Born in 1944 in Aimorés, Minas Gerais, Brazil, the sixth child and only boy in a family of eight children, the son of a cattle rancher, Sebastião Ribeiro Salgado studied economics in Brazil (1964-1967) and earned his M.A. in economics in 1968 from the University of São Paulo and Vanderbilt University (USA). In 1971 he completed his coursework for his Ph.D. in economics at the University of Paris and worked as an economist for the International Coffee Organization until 1973.

After borrowing his wife Lélia's camera on a trip to Africa, in 1973 he decided to switch to photography and joined the Sygma photo agency (1974-75) followed by the Gamma agency (1975-1979). He then was elected to membership in the international cooperative, Magnum Photos, and remained with the organization from 1979-94. From his base in Paris he covered news events such as wars in Angola and the Spanish Sahara, the taking of Israeli hostages in Entebbe, the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, and also started to pursue more personal and in-depth documentary projects.

For seven years (1977-1984) he roamed Latin America, his native region, walking to remote mountain villages to produce the images for his eventual book and exhibition Other Americas (1986), a meditative exploration of peasant cultures and the cultural resistance of Indians and their descendants in Mexico and Brazil. In the mid-1980s he worked for fifteen months with the French aid group Doctors Without Borders in the drought-stricken Sahel region of Africa and created Sahel: L'Homme en Détresse (Sahel: Man in Distress) (1986), a document on the dignity and endurance of people in their deepest suffering. From 1986 to 1992 he focused on Workers (1993), a documentary shot in 26 countries on the end of large-scale manual labor. After Terra: Struggle of the Landless (1997), a project on those fighting to reclaim their land in his native country of Brazil, Salgado published Migrations and The Children (2000) on the plight of displaced persons, refugees and migrants in 41 countries.

"Salgado's photographs, a multiple portrait of human pain, at the same time invite us to celebrate the dignity of humankind. Brutally frank, these images of hunger and suffering are yet respectful and seemly. Having no relation to the tourism of poverty, they do not violate but penetrate the human spirit in order to reveal it." Eduardo Galeano, from 'An Uncertain Grace'

A world-renowned photographer and part of the tradition of "concerned photography," Sebastião Salgado has been awarded virtually every major photographic prize and award in recognition of his accomplishments from institutions around the world. In 1994 he founded his own press agency, Amazonas Images, which represents him and his work. He lives in Paris with his wife and collaborator Lélia Wanick Salgado, who has designed most of his books. They have two sons.

Exhibitions:

Sebastião Salgado has exhibited extensively worldwide since 1977:

"L'Afrique des colères"
1977
Galerie Henri Plait, Paris, France.
Conseil œcuménique des Églises, Genève, Suisse.

"Les 4000 logements de La Courneuve"
1978
Centre culturel Jean-Houdremon, La Courneuve, France.

"Vidas Sêcas"
1984
Magnum Galerie, Paris, France.

"Sahel. L'homme en détresse"
1986
Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France.
Festival international d'Arles, France.
1987
Musée de l'Élysée, Lausanne, Suisse.
1988
Museu de Arte de São Paulo, Brésil.
1989
National Gallery of Art, Pékin, Chine.
1997
Biennale de Cétinié, Monténégro, Yougoslavie.

"Autres Amériques"
1986
Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Madrid, Espagne.
Maison de l'Amérique latine, Paris, France.
1987
Musée de l'Élysée, Lausanne, Suisse.
1988
Tornio Arts Museum, Oulou, Finlande.
Museum Mishkan Le'Omanut, Israël.
Museum Voor Land in Volkenkunde, Rotterdam, Pays-Bas.
Fundacão National da Arte, Rio de Janeiro, Brésil.
1989
Palace of Youth, Shangai, Chine.
1991
Museum Für Fotografie, Braunschweig, Allemagne.
Festival de Rouen, France.
Rencontres internationales de la photographie d'Arles, France.
1992
Musée municipal, Dudelange, Luxembourg.
Pazo Fonseca, Santiago de Compostela, Espagne.
Galeria 2000. Cordoba, Espagne.
1993
Gran Teatro de Cordoba, Espagne.
1995
Montpellier Photo Visions, France.
1996
Hessenhuis, Anvers, Belgique.
1998
Art Gallery, Banque interaméricaine de développement, Washington, DC, États-Unis.
Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, DC, États-Unis.
1999
Centro Insular de Cultura, Las Palmas, Canaries, Espagne.
Bayrische Staatsoper, Munich, Allemagne.
2002
De Beyerd, centre d'Art contemporain, Breda, Pays-Bas.
 
