Steve McCurry’s Masterclass at the Istituto degli Innocenti

The great American photographer will be in Florence for a special event during the exhibition “Steve McCurry Children”, hosted by the Museo degli Innocenti until 8 October. On 14 September, at 6 p.m., Steve McCurry will be at the Istituto degli Innocenti for a Masterclass during which he will tell his story to the audience in conversation with Luca Speciale, journalist and anchorman of La7 news programme.

The central theme of the initiative will be children and that extraordinary period of life that is childhood. However, we will also talk about child labour, denied rights such as schooling and the importance of the relationships that are built in this delicate phase of life. It will also be an opportunity for McCurry, who has been considered one of the most influential voices in contemporary photography for over fifty years, to tell anecdotes and stories about his travel experiences.

The Masterclass will be held in the Salone Brunelleschi (entrance from Piazza Santissima Annun-ziata) and will be free of charge subject to availability. The exhibition will be exceptionally open until 8.30pm for the occasion.

On 15 September, starting at 10am, McCurry will be available at the exhibition bookshop to sign the volumes on sale.

“Steve McCurry Children”, until 8 October at the Museo degli Innocenti

The exhibition of the famous American photographer with more than 100 photographs dedicated to children can be viewed until 8 October at the Museo degli Innocenti. “Steve McCurry Children” is the first thematic exhibition dedicated to childhood by the best-loved photographer of all time, with images taken over almost fifty years showing children from all corners of the world in scenes of everyday life.

Born in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Steve McCurry studied film and history at the Pennsylvania State University before working with a local newspaper.  After two years as a freelancer he went to India, the first of a long series of trips. With little more than a backpack for clothes and another for rolls of film, he travelled around the subcontinent, exploring the country with his camera. After many months of travelling, he crossed the border into Pakistan. He met a group of refugees from Afghanistan who let him enter their country illegally, just when the Russian invasion was closing the borders to all Western journalists. After many weeks spent with the Mujahideen, he left Afghanistan wearing traditional clothes and a thick beard. McCurry was the first to show the world images of the conflict in Afghanistan. His shots were the human face of the headlines. Since then, McCurry has continued to take breath-taking photographs on all continents. His work tells of conflicts, endangered cultures, ancient traditions and contemporary trends. The human element remains central in his photography and as demonstrated in all its power by McCurry's most famous image: the Afghan girl.

The photographer has been the recipient of some of the most important awards in photography, including the Robert Capa Gold Medal and the National Press Photographers' Award, and has been awarded first prize in the World Press Photo competition four times. The French Minister of Cul-ture appointed him a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters and, more recently, the Royal Photographic Society in London awarded him the Centenary Medal for Lifetime Achievement. In 2019, McCurry was also inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame.