Sebastiao Salgado: Migrations [Hardcover]

Sebastiao Salgado (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0893818917 | ISBN-13: 978-0893818913 | Edition: First English Language Edition

In Migrations, Sebastiao Salgado turns his attention to the staggering phenomenon of mass migration. Photographs taken over seven years across more than 35 countries document the epic displacement of the world's people at the close of the twentieth century. Wars, natural disasters, environmental degradation, explosive population growth and the widening gap between rich and poor have resulted in over one hundred million international migrants, a number that has doubled in a decade. This demographic change, unparalleled in human history, presents profound challenges to the notions of nation, community, and citizenship. The first extensive pictorial survey of the current global flux of humanity, Migrations follows Latin Americans entering the United States, Jews leaving the former Soviet Union, Africans traveling into Europe, Kosovars fleeing into Albania and many others. The images address suffering while revealing the dignity and courage of the subjects. With his unique vision and empathy, Salgado gives us a picture of the enormous social and political transformations now occurring in a world divided between excess and need.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Salgado's . . . photographs do not call for action so much as for a change in consciousness." --The New York Times

About the Author

A world-renowned exemplar of the tradition of "concerned photography," Sebastião Salgado has been awarded virtually every major photographic prize in France, Germany, Holland, Spain, Sweden, and the United States. A recipient of the W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography, he was twice named Photographer of the Year by the International Center of Photography.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Aperture; First English Language Edition edition (June 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0893818917
• ISBN-13: 978-0893818913
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 1.5 x 13 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #903,755 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "The World's Greatest Living Photographer of the Poor" August 7, 2000

By Warren A. Van Wicklin III

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

For anyone that wants a photographic window on the psychological and social condition of the world's poor, especially those that are homeless or displaced from their original homes, "Migrations" is an indispensable book. "Migrations" is similar to "Workers", Salgado's 1993 book, but somehow is even more emotionally intense as "Migrations" subjects live even more precariously. The geographic span is even larger, ranging across Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America, and selected shots of Europe and North America.

Salgado, a former economist who worked briefly for the World Bank and the IMF, but left to become a photographer because he thought he could do more for the world's poor through photography, has undoubtedly succeeded. It is hard to imagine a more powerful statement than his photographs. I was fortunate enough to see the exhibit of these photographs at the Museum of the Universe in Rio de Janeiro the day before the exhibit closed, August 5, 2000. I also saw a slide show of "Migrations" set to music in the museum's planetarium. I was overcome by any of the photographs and moved to tears.

I was fortunate enough to meet Salgado during a lecture he gave during the exhibit of "Workers" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1993. While I cannot pretend to know a person after one brief meeting, he struck me as humble, brilliant, and perceptive, just like his photographs. Several centuries from now we will look at Salgado's photographs like we now look at Rembrandt's self-portraits: searing, penetrating images into the depths of the human soul.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book that makes you look different at Humanity April 12, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

This outstanding and beautiful book makes you think a lot above Humanity as a whole, as if humankind was not only a single body, but a single mind as well. Salgado's photographs in this book are a must have for photography lovers. Migrations goes further than just been a masterful piece of art, it's also a masterpiece of photojournalism and sociology in which Sebastian allows us to see the World suffering and cruelty with his deep camera lenses. It tells us a story of the shocking realities we humans live in all corners of the planet. It tells us a story of hope and diverstity. I definetly think this book will become an international photography classic. Once again Mr. Salgado has given us the best of his work in a deeper and closer look to our international society as he did with Terra and Workers.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Study In Humanity June 25, 2000

By Dennis H

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

What a subperb exhibition of the world's people on the move. I was fortunate enough to see the first exhibit of the Photography Exhibit that makes up this book when it was in Portugal in May/June, 2000. There, the book, along with the exhibit, is entitled "Exodos", and no more evocative book or exhibit is there.

Sebastio Selgato has truly outdone himself with this book--indeed, a masterpiece. Selgato, in my opinion, is the world's finest photojournalist to begin with, but "Migrations" not only is an extension of is past work, but actually surpasses it.

The composition and imagery is outstanding and the printing done by masters. I understand that Selgado does not do his own printing, but works with a team of printers. They did a splendid job printing some of the most evocative images I have yet to see.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a voz do povo May 24, 2000

By RoR noob

Format:Hardcover

this book is an experience, as are all of Salgado's works. he relates to the reader his experiences and at the same time overwhelms us with the stories of the persons he is capturing, but the overall message is this: the future looks bleak. he says in his introduction (which I recommend everybody read), "The two ideologies of the 20th century, capitalism and communism, have failed us. Globalization is an option, but not a solution." Those statements could alone explain the images you'll see in the book. Anyone who buys this book will better understand the human condition, where we are at, and where we are headed. God bless Sebastiao Salgado, for he is truly a voice for the forgotten and neglected in this world, and a teacher to all of us who forget the human in us.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Most Touching Document March 16, 2001

By F. Neunemann

Format:Hardcover

Without doubt Sebastiao Salgado is one of the greatest living photographers of our time. "Migrations" is the first book I bought after having seen his most interesting video tape "Looking Back at You".

In fact a most touching document on the migrations of people from all over the world-- having to escape from their native land to avoid being tortured or killed.

Apart from the technical excellence and quality Salgado's black and white photography has a certain magic about it that strongly reminds me of the work of photography greats like W. Eugene Smith or Henri Cartier-Bresson. However I have to admit that Salgado clearly has become my personal favorite. Being a photographer myself I highly admire Salgado's talent to produce such phantastic images of people in deep distress--showing things as they are, without having his subjects losing their dignity.

Some time ago a world famous photographer said that "...you can't photograph soul...". After looking at Salgado's work I think that's definitely not true.

This book clearly is a must have for every photography lover with special interest in black and white journalistic work. Can it get any better? This was my first Salgado book and it won't be my last...