If trees could speak

An exhibition that explores the fragile yet essential dialogue between humans and trees,
through a unique journey that invites us to observe, understand, and care for the delicate balance that connects us to nature.
At its heart lies the power of photography and its ability to reveal this essential connection to us.

What would the trees say if they could speak? If they could recount what they have witnessed over the centuries—watching civilizations rise and fall beneath their canopies, the scars of war, and the earth’s slow healing? This question is addressed by “If trees could speak”, the exhibition that brings to Sirmione the vision of forty photographers from Magnum Photos, the agency that has been telling the world’s story through fine art photography for over seventy years.

The Municipality of Sirmione renews its partnership with the prestigious international agency by presenting an exhibition curated by Andréa Holzherr (Global Cultural Director of Magnum Photos) and Mariangela Gavioli (architect).

The relationship with Magnum Photos has deep historical roots and has evolved over the years into a fruitful collaboration, bringing the best of international photography to the Brescia side of Lake Garda.

Great photographers take the stage

The silent voices of the trees become a visual narrative that spans continents and generations. From the centuries-old specimens of Madagascar immortalized by Steve McCurry to the burning forests of Australia by Paolo Pellegrin, from the sacred forests of Japan by Abbas to the urban trees of Martin Parr and Richard Kalvar, every image is a chapter in a larger story. And in naming just a few, we are guilty of an unforgivable omission. Because alongside them, dozens of other great artists contribute to this collective visual narrative: 40 photographers, 100 photographs, a multifaceted perspective that weaves together reportage, visual poetry, and environmental advocacy.

As Andréa Holzherr suggests, trees remind us that “we are still connected, that every breath we take is shared with them, that our lives are intertwined through invisible exchanges of air, water, and time”.

The exhibition invites us to pause, observe, and listen. Because trees are not merely a backdrop but living presences, silent witnesses, and companions on humanity’s journey. They inhabit a time different from ours, made up of seasons and centuries, and their resilience, as Holzherr further emphasizes, “is not just a matter of strength, but also of flexibility, like branches that bend under the weight of snow, roots that seek water in the most unimaginable places, or a forest that regrows after a fire”.

An innovative exhibition design

For the first time ever, the photographs in the exhibition have been printed on special paper containing seeds. At the end of the exhibition, the prints will be planted in a field in Sirmione to give life to new trees. In this way, photography, after communicating through its visual imagery, symbolically returns to the earth from which it originated to transform into a new plant. A gesture that tells of a cycle that closes and, at the same time, begins anew.
The exhibition also features a “workbench” with soil, planting paper, water, and light, where visitors can observe the process through which the photographs can be “planted,” as well as display shelves with bibliographic materials offering further exploration of the plant world.

“Photography conveys a message through the image and also holds a deeper, physical dimension: that of a seed that can return to the earth and generate new life. – emphasizes Luisa Lavelli, – A powerful gesture that transforms the exhibition into a garden of the future. For years, Sirmione has been working continuously on environmental issues through numerous initiatives and activities, including maintenance and conservation of green spaces, educational activities in schools, and artistic projects; today, If trees could speak adds another piece to this journey with an exhibition that is at once art, nature, and concrete commitment.”

A commitment to the environment

“If trees could speak” is part of a broader focus that the Municipality of Sirmione has dedicated to environmental issues for years. A commitment that is also reflected in the ethical approach of the latest projects by the Sirmione Photo Residency and in concrete initiatives such as the maintenance and preservation of green spaces, tree-planting programs, and environmental education activities in schools.

Thus says the Councilor for Tourism, Riccardo Genovesi:
“With If trees could speak, the images captivate and win us over, but they also prompt us to reflect on the delicate balance that binds us to nature. This is our vision of high-quality tourism: a model that combines hospitality, the beauty of the experience, and the protection of balance, offering precious moments of reflection and emotion, while respecting the environment and the community that lives within it.”

The photographers in the exhibition:

Abbas – Olivia Arthur, Jonas Bendiksen, Ian Berry, Werner Bischof, Matt Black, Myriam Boulos, Rene Burri, Sabiha Çimen, Bruce Davidson, Cristina de Middel, Bieke Depoorter, Thomas Dworzak, Stuart Franklin, Bruce Gilden, Gregory Halpern, David Hurn, Richard Kalvar, Guy Le Querrec, Alex Majoli, Peter Marlow, Steve McCurry, Lorenzo Meloni, Rafal Milach, Wayne Miller, Nanna Heitmann, Emin Ozmen, Trent Parke, Martin Parr, Paolo Pellegrin, Mark Power, Lua Ribeira, Jerome Sessini, Lindokuhle Sobekwa, Jacob Aue Sobol, Alec Soth, Chris Steele-Perkins, Larry Towell, Alex Webb, Patrick Zachmann

With the support of:
Lombardy Region, Province of Brescia, Lake Garda Lombardy Consortium, Garda Community, Gal Garda e Colli Mantovani, Garda Musei

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