Special Pictures from the Amazon by Gabriele Croppi

The Italian photographer Gabriele Croppi started his solitary expedition to trace the Amazon River from the mouth to the source (December 1, 2016 – March 1, 2017).

Special Pictures from the Amazon by Gabriele Croppi

He will search for the last garimpeiros, the gold seekers who still are chasing the myth of El Dorado; and travel the land of the Amazons, the tall warrior Indians against whom the first passengers traveling on the Great River fought.

Italian photographer Gabriele Croppi has started his solitary expedition to trace the Amazon River from the mouth to the source (December 1, 2016 – March 1, 2017).

Gabriele’s journey is not for “backpackers with means”. There are no canoes, ultra light aircrafts, tourism agencies, or the like.

He is sleeping in a hammock, a tent, occasionally asking for accommodation from indigenous people. He is going on a real journey, amongst every-day people, far from the stereotypes and myths of pristine forests populated by savages!

One of the most quoted contemporary art photographers of our time (www.gabrielecroppi.com) with his scrutinizing eye and probing camera lens Gabriele will be able to give an unusual view of the majestic river, different from that of the ordinary traveler.

He will tell the true story of Guarana, the tropical fruit that lends its name to a popular energy drink, and eat in the last McDonald’s restaurant, built near the stilts at the edge of the tropical forest, where luxurious resorts for tourists and isolated cities such as Manaus or Iquitos exist.

Gabriele Croppi wants to capture the soul of the Amazon through the lens of his camera, manipulating colors with light and shadow, and putting down on paper the reality and the dream of the journey.

The trip started Dec. 1, 2016 from Belem, Para, Brazil. Today Gabriele is in Manaus, resting on the bank of the Rio Negro.

Posted by Piotr Chmielinski, Dec. 26, 2016

Expedition progress: www.slowing.co

What Gabriele has seen on his travel so far (headers translated from Italian):

I. The collaboration with the publisher Sergio Bonelli and comics “Mister No”, which as I said is in the Amazon.

Each week an article is published based on my itinerary, and weaving with the stories of “Mister No”:

https://www.sergiobonelli.it/mister-no/2016/12/05/news/sul-grande-fiume-con-mister-no-tutte-le-tappe-1000327

II. Belem: the city with the port and the old market

III. Calçoene. A megalithic site (unique in the Americas) of extraordinary importance, discovered only 10 years ago: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Stonehenge

IV. Santarém and Pirarucu fishery

V. Parintins, the city where the “Boi-Bumba” festival is held

VI. The city where I just arrived – Manaus!

VII. More photos