Penultimatum

F

Founded in 1974 by Cornell Capa (Budapest, 1918-New York, 2008), a member of the Magnum Agency, like his brother Robert, the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York is considered the world's leading institution for photography and visual culture. It offers a wide range of educational programs and temporary exhibitions; since 1985, it has awarded a prize to honor the work of the best photographers, and its school serves 5,000 students each year.

The museum displays everything from early daguerreotypes and tintypes to the most important illustrated magazines with photographs from various countries. The collection of documentary photography from the 20th century and the present is also magnificent. It includes works by, for example, Weegee, Roman Vishniac, Robert and Cornell Capa, W. Eugene Smith, Henry Cartier-Bresson, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Lisette Model, Gordon Park, Gary Winogrand, Carrie Mae Weems, Justine Kurland, Katy Grannan, Tomoko Sawada, Susan Meiselas, and Manuel Álvarez Bravo.

With climate denialism best represented by the United States presidency, the ICP is exhibiting 70 works by renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky under the title " Acceleration," in which he illustrates the environmental degradation the planet is suffering from large-scale industrial and extractive activities. This is the case with mining and hydrocarbons, both in India and some African countries, as well as in China, Azerbaijan, and the United States. Born in Canada in 1955, Burtynsky has also documented the beauty and/or destruction of nature in various parts of the world.

One of the aspects that most attracts attention, and sometimes receives unfavorable opinions from certain art critics, is that his photographs of this destruction are aesthetically beautiful. Burtynsky's response is: this quality evokes curiosity and engagement that lead to a potentially fruitful dialogue . He adds that he has always sought to offer a vision of the devastating transformations that nature undergoes in order to guarantee life on Earth.

A transformation and abuse that especially benefits large capitalists and not those most in need.