A visual account of our planet through 103 colour photographs. Yann Arthus-Bertrand, interviewed by LifeGate, talks about the project “La terra vista dal cielo – La terre vue du ciel”, a magnificent atlas of the world's most evocative landscapes photographed from above. On until 19 October in Milan.
Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a French photographer and environmentalist. For years he has borne witness to the beauty and fragility of the Earth through photographs taken from above, from the sky. With those same images, he has also managed to draw attention to some of the most serious problems threatening our planet — from the negative consequences of global warming to unbounded urbanisation.
From 24 June to 19 October, 103 of his photographs and the documentary Home can be enjoyed at the Museo civico di storia naturale di Milano in a single exhibition entitled La Terra vista dal cielo.
How did your career as a photographer begin?
My story begins at the age of 30, after I read the book L'ombra dell'uomo by the celebrated primatologist Jane Goodall, whom I already regarded as one of my idols at the time. It was during that period that I decided to leave for Kenya, where I worked on a thesis on lion behaviour together with my wife, following the same family of big cats for three years. In the meantime, to earn a living, I decided to become a hot-air balloon pilot and take tourists to visit the reserve where I was carrying out my research. That is how I discovered the importance of aerial photography and of observing the land from the sky. It was there that I decided to become a photographer, because images can convey unique emotions and information that words often leave out. It was a magical discovery. Then, when I returned to Europe, I worked for various newspapers — in Italy for Airone — and decided to become a professional nature photographer.
Looking at things from an external perspective — in your case, from above — should help us better understand problems and get the full picture. How much has your experience as a photographer and observer of the Earth influenced your decision to take concrete action in defence of the environment?
In 1992, the first major international conference on the environment was held — the one in Rio de Janeiro. On that occasion I decided to act for the Earth. At the time, the concept of ecology was different from what we have today. People talked about deforestation, endangered species, but climate change was never mentioned. And yet that was precisely what I was observing from my aerial perspective. Even after the Kyoto conference, there were few journalists interested in the subject. The human impact on the Earth received little attention, and mostly from a social point of view. That is why I believe that major conferences are not useful for changing things.
Yet in the documentary Home you seem convinced that humanity can still change, and begin to use natural resources in a sustainable way. How?
I no longer want to be among those who believe they can change the world through things. Our civilisation is based on trade, on exchange. The more you buy, the more you consume. All of this is not good for the environment. We need to learn to live better by consuming less. We need to start "degrowth", even if today that term is considered politically incorrect. The truth, however, is that it will not be politics that changes things. What is needed is a revolution that will not be scientific, because computers can improve our lifestyle but cannot change it. It will not be economic, because it is unthinkable that we could replace the 85 million barrels of oil we consume every day with solar panels and wind turbines. And it will not be political.
A revolution of what kind?
The revolution will have to be spiritual, ethical and moral. How I live, what I do.
Your images speak louder than many words. But if you were compelled to express yourself in words, what message would you want to reach people?
The aim of my GoodPlanet foundation is to try to make people love life more. To love life fully. And to love others in the same way. We need brotherhood. Today we are living an ecology without love. In this we have failed, because we have not managed to find the right way to speak to young people and pass on the values they need. And now it is hard to tell a young person that they must live better with less, because we ourselves were the first to fail to set a good example. That is why I have no messages — the only thing I want to say is: I love you.