Alessandro Grassani is a visual artist and professional journalist whose practice centers on photography and video, working in the space where visual art and journalism converge, constantly seeking a resonant interplay between beauty and truth. After covering major international news events, he shifted toward long-term, multidisciplinary projects engaging with geopolitics, human rights, and the complex relationship between people and their environment.
Since 2012, he has pursued a long-term project conceived and led by him, with support from the United Nations, exploring how climate change, migration, and rapid urbanisation are reshaping human lives, inviting viewers to confront the social and environmental urgencies of our time while offering a glimpse into the future of our planet.
Working across more than forty countries, from Iran to the Gaza Strip, from Haiti to Bolivia, and from Myanmar to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Grassani has developed a practice that blends documentary rigor with reflective, research-driven visual narratives. His ongoing project The Cold Divide, set between Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine, examines the concepts of suspension, fear, and dreams in nations physically and ideologically divided between East and West, weaving together documentary and evocative languages through the use of expired Soviet-era film.
Since 2011, he has been a regular contributor to The New York Times, completing over 150 assignments, alongside work for CNN, TIME, STERN, and El País Semanal, among others. His collaborations extend to numerous UN agencies as well as institutions such as USAID, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the AVSI Foundation, and Doctors of the World.
His visual narratives have also led major companies including Enel SPA, Lufthansa, Etro, GUCCI, Banca Intesa, LuisaViaRoma, Satispay, Trenitalia, and Warner Bros. to entrust him with corporate, advertising, educational, and cultural communication projects.
His work has been screened and exhibited internationally at venues such as the Palace of Nations, the Musée de l’Histoire de l’Immigration in Paris, the Royal Geographical Society in London, Les Rencontres d’Arles, VISA Pour l’Image, and the Diocesan Museum of Milan, among others.
He has received numerous prestigious awards, including two Sony World Photography Awards, the DAYS JAPAN International Photojournalism Awards, the Luis Valtueña International Humanitarian Photography Award, and the Amilcare Ponchielli Prize, and he has been nominated twice for both the Prix Pictet and the Leica Oskar Barnack Award.
A Sony Global Imaging Ambassador and TEDx Berlin speaker, Grassani is also committed to education through lectures, mentorships, and workshops.
SELECTED LECTURES, INTERVIEWS AND WORKSHOPS
- Banca Intesa San Paolo – Milan, 2024. “Trust” lecture for the company’s IT leadership team. (Lecture)
- FIAF Portfolio Italia 2024 award – Final jury member.
- Gucci S.p.A – Worldwide, 2023. “The Creative Process” online lecture for the company’s creative team. (Lecture)
- Franco Parenti Theater – Milan, 2020 – “A Wall in Between”. (Lecture)
- John Kaverdash Academy – Educator at the Master in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography – Milan, 2012-2020.
- University Scuola Normale Superiore – Pisa, 2020 – “Environmental Migration”. (Lecture)
- TG3 Mondo, RaiTre – Italy, 2020. “Female Boxers of Goma”. (TV Interview)
- BBC World News programme “Global” with presenter Matthew Amroliwala- London, 2019. “About Photography” (TV Interview)
- BBC World Service programme “News Hour” presenter Julian Worricker – London, 2019. “Female Boxers of Goma”. (Radio Interview)
- The Observer – UK, 2019. “Female Boxers of Goma” (Print and Online Interview)
- TG3 Mondo, RaiTre – Italy, 2019. “Mau Forest, Kenya”. (TV Interview)
- Logotel S.p.A – Milan, 2018. “Do It With Care” lecture for all company employees. (Lecture)
- Tor Vergata University – Rome, 2019. “Climate Change and Environmental Migration”. (Lecture)
- IUSS Higher University School – Pavia/Italy, 2019. “Environmental Migration”. (Lecture)
- Polo del 900 – Turin, 2019. “Climate Change and Human Settlements” together with professor Adriano Favole. (Lecture)
- Radio Rai Due GR Live – Italy, 2019. (Radio Interview)
- TG3 Mondo, RaiTre – Italy, 2018. “Environmental Migrants”. (TV Interview)
- Triennale di Milano – Milan, 2018. (Lecture)
- Gli sbandati, Radio Due – Italy, 2018. “Photography and its Future”. (Radio Interview)
- Il Fotografo Magazine – Italy, 2018. (Print Interview)
- Filarmonica Academy at Casale Monferrato, Italy, 2018. “On the Ways of Reportage”. (Lecture)
- “Photographing the Future”, curated by Denis Curti and organized by Sony S.p.A – Milan, 2018. (Talk)
- A Coruña Town Hall – A Coruña, Spain, 2018. (Lecture)
- Gli sbandati, Radio Due – Italy, 2018. (Radio Interview)
- TIME Magazine – USA, 2017. “The Long Journey to the Great Wall”. (Online Interview)
- Royal Villa of Monza – Monza/Italy, 2017. (Lecture)
- Spazio Forma Meravigli – Milan, 2017. (Lecture)
- National Geographic – USA, 2017. “Environmental Migrants”. (Online Interview)
- Corriere della Sera – Italy, 2016. (Print Interview)
- Marie Claire – Spain, 2016. “Climate Change and Environmental Migrants”. (Print Interview)
- NikonLive! Rome, Padua and Ancona – Italy, 2015. (Touring Lecture)
- Touring Club Italiano – Milan, 2013-2014-2015. (Workshop)
- TG3, RaiTre – Italy, 2015. “Photography Business Today” (TV Interview)
- Artè channel – France, 2015. (TV Interview)
- Amilcare Ponchielli Award – Jury member
- Same World, International Seminar organized by The European Union – Milan, 2015. (Lecture)
- I nostri Angeli, RaiUno – Italy, 2014. (TV Interview)
- Alle Falde del Kilimangiaro, RaiTre. Italy, 2014. “Environmental Migrants”. (TV Interview)
- Il Fotografo Magazine – Italy, 2014. (Print Interview)
- World Trade Institute – University of Bern. 2014. (Lecture)
- FOTONOMICA - Milan, 2013-2014-2015. (Workshops)
- Condominio Fotografico – Modica/Italy, 2014. (Workshop)
- ZOOM Magazine – Italy, 2014. (Print Interview)
- Officina Fotografica – Catania/Italy, 2014. (Workshop)
- Centro Italiano della Fotografia d’Autore. Bibbiena/Italy, 2014. (Lecture)
- LUZ Academy – Milan, 2013 and 2014. (Workshop).
- TEDx – Berlin, 2013. (Lecture)
- Actuphoto – France, 2013- “Environmental Migrants”. (Online Interview)
Since 2012, he has pursued a long-term project conceived and led by him, with support from the United Nations, exploring how climate change, migration, and rapid urbanisation are reshaping human lives, inviting viewers to confront the social and environmental urgencies of our time while offering a glimpse into the future of our planet.
Working across more than forty countries, from Iran to the Gaza Strip, from Haiti to Bolivia, and from Myanmar to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Grassani has developed a practice that blends documentary rigor with reflective, research-driven visual narratives. His ongoing project The Cold Divide, set between Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine, examines the concepts of suspension, fear, and dreams in nations physically and ideologically divided between East and West, weaving together documentary and evocative languages through the use of expired Soviet-era film.
Since 2011, he has been a regular contributor to The New York Times, completing over 150 assignments, alongside work for CNN, TIME, STERN, and El País Semanal, among others. His collaborations extend to numerous UN agencies as well as institutions such as USAID, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the AVSI Foundation, and Doctors of the World.
His visual narratives have also led major companies including Enel SPA, Lufthansa, Etro, GUCCI, Banca Intesa, LuisaViaRoma, Satispay, Trenitalia, and Warner Bros. to entrust him with corporate, advertising, educational, and cultural communication projects.
His work has been screened and exhibited internationally at venues such as the Palace of Nations, the Musée de l’Histoire de l’Immigration in Paris, the Royal Geographical Society in London, Les Rencontres d’Arles, VISA Pour l’Image, and the Diocesan Museum of Milan, among others.
He has received numerous prestigious awards, including two Sony World Photography Awards, the DAYS JAPAN International Photojournalism Awards, the Luis Valtueña International Humanitarian Photography Award, and the Amilcare Ponchielli Prize, and he has been nominated twice for both the Prix Pictet and the Leica Oskar Barnack Award.
A Sony Global Imaging Ambassador and TEDx Berlin speaker, Grassani is also committed to education through lectures, mentorships, and workshops.
SELECTED LECTURES, INTERVIEWS AND WORKSHOPS
- Banca Intesa San Paolo – Milan, 2024. “Trust” lecture for the company’s IT leadership team. (Lecture)
- FIAF Portfolio Italia 2024 award – Final jury member.
- Gucci S.p.A – Worldwide, 2023. “The Creative Process” online lecture for the company’s creative team. (Lecture)
- Franco Parenti Theater – Milan, 2020 – “A Wall in Between”. (Lecture)
- John Kaverdash Academy – Educator at the Master in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography – Milan, 2012-2020.
- University Scuola Normale Superiore – Pisa, 2020 – “Environmental Migration”. (Lecture)
- TG3 Mondo, RaiTre – Italy, 2020. “Female Boxers of Goma”. (TV Interview)
- BBC