Expositions rétrospectives
1989
Hasselblad Center, Göteborg, Suède.
Bienal de Cuba, La Havane, Cuba.
1990
Kunsthalle, Düsseldorf, Allemagne.
Photographer's Gallery, Londres, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni.
Stills Gallery, Édimbourg, Écosse, Royaume-Uni.
1991
Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni.
1992
Fotogallery, Cardiff, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni.
Glasgow Arts Centre, Écosse, Royaume-Uni.
1993
Musée national d'art moderne, Tokyo, Japon.
1994
McLellan Galleries, Glasgow, Écosse, Royaume-Uni.
1996
L'Espace photographique de Paris, Nouveau Forum des halles 4, Paris, France.
 
"Une certaine grace"
1990
Modern Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, États-Unis.
1991
Wight Art Gallery, University of California, Los Angeles, Etats-Unis.
International Center of Photography, New York, États-Unis.
Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, États-Unis.
1992
Corcoran Gallery, Washington, États-Unis.
Carpenter Center Harvard, États-Unis.
1996
Städtisches Museum, Schleswig, Allemagne.
1997
Victor Barsokevitsch Valokuvakeskus, Kuopio, Finlande.
1998
Ayuntamiento de Valladolid, Espagne.
1999
EFDI, Madrid, Espagne.
Casa de las Ciencias, La Coruna, Espagne.
2000
IVe Festival Chroniques nomades, Les Greniers à sel, Honfleur, France.
EFDI, Valence, Espagne.

"La Main de I'homme"
1992
Römisch-Germanisches Museum, Cologne, Allemagne.
1993
Philadelphia Museum of Art, États-Unis.
Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France.
Centro Cultural de Belem, Lisbonne, Portugal.
Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid, Espagne.
The J. B. Speed Art Museum, Louisville, États-Unis.
Galerie nationale slovaque, Bratislava, Slovaquie.
Royal Festival Hall, Londres, Angleterre.
1994
Fundación Cultural, CAM, Alicante, Espagne.
Palazzo delle Esposicioni, Rome, Italie.
The University of Iowa Museum of Art, Iowa City, États-Unis.
Musée de l'Élysée, Lausanne, Suisse.
Museu de Arte Moderna (MAM), Rio de Janeiro, Brésil.
Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP), São Paulo, Brésil.
Museu Metropolitano de Arte de Curitiba, Brésil.
Bunkamura, Tokyo, Japon.
Arberjdermuseet, Copenhague, Danemark.
Nederlands Foto Instituut, Rotterdam, Pays-Bas.
Dallas Museum of Art, États-Unis.
Bibliotheque Méjanes, Aix-en-Provence, France.
High Museum of Art Folk, Art and Photography Galleries, Atlanta, États-Unis.
Palazzo Affari ai Giureconsulti, Milan, Italie.
The National Musem of Photography, Film and Television, Bradford, Angleterre.
1995
Kulturhuset, Stockholm, Suède.
International Center of Photography, New York, États-Unis.
The Royal Photographic Society, Bath, Angleterre.
Onomichi Municipal Museum of Art, Hiroshima, Japon.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australie.
Basilica Palladiana, Vicenza, Italie.
Palais de Beitaddine, Le Chouf, Liban.
The John & Marble Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, États-Unis.
Georges Eastman House, Rochester, États-Unis.
1996
Palmer Museum of Art, University Park, États-Unis.
Museo dell'automobile, Movimento Sviluppo e Pace, Turin, Italie.
Chiostri S. Domenico, Imola, Italie.
Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaï, États-Unis.
Deichtorhallen, Hambourg, Allemagne.
Hall Victor Hugo, Limpersberg, Luxembourg.
Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, Etats-Unis.
1997 Elvehjem Museum of Art, Madison, États-Unis.
Museo de Belas Artes, Caracas, Venezuela.
Museo de Arte Moderno Jesús Soto, Bolivar, Venezuela.
Grand-Hornu Images, Hornu, Belgique.
Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, États-Unis.
Museu de Arte da Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brésil.
Instituto Cultural Brasileiro, Berlin, Allemagne.
1998
Commission nationale andorrane pour l'Unesco, principauté d'Andorre.
Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico, Mexique.
1999
The Old Kornhaus, Berne, Suisse.
Stadtische Galerie, Iserlohn, Allemagne.
2000
Centre d'Art contemporain Zamek Ujazdowski, Varsovie, Pologne.
Norsk Industriarbeider Museum, Rjukan, Norvège.
Festival Schichtwechsel 2000, Sarrebruck, Allemagne.
2001
Ghetto Degli Ebrei, Cagliari, Sardaigne, Italie.
Associacao Cultural Musica XXI, Faro, Portugal.
Palazzo Cisterna, Biella, Italie.

