The Earth’s landscapes are scarred. That’s the message of Paolo Pellegrin’s (b. 1964) striking pictures. Subjects include Welzow Süd, a German mine where 20 million tonnes of lignite is drilled annually. Elsewhere, we are transported to Disko Bay, Greenland. Here, an iceberg blends into the white sky. It looks as if it’s disappearing. These shots highlight the destructive impact humans are having on the environment.
Pellegrin records the effects of the climate crisis around the world. The photojournalist is internationally renowned and has won numerous awards, including 10 World Press Photos and a Leica Medal of Excellence. He is best known for showing the devastating consequences of war. The turn to nature came out of a research trip with NASA, where he documented the effects of global warming in Antarctica. His latest collection draws attention to the fragility of seemingly invulnerable animals, habitats and structures.
“It’s about landscapes and nature, but I have to transform them. I’m searching for the sublime,” he explains in an interview with The New Yorker. Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg underlines the severity of the climate emergency by bringing us up close to awe-inspiring wonders. Such a focus aligns him with the likes of Andreas Gursky, Helene Schmitz and Per Bak Jensen. It’s timely as our surroundings are changing at an alarming rate. For instance, a 2023 study published in Science estimated that 68% of glaciers are likely to melt by 2100 if the current rate of temperature increase continues. Pellegrin’s images are a call to action.
Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Fragile Wonders | Until 7 April
Words: Diana Bestwish Tetteh
Image Credits:
- Paolo Pellegrin, Disko Bay. Ilulissat, Greenland 2021, © Paolo Pellegrin / Magnum Photos.
- Paolo Pellegrin, Sossusvlei Namib Naukluft National Park 2022, © Paolo Pellegrin / Magnum Photos.
- Paolo Pellegrin, Fagradalsfjall Volcano. Iceland 2021, © Paolo Pellegrin / Magnum Photos.
