Michael Christopher Brown – In Sicily

American photographer Michael Christopher Brown, first photojournalist in the world at having shot an entire war photoreportage (Libyan revolution, 2011) completely with an iPhone, which was worth the Magnum nominee, will be in Catania for an artistic residence, hosted by Fondazione Oelle Mediterraneo Antico. During his staying, Brown will take pictures for a site specific reportage on the island entitled In Sicily. He will also teach a workshop about contemporary photojournalism, he will participate to a scientific seminar and finally he will present his solo photographic exhibition, curated by Ezio Costanzo.

Who is Michael Christopher Brown? Thanks to his exceptional reportage shots on several war sites and in the most difficult places in the world, M.C. Brown (43 years old) embodies the modern photoreportage. He has worked with Magnum Photos, National Geographic and with a high number of publications and agencies.

Photographer and director, Brown raised in Skagit Valley, a farming community in Washington, he became famous for his Libyan civil war documentation on 2011 and the resulting monography Libyan Sugar, Paris Photo-Award winning on 2016 and the Infinity Artist Book Award of the International Center of Photography of 2017.

Brown spent several years in China and other country such as Egypt, Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo), Central African Republic, Cuba, Palestine, starting photographing with iPhone. His ability of catching critical moments through a smartphone brought the collaboration with eminent magazines among which Time, The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic and the digital platform Instagram, which carried him hundreds of thousands of followers. He joined Magnum Photos in 2015 until June of 2017. Today M.C. Brown represents both the traditional aspect of the photojournalist profession, always staying inside the news, and the technological and innovative aspects using new media, like the iPhone, and new communication media, like Instagram. However, he never forgets the great Robert Capa’s motto: “a photograph is never good enough if you are not close enough”.

From 1^st until 4^th October 2021

Limited number: 25 participants

Classroom and on-site, with final reading of portfolios.

The workshop will take place on 1^st October of 2021, is addressed to professionals and photography students. Photojournalist profession in the era of big technological and digital changes will be the main theme, concerning shooting tools and images diffusion and sale. Brown will make available his precious experience in order to teach the ideation and the preparation for a photoreportage, from the choice of a narrative model to logistic and organizational aspects.

5^th October 2021

The photojournalist. From the optic table to iPhone

With Michael Christopher Brown, Alberto Castelvecchi, Ezio Costanzo, Carmelo Nicosia

A complete and enchanting seminar that will face the visual narration from its origin to nowadays, through the technological evolution of shooting media and the 20^th century’s great photographers. The lecturers focus on the historical and actual sides of reportage, with particular attention to communication and the spread of images via web. Brown will be placed side by side with professor Alberto Castelvecchi (Incisive Communication and public speaking), professor Ezio Costanzo (Photoreportage and History of Photoreportage) and professor Carmelo Nicosia (Photograpghy).

Solo exhibition of Michael Christopher Brown

With an international preview of the project A More Beautiful World

Curated by Ezio Costanzo

Opening 8^th October 2021 h 17

Catania, Galleria d’Arte Moderna Le Ciminiere – until 30th April 2022

In the solo exhibition, curated by Ezio Costanzo, Brown will show his reportage realized in the several war scenarios, on behalf of Magum Agency and other international newspaper, in which the author documents the violence of the conflicts and the human condition of the civil population. The show holds 250 photographs among them the international preview of the project A more beautiful world, a true and proper mission in order to save the planet with the documentation of the Earth plagues but also the hopeful aspects for a human survival.

There will be exhibit the photographs of Libia, Cuba, Africa, Palestine, Afghanistan, America reportage and the last social conflict in the United States. The show will also host the reportage realized during his residence in Sicily.