Breathtaking Photos Capture Loss and Hope in the Age of Climate Change

Dust Storm, Rajasthan, India, 1983 © Steve McCurry

Bear One, Devon Island, Canadian Arctic, 2008 © Sebastian Copeland

Constant industrial developments and a significant increase in the consumption of Earth’s resources over the last few decades have resulted in environmental disasters that continue to negatively impact the our climate today. Now more than ever, environmental issues are at the center of social and political debates all over the world.

Artists and journalist alike have directed their lens towards this pressing issue and documented the causes and the effects of climate change all over the world. In the hopes of raising more awareness, Lucie Foundation collaborated with The Royal Photographic Society of Thailand and Bangkok Art and Culture Centre to present the exhibition Beyond the Air We Breathe. Featuring over 80 of the world’s most accomplished and renowned photographers, including Steve McCurry, Sebastian Copeland, and James Nachtwey, the exhibition aims to highlight the astonishing stories of photographers dedicated to the protection of the environment.

“Artistic expression may be individual, but an image can be universally understood and resonate around the world,” Susan Baraz, co-chair of the Lucie Foundation and co-curator of the exhibition, said. “We have called upon renowned photographers who have dedicated their lives to documenting melting icebergs, drought, air, water, waste pollution and the undeniable effects these things have had on our planet. It is a condensed, compassionate plea, through their lenses, of the effects of climate change.”

Initially curated for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, the exhibition has also been shown in Italy, the United States, and Mexico. Through this Sunday, September 2nd, Beyond The Air We Breathe will be shown for the first time on the Asian continent. Through the careful curation of beautiful and captivating images, Beyond the Air We Breathe aims to impact the way we think about the environment, its alarming current state, and what we can do to move towards living in a safer and healthier world. See it at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.

Sudan, Darfur, 2004: A mother cared for her son who was a patient in a medical center run by MSF. © James Nachtwey

Schools of Fish and Breaking Waves, Similan Islands National Park, Thailand © Nat Sumanatemeya

E.T., Norway © Tom Jacobi

Iceberg XXI, Greenland 2010 © Sebastian Copeland

Discover More