SINGAPORE – Sebastiao Salgado’s remarkable exhibition, Amazonia, currently on display at the National Museum of Singapore, immerses visitors in the breathtaking beauty and stark reality of the Amazon rainforest. With over 200 black-and-white images, the exhibition showcases the wonder of the rainforest, while also highlighting the grave threats it faces from climate change and deforestation.

Curated by Lelia Wanick Salgado, Sebastiao’s wife, the exhibition is designed to convey the diverse essence of the Amazon. The photographs take visitors on a journey through the vast, untamed green expanses, indigenous communities living in seclusion, and the spectacular natural wonders of the region. From towering waterfalls and mist-filled mountains to the extraordinary phenomenon of “flying rivers,” Salgado’s lens captures the Amazon’s primal energy and unique beauty.

Captured over several years, the images transcend the visual noise of colour, opting for black-and-white photography that imbues the rainforest with a timeless quality. Salgado’s work reveals the delicate intricacies of nature, including the vast patterns of tree roots and the sweeping storms gathering over the land. For him, choosing what to photograph was no easy task given the enormity of the Amazon’s landscape. Yet, after extensive travels by land, water, and air, he curated a collection he believes reflects the profound complexity of this vital ecosystem.

Salgado’s commitment to the Amazon is also deeply personal. Alongside his iconic landscapes, the exhibition features intimate portraits of indigenous peoples, such as the Yanomami, Zo’e, Ashaninka, and Yawanawa. These portraits celebrate their harmonious relationship with the land, depicting them as they fish, hunt, dance, and live in close-knit communities. His time spent living among these groups allowed him to capture their way of life and the deep connection they share with the forest.

The images are displayed in three structures designed to mimic the traditional indigenous “ocas” (homes), enhancing the immersive experience. The exhibition is accompanied by an evocative soundscape created by French composer Jean-Michel Jarre, which transports visitors to the heart of the rainforest.

Yet, Amazonia is not just a tribute to the beauty of nature—it is also a solemn reflection on the rapid disappearance of this vital paradise. The Amazon plays a crucial role in the Earth’s climate system, producing oxygen, sequestering carbon, and regulating weather patterns. The destruction of such an essential ecosystem could have far-reaching global consequences. Salgado’s work reminds us of the urgency to act before it is too late.

In addition to his photography, the exhibition also highlights the Salgados’ long-standing commitment to environmental conservation. In 1998, they founded the Instituto Terra, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to combating deforestation in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. A section of the exhibition is devoted to their reforestation efforts, which have involved planting over three million trees. Zurich Insurance, a global partner of the exhibition, has also played a key role in supporting their efforts, planting one million trees and helping acquire land for nature restoration projects.

Salgado’s reverence for the Amazon is evident throughout the exhibition. His approach to capturing its rhythms and beauty is almost devotional, as he seeks to not only preserve its memory but also ignite a global call to action. The exhibition stands as both a monumental celebration of nature’s grandeur and a warning about the perilous future facing this “paradise on Earth.”

In Amazonia, Sebastiao Salgado urges visitors to reflect on the urgency of preserving the rainforest for future generations. If the Amazon is truly paradise, as Salgado believes, then this exhibition is a powerful plea to save it before it vanishes forever.