The set-up was structured in such a way that the colors and atmospheres of each photo were respected, taking care to emphasize the dialogue that binds one image to another. The light designer Giambattista Buongiorno (who has been collaborating with McCurry for ten years) designs the light for every single shot, as agreed with the photographer.
McCurry’s voice
Certainly one of the most interesting aspects of the exhibition is McCurry’s voice who, through the audio guide, accompanies the visitor to share his impressions, the intentions hidden behind the shots; there are no filters, the story takes place in the first person. Here is revealed the fascination of the monks who defines cats or magicians intent on shaolin exercises, and the tenderness towards the baby elephant intrigued by the book of his trainer, the suggestion of the face of children in the rain seen from a taxi while passing through India. , the dismay and horror at the collapse of the Twin Towers. And again he shows us geese, dogs, cats, snakes, cows, eagles intent on interacting with man and the environment he modified.
It speaks to us of distant landscapes traversed as an eternal traveler. He dwells on the eyes of the characters he meets who seem to investigate the observer much more than they are willing to tell about themselves. Among the works, Afghan girl naturally stands out, a portrait from 1984, perhaps one of the few images that in modern times can be compared to the intensity of the Monna Li-sa. McCurry received thousands of letters from people who wanted to help the young refugee, but there was no trace of her. Sharbat Gula this is his name was found in 2002 during an expedition organized by National Geographic in which McCurry himself participated. McCurry tells us that he bought Kodak’s latest Kodachrome 64 films (his partner of over 30 years of career) and that he decided to honor the last roll with a special project used to definitively represent the end of an era, choosing subjects that they had somehow thematic symmetries with the “end”. He immortalized a nomadic tribe in India, destined to disappear, which identified perfectly with the film that would also be the last of its kind. He wanted to photograph the most significant places in New York in his opinion and the iconic characters that populate it, such as Robert De Niro who was immediately interested in the project.
The World of Steve McCurry, MAAG Music & Arts AG, Zürigo, until 24 October