In Principio by Sebastião Salgado and illycaffè

In Principio (In the Beginning) has been conceived by coffee producer illycaffè to give greater visibility to the history, customs and landscapes of the green coffee growers that it works with. The exhibition features 25 images, previously unseen in the UK, taken by the acclaimed humanist photographer Sebastião Salgado as part of his five-year commission from illy between 2002 and 2006.

The black and white pictures on display were taken by Salgado at the plantations in Brazil, India, Ethiopia, and Guatemala from which illycaffè buys its Arabica coffee beans. The images depict the thriving culture of coffee growing which exists in these countries and have been selected to illustrate the various stages of the coffee cultivation process: from the harvesting of coffee through to drying and the moment when the beans, packed in their jute sacks, begin their journey back to Italy for roasting.

In Principio has been created by illycaffè to encourage people to learn about the issues surrounding the lives of farmers and the issue of sustainable coffee culture. The theme of the exhibition closely reflects illy’s approach to sustainable development, which is built upon developing a direct and mutually beneficial relationship with farmers; rewarding growers for producing the best quality beans by paying premium and sustainable prices to ensure the growers always make a profit; and ensuring that growers and their communities reap the full social and economic benefits of their coffee production.