Sebastiao Salgado

Brooks Range, Alaska, USA, June-July 2009

Argentic photography.  50 x 60 cm.  Officially embossed.  Photographic print.

60 x 50 cm   Framed

£15,000

This photograph was taken in the eastern part of the Brooks Range, which rises to over 9,800 feet (3,000 metres); the rugged stretch of mountains is sliced by deep river valleys and numerous glaciers. The immense variety of microclimates results from the collision of cold air from the Arctic and hot air coming from the Yukon River region of central Alaska. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is the largest wildlife refuge in the United States, covering six ecozones. Records show it’s getting warmer and wetter disrupting the ecosystem with dire consequences.

Sebastião Salgado, one of the most celebrated photographers of our time, is renowned for his powerful black-and-white images that capture the profound and often complex relationship between humans, nature, and the environments they inhabit. Born in Aimorés, Brazil, in 1944, Salgado initially pursued a career in economics, a path that saw him traveling and living in various parts of the world. However, it was during these travels that he developed an interest in photography, eventually choosing it as his life’s work. Over the decades, Salgado’s work has come to define socially and environmentally conscious photography, drawing attention to humanitarian crises and the beauty of the natural world alike.

One of his most striking works, taken in Alaska’s Brooks Range, epitomizes his approach to environmental photography. Located in the far northern reaches of the United States, the Brooks Range is a rugged and remote mountain chain that spans Alaska and serves as a natural boundary between the Arctic and subarctic regions. Salgado’s image of this dramatic landscape captures the region’s vastness and untamed beauty, with its icy mountains, deep valleys, and seemingly endless expanse of wilderness. By focusing on the Brooks Range, Salgado aims to showcase not only the grandeur of the Alaskan wilderness but also the fragility of ecosystems that are increasingly threatened by climate change and human activity.

This image, like much of Salgado’s work, is a testament to his artistic vision and environmental activism. His black-and-white photography style enhances the starkness of the landscape, allowing the textures of rock, snow, and sky to emerge in a way that almost feels timeless, evoking a sense of primordial wonder. The lack of color strips away distractions, forcing viewers to confront the raw elements of nature and the overwhelming scale of the landscape, which dwarfs any sign of human presence. The image is part of Salgado’s *Genesis* project, a monumental collection that took eight years to complete and involved journeys to some of the world’s most remote locations. Through this project, Salgado sought to capture parts of the Earth that remain untouched by industrial civilization, areas where nature reigns supreme and life follows an ancient rhythm.

Salgado’s Brooks Range photograph is a call to appreciate, respect, and ultimately protect these pristine environments. His work raises awareness of the urgent need for environmental conservation, reminding us that the landscapes he photographs, while seemingly eternal, are, in fact, vulnerable and at risk. In doing so, Salgado has positioned himself not only as a photographer but as a steward of the natural world, using his art to inspire global awareness and action.