A new photography exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery explores the complexity and contradictions of life on planet Earth.
Humankind’s Achievements and Failings
The exhibition, entitled “Civilisation: The Way We Live Now,” brings together images from 150 international photographers. The works highlight both humankind’s great collective achievements and its ruinous failings.
The Environment and Climate Change
German photographer Olaf Otto Becker focuses on the environment and climate change. In one image, he captures tourists on an ice cap in Greenland. “Every day, about 500 tourists come to this place, to understand global warming, but they can’t feel it, they can’t see it. So, this is the problem with global warming. We need the help of scientists,” Becker says.
Community and Belonging
American British photographer Johanna Urschel was struck by the extraordinary queues of people waiting to witness Queen Elizabeth II lying in state in London last year. To give a sense of scale, she documented city landmarks as backdrops. “A quarter of a million people came together to be a part of this, they stood in line for up to 10 miles (16 kilometers),” Urschel says.
Our Future Beyond Planet Earth
German photographer Michael Najjar is a self-confessed space addict. He even took part in some astronaut training. At Saatchi, Najjar’s works explore our future, beyond planet Earth. “I think we saw a massive transformation in the field of space exploration in the past 10 years. And, as an artist, I was very much interested in how these new technologies, these new ways of accessing space, are impacting our life on Earth, our future life on other moons and other planets,” Najjar says.
New Works Added for London Edition
New works have been added for this London edition of the exhibition, which has been touring internationally. “Civilisation: The Way We Live Now” runs at London’s Saatchi Gallery until 17 September.
The exhibition is a powerful reminder of the complexity and contradictions of life on planet Earth. It is a must-see for anyone interested in photography, history, or the human condition.