"Serra Pelada"
1994
Galerie Debret, Paris, France.
1995
Palais des congrès, Saint Jean-de-Monts, France.
Le Latina, Paris, France.
1996
Palm Beach Photographic Museum, États-Unis.
Musée de la Photographie, Charleroi, Belgique.
Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art, Cleveland, États-Unis.
1997
Groupe d'Animation photographique, Cholet, France.
1998
Archivo Historico y Museo de Mineria, Pachuca, Mexique.

"Exodes"
2000
Georges Eastman House, Rochester, États-Unis.
Maison européenne de la photographie, Paris, France.
SESC Pompéia, São Paulo, Brésil.
Parque das Nacões, Pavilhão de Portugal, Lisbonne, Portugal.
Planetário - Museu do Universo et Instituto Moreira Salles, Rio de Janeiro, Brésil.
Scuderie Papali al Quirinale, Rome, Italie.
Usina do Gasômetro, Porto Alegre, Brésil.
Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, Espagne.
Hôtel de la Région, Marseille, France.
Arengario et Istituto Martinitt, Milan, Italie.
Fundación PROA, Buenos Aires, Argentine.
2001
Helsingin Kaupungin Taidemuseo, Helsinki, Finlande.
Espaço Cultural Contemporâneo Venâncio (ECCO), Brasilia, Brésil.
The New Art Gallery, Walsall, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni.
La Pedrera, Barcelone, Espagne.
Sa Nostra, Palma de Mallorca, Espagne.
Le Botanique, Bruxelles, Belgique.
International Center of Photography, New York, États-Unis.
City Art Centre, Édimbourg, Écosse, Royaume-Uni.
Ponte Alto, Modène, Italie.
Galerie Manes, Prague, République tchèque.
The Marion Center for Photographic Arts, The Museum of Fine Arts, The Children's Museum, Santa Fe, États-Unis.
Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin, Allemagne.
2002
Kornhaus, Berne, Suisse.
Berkeley Art Museum, Berkeley, États-Unis.
Alicante, Valencia, Murcia, Espagne.
Norsk Industriarbeider Museum, Rjukan, Norvège.
Bunkamura, Tokyo, Japon.
2003
Portland Museum of Art/Maine College of Art, Portland, États-Unis.
Barbican Gallery, Londres, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni.
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japon.
Chicago Cultural Center/ Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago, États-Unis.
2004
Ludwig Museum, Budapest, Hongrie.
Ackland Art Museum, Caroline du Nord, NC, États-Unis.
South Texas Institute for the Arts, TX, États-Unis.
2005
Triskel Arts Centre, Cork, Irlande.

"Les enfants de I'exode"
2000
Hall des Nations unies, New York, NY, États-Unis.
2003
Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth, Pays de Galles, Royaume-Uni.
2003-04
Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn, Allemagne.

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