From March 24th 2018 until July1st 2018, BLU | Palazzo d'arte e cultura hosts the exhibition "Marco Polo's journey in the photographs of Michael Yamashita", realized for Fondazione Palazzo Blu by National Geographic, with the contribution of the Pisa Foundation and the National Museum of Oriental Art Giuseppe Tucci. The cure is by Marco Cattaneo, editor of the Italian edition of National Geographic magazine, edited by Gedi Gruppo Editoriale S.p.A.
The exhibition brings to life the fascination of the places explored by Marco Polo through the images of one of the greatest photographers of National Geographic, Michael Yamashita
With twenty-four years of travel, thousands of kilometers traveled on foot and on horseback, and a million stories to tell, Marco Polo has inspired, through Il Milion and, Christopher Columbus and countless other businesses of explorers and travelers. Hence the idea of the great reportage for National Geographic that inspired "The journey of Marco Polo in the photographs of Michael Yamashita": a photographic exhibition of great experiential impact aimed at reviving, through images, videos and stories, the epic journey from Venice to the Far East through the Silk Road, at the time the most famous and busy caravan route in the world. The author of the photographs is Michael Yamashita, who through a reportage lasted for years has traced the footsteps of Marco Polo for National Geographic, finding many of the places narrated and doing justice to his direct testimonies. Among the information and stimuli present in the exhibition, a particular emphasis will be given to the figure of Rustichello da Pisa, to whom we owe the draft, thanks to the stories of Marco Polo during his imprisonment in 1298, de Il Milione. Overall, the photographs on display are 77, in addition to moving pictures, explanatory texts, maps, audio stories and objects from the places crossed by Marco Polo.
Michael Yamashita contributor to National Geographic for more than thirty years, American photographer of Japanese descent, is best known for his reporting on the landscapes and legends of Asia. His assignments for National Geographic have covered journeys on the trail of great explorers such as Marco Polo and the Chinese admiral Zheng He. In addition to photography, Yamashita is also an award-winning director. His documentary on Marco Polo National Geographic Channel has received two Asian Television and Film Awards and has been included in the list of the twenty most popular documentaries of National Geographic Channel. Author of numerous books, he also lectures and lectures and was appointed professor of photography at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts.
The National Geographic Society, founded in Washington in 1888, is today one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational associations in the world. It has funded thousands of scientific projects and constantly supports world-class educational programs to raise awareness of the importance of environmental protection.
