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Paris Honors Late Photographer Sebastião Salgado with Retrospective Exhibition

exhibition · 2026-04-01

Paris is hosting a tribute exhibition for the internationally acclaimed Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado, who passed away on May 23, 2025, at age 81. The exhibition, curated by his wife Lélia Wanick Salgado, is on view from February 21 to May 30, 2026, at the Salle Saint-Jean in the Hôtel de Ville de Paris. Admission is free but requires prior reservation through the city's website. The showcase features approximately 200 black-and-white photographs drawn from Salgado's iconic series, highlighting his career-long focus on remote regions, global laborers, the Amazon, Sahelian landscapes, and natural beauty. The presentation also reflects his deep connection to Paris, where he resided for five decades after leaving Brazil. Emphasizing simplicity, the display uses neutral backgrounds to allow the monochrome prints to stand out, offering visitors a comprehensive look at his visual documentation of biodiversity, animal life, and human experiences across continents. This retrospective serves as a posthumous recognition of Salgado's dedication to capturing environmental and social themes through his lens.

Key facts

  • Sebastião Salgado died on May 23, 2025, at age 81
  • Exhibition runs from February 21 to May 30, 2026
  • Held at Salle Saint-Jean, Hôtel de Ville de Paris
  • Curated by Lélia Wanick Salgado
  • Features around 200 black-and-white photographs
  • Free admission with reservation required
  • Highlights series on Amazon, workers, and natural landscapes
  • Salgado lived in Paris for 50 years after leaving Brazil

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Hôtel de Ville de Paris

Locations

  • Paris
  • Brazil

Sources