100 WATER HEROES: MARCO BARBIERI

Photographer

Marco Barbieri is an Italian photographer, based in London, who travels the globe capturing places “where religion and politics play an important role in people lives.” In 2016, Marco travelled to Uzbekistan to explore the disappearing Aral Sea, saying, “it is a journey to that missing sea: It is about water, power and deceptive appearances.”

Along Marco’s photographic expedition to Uzbekistan, he visited an old harbour town that now sits over 200km away from the water. What remains of the Aral Sea is “toxic to animal life,” and, because such a large body of water is disappearing, the region’s climate has been undoubtedly affected, with “temperatures similar to Siberia in the winter and scorching heat in the summers.”

Marco documented his journey through Uzbekistan with a photographic series entitled Water in the Desert, a collection of hauntingly beautiful stills that provide a snapshot into the country’s ever-worsening water crisis.

Using his creative platform to tell Uzbekistan’s story, Marco has poignantly highlighted issues surrounding the disappearing Aral Sea, making him one of our #100WaterHeroes.

Twitter: @_m_barbieri

Instagram: _m_barbieri

Website: https://www.mbarbieri.com/