From 19 July to 13 October 2024, the Museum of Natural History of the University of Pisa is delighted to host 'Heroes: stories of heroes, woods and streams', an exhibition by nature photographers Francesco Paci and Simona Tedesco. A collection of 60 large images that tell the stories of the small creatures that populate the Italian woods of plains, hills and mountains.
Discrete presences, often ignored, of amphibians, micro-mammals, insects, flowers, all equally important for the essential role they play in the complex and delicate ecosystems of which they are part.
The title of the exhibition draws attention to the function of the subjects portrayed, who, in the eyes of the authors, are heroes fighting against adversities such as climate change, land consumption, pollution and misinformation. The territories we live in encounter difficulties due to the proximity of man who, at times, has not taken into account the fragility of these places and their inhabitants. Anthropic pressure, pollution and now climate change are directly reflected in the habitats of the animals and plants illustrated in the photographs.
Almost all the subjects are bio-indicators: clues for biologists to assess the extent of changes in environmental quality. Presences, for photographers, that prove the preciousness of environments and their state of conservation. It is important, therefore, to be able to observe amphibians, some of which are at high threat levels, because each encounter testifies to the permanence of that species in forests and streams. It is comforting to admire the graceful blooms that, every year, return to populate slopes and hillsides.
The wonder of the existence of common, endemic and rare species, almost unknown to most, is repeated throughout the seasons near our homes, in those places of the heart that we choose when we immerse ourselves in nature to find peace and solace.
The photographs, enriched by stories, accompany the visitor to the edge of streams, inside forests, to admire the blossoming of flowers, the slow and decisive step of salamanders and geotritons busy ensuring life to the next generation.
Francesco Paci and Simona Tedesco have chosen to narrate these environments, hoping to stimulate curiosity and increase knowledge, searching for beauty in natural light while maintaining the photographic ethics and respectful distance of a fascinated observer.
The exhibition will be inaugurated on Friday 19 July, at 5.30 p.m., together with the photographic exhibition 'MICROmacro' by Gabriele Cananzi https://www.turismo.pisa.it/en/eventi/MICROmacro-exhibition-at-the-Natural-History-Museum
At the end of the presentation the Museum will offer a small aperitif.