One hundred photos taken over the course of 2017 will narrate nature in all its aspects with surprising mastery, capturing fascinating details and breathtaking landscapes that visitors will be able to discover in an absolute preview as in a journey through the most extraordinary places on earth.
The Italian preview of the exhibition will present the winning photos of the 16 award categories that portray the incredible biodiversity existing on our planet, from the behavior of almost unknown animals to hidden and mysterious underwater worlds, selected from over 50 images from 92 different countries of the world and judged by international experts for their originality and on the basis of artistic and technical criteria.
This year's overall winner is the South African photographer Brent stirton with the click "Memorial to a species” (Monument to the species) which portrays with great documentary force a rhinoceros that has just been hit and mutilated by its horn inside the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park, the oldest African nature reserve. The photo, with a strong emotional impact but at the same time with a great artistic profile, documents with extreme cruelty the drama of rhinoceros poaching to deprive them of their horns and then resell them on the black market. The photographer said he saw at least thirty other scenes of this type during his report inside the reserve.
“Succeeding in transforming such a tragic image into a masterpiece deserved the top prize,” said jury member Roz Kidman Cox. “In this felled giant, great emotional intensity and extreme dignity transpire at the same time. It is the symbol of one of the cruellest and most unjustified environmental crimes, which should deeply outrage public opinion”.
Sir Michael Dixon, Director of the Natural History Museum in London said: "Brent Stirton's photo underlines the urgent need for humanity to protect our planet and the species we live with."
The award for the best shot in the young category, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, went to the Dutchman Daniël Nelson who managed to portray a gorilla happily lying down and intent on eating a fruit from the breadfruit tree. This image, taken inside the forest of the Odzala National Park, in the Republic of Congo, perfectly represents the undeniable similarity between wild monkeys and humans, but above all the importance of the environment they depend on.
Five Italians awarded: Stefano Unterthiner, who won two awards as a finalist in The Wildlife Photojournalist Award categories: Story and Urban Wildlife, the very young Ekaterina Bee, winner in the 10 Years and under category, Marco Urso, finalist in the Behavior category,
Image: Memorial to a species © Brent Stirton – Wildlife Photographer of the Year
