Cristina Mittermeier. A greater wisdom

Throughout her great career, Cristina Mittermeier has journeyed to every corner of the world in the guide of photographer, marine biologist and activist.

Over the years, she has recorded the beauty of our planet and the various cultures and traditions of its inhabitants: from its landscapes to its constantly evolving wildlife. She has used her work to tell the stories of communities all over the world that maintain a link with nature and have a deep understanding of the delicate balance of our ecosystem.

Cristina Mittermeier’s work bears witness to traditions, rituals and knowledge handed down from generation to generation and invites us to reflect on a “greater wisdom”.  

Inspired by the traditional wisdom of the cultures she has encountered, Cristina proposes the idea of enoughness as a way of thinking about our place in the global ecosystem. Enoughness advocates a deeper understanding of how the way we engage with the world and the choices we make on a daily basis affect the planet and the climate. Drawing on thousands of years of archaic and ancestral knowledge, the practice of enoughness allows us to align our decisions with the natural cycles that sustain us.

Enoughness stems from the recognition and appreciation of what we already have and what we already are. It is a mindset that recognises that we have an intrinsic value and that material possessions and social status are not the only factors that determine our happiness and fulfilment.

Cristina Mittermeier's photographs remind us that human beings are not isolated creatures, but members of an interconnected society. Using our planet's limited resources wisely is imperative for our future. We need to understand that the health of the oceans has a direct impact on our climate, the air we breathe and the food we eat. Every community on Earth is part of the global ecosystem and the choices we make today can collectively shape the future of our planet. As we look to the future, we can learn much from the “greater wisdom” of the past.

Cristina Mittermeier is co-founder, with Paul Nicklen and Andy Mann, of SeaLegacy, an international organization with a mission is to restore the health of our ocean.

The exhibition, curated by Lauren Johnston and marked by an important collaboration with National Geographic, brings the visitor into close contact with the issues of environmental protection and sustainability, which Gallerie d'Italia of Turin wants use the work of photographers, some of who are internationally recognised, to interpret and translate projects which aim to investigate contemporary life and tell its stories using the direct language of photography, with a view to making people aware of the fragility of our ecosystem.

Meetings included in the public program #INSIDE, held on Wednesdays, will be presented  during the exhibition.

Under the Patronage of