Steve McCurry, his gaze through 40 original photographs
ARTIKA and Steve McCurry present Capturing the Soul, an artist’s book in which the photographer selects his 40 most representative photographs to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Afghan Girl, the most famous snapshot of all time and the centerpiece of this limited and numbered edition.
A legendary photographer
For decades, Steve McCurry has captured his surroundings with a unique vision. His camera has served as a bridge to bring distant realities closer together and to unite people. His photography emphasizes the human, the hope for life, and color, highlighting everything that makes us different and, at the same time, alike, resulting in a true photo album of humanity.
A patient observer with tireless curiosity, McCurry has always had a particular interest in tradition, ancestral cultures, and the various ways of life in this vast world that never ceases to surprise him. Each of his images reflects exceptional diversity and a strong zest for life.
Steve McCurry in the Omo Valley. Ethiopia, 2012. @Steve McCurry 2023.
The world through his camera
After finishing his studies in Philadelphia and working for a brief period at a local black-and-white press, McCurry knew that wasn’t his calling. With little more than his camera around his neck, he set off on an adventure, traveling across the Indian subcontinent for months. That was only the beginning of a journey that would take him around the world.
Since then, McCurry’s eyes and camera have captured realities from every corner of the planet, becoming invisible to portray the world in its purest form and reveal the essence, the soul, of those he encountered along the way. In addition to his portraits, his work also features spectacular panoramas of natural phenomena, images centered on tradition and customs, and his gritty work as a war correspondent.
Left: Steve McCurry on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, 1984. @Steve McCurry 2023.
Right: Steve McCurry in Tibet, 2000. @Steve McCurry 2023.
Sharbat Gula, The Afghan Girl
If one photograph has marked Steve McCurry’s career and left an unparalleled impression on the public imagination, it is the portrait of Sharbat Gula, the Afghan refugee girl whose emerald gaze captivated McCurry’s camera as he walked through a war refugee camp. The image, taken in 1984, appeared on the cover of National Geographic a few months later, instantly becoming its most memorable cover due to its photographic quality and human power, bringing the reality and dignity of refugees closer to the rest of the world.
That green-eyed girl with a piercing gaze, whom McCurry would reunite with years later, is precisely the centerpiece of Capturing the Soul, the artist’s book created by ARTIKA in collaboration with Steve McCurry to honor that image and explore his entire career in a unique and exclusive edition.
@Steve McCurry 2023.
Capturing the Soul: 40 original photographs to commemorate 40 years of the most famous portrait
ARTIKA and Steve McCurry have joined forces to compile the best of the life and work of this exceptional photographer, giving voice and color to unique images that showcase the diversity and beauty of the world. Behind these photographs lie countless anecdotes and adventures that the photographer himself shares here, along with those who know him best.
This limited and numbered edition is restricted to 2,998 copies.
The artist has been involved in every step of the creation process, to the point that he has personally signed each copy of this exclusive edition.
The piece consists of two volumes and a spectacular case that pays tribute to The Afghan Girl, the most famous and recognized photograph.
The Art Book presents 40 original photographs, reproduced with the highest quality and commented on by McCurry himself.
The Study Book delves into the life and work of this legendary photographer, with contributions from his sister Bonnie McCurry, president of Steve McCurry Studios and director of the ImagineAsia charitable educational center, and journalist Antoni Ortí.
