua, Tibet,Africa, Siberia, Bhutan, or elsewhere on the planet, and invites the viewer to see the world through a different perspective, encouraging them to embrace and appreciate the inherent beauty of all as an integral part of the greater human family.

“I firmly believe in the transformative power of beauty,” Jimmy Nelson continues. I have witnessed firsthand how recognizing and celebrating beauty can lead to positive changes in individuals and communities. When people are encouraged to embrace their unique identities and values, they become more confident and fulfilled and a ripple effect of positive transformation is generated in their lives."

One of the typical expressive figures in his work is portraits. During long stays in the most remote parts of the earth, Jimmy Nelson establishes a deep connection with the people who live there, paying meticulous attention to the cultural characteristics of the communities he portrays, emphasizing the uniqueness and beauty of each. His compositions are visual symphonies, where the human element is harmonized with the natural environment.

His images frequently depict elderly members of communities, whose faces bear the marks of time and a lifetime of experience, as in the photograph of the elderly Inuit woman. Many of Jimmy Nelson’s portraits highlight the strength and beauty of women, such as that of the Kazakh girl, a powerful symbol of female empowerment. His shots testify to how even in traditionally male rituals, such as eagle hunting, women are breaking gender barriers.

“Another aspect of Jimmy Nelson’s photography,” Federica Crivellaro points out, "is the depiction of people on the move, engaged in rituals, playing musical instruments, climbing rocks or riding horses. These images not only offer a glimpse into the cultures and ways of life of the subjects, but also serve to immerse the viewer in a different culture in a cautious and respectful way. The intention is to illustrate the dynamic influence of external factors, such as globalization, technology, and popular culture, on traditional societies and their changing identities. Rather than documenting cultures from an ethnographic perspective, its focus is to show their vibrant contemporaneity and the interplay between tradition and modernity.

An example of this is the image depicting a group of West Papuan Dani walking toward the viewer wearing sunglasses and a combination of traditional and nontraditional objects, including a framed diploma strapped to their arm, exemplifying the incorporation of nontraditional elements alongside typical clothing."

The deep relationship that binds humanity and nature is another foundational aspect of Jimmy Nelson’s art. The backgrounds, whether valleys, mountains, plains or waterways, envelop the people portrayed. These subjects also manage to convey a sense of deep respect, almost a reverence for nature, becoming in the British photographer’s images symbols of environmental advocacy and communicating the importance of sustainable practices for nature conservation.

Often the large-format shots depict groups of people gathered together, standing beside or above tall, firmly rooted trees, symbolizing strength and stability and serving as a backdrop where the pride and confidence expressed by the people posing for his lens is echoed.

Jimmy Nelson’s works require enormous technical skill and together an exercise in patience. The choral scenes involve the coordination of a multitude of people, many of them unfamiliar with the camera, who must stand still for several seconds.

The stylistic perfection of his photographs is the result of long research and experimentation. Taking two masters such as Richard Avedon and Irving Penn as examples, Jimmy Nelson approaches his subjects by paying attention to detail, using only natural light, and devoting himself to manifesting the authentic essence of the cultures he encounters.

After long experimentation with analog photography, the artist began to use a large-format (10x8) titanium view camera so that he could easily transport it-also on display at the Royal Palace-which provided him with exceptional image quality and resolution. This marked a significant stage in his artistic evolution, bringing him closer to the process of creating images that resemble paintings. A selection of this series of 10x8 photographs is on public display for the first time on this very occasion, along with polyptych installations that mark a new exhibition model for the artist.

The exhibition benefits from the collaboration of TicketOne (ticketing partner), Ferrovie dello Stato (mobility partner), StreetVox (technical partner).

Radio Monte Carlo is the official radio station for the exhibition.

A large Skira catalog accompanies the exhibition: a treasure chest of extraordinary images to keep in one’s library.

Jimmy Nelson was born in England(Sevenoaks, 1967), but he traveled the world early on as a result of his geologist father’s work, spending long stays in remote parts of Africa, the Americas andAsia. As an artist, he is constantly seeking to meet and connect with indigenous cultures to celebrate them in their beauty and authenticity. His photographs are like a mirror reflecting a naturally beautiful human essence interconnected with their fellow humans and all living things, where the relationship between humans and nature reflects mutual beauty. The images are created with the utmost attention to detail, with an obsessive search for a balance of shapes, colors and, above all, light - exclusively natural. Since his first internationally acclaimed photographs of Tibet nearly 30 years ago, Jimmy Nelson has traveled to the most hidden places on the planet. In 2013 he published his first major photographic volume Before They Pass Away, followed in 2018 by Homage to Humanity. He has visited numerous indigenous communities around the world, developing reciprocity projects with some through the foundation named after him. In 2022 he published a volume honoring the traditional cultures of the Netherlands, Between the Sea and the Sky-a personal tribute to the country that adopted him.

For all information, you can visit the official Royal Palace website and the official event website.

Pictured: Jimmy Nelson, New Hakahau Mont. Oave Ua, Pou, The Marquesas Island, French Polynesia (2016)

Milan, at Palazzo Reale, humanity immortalized in the shots of Jimmy Nelson

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.