Art/Act: Award—Solar Portraits
The 2023 Art/Act: Award exhibition, Solar Portraits, champions environmentally viable solutions as National Geographic Explorer and photographer Rubén Salgado Escudero documents the different ways that people around the world are embracing solar technology. He began the Solar Portraits project in 2014 while living in Myanmar, and it has since grown to include photos taken in 28 locations in nine countries on five continents. Many of the community members in these portraits have access to electricity for the first time through the power of solar energy, and were interviewed as part of the project about how access to solar electricity has affected their life. The scenes have all been lit only by solar powered light bulbs, most of which are used by these communities every day.
Banner photo courtesy of Rubén Salgado Escudero, National Geographic
Made possible via the Alameda County Arts Commission, Berkeley Civic Arts Program
& Civic Arts Commission, and many supportive individuals.
TAKE ACTION
Solar energy has the potential to brighten people's everyday routines while being gentle on the planet.
Visit the links below to learn how you can support organizations using solar technology to improve lives.
Shine a light on safe childbirth.
Build community power in Detroit.
Transform single-use bottles into solar lanterns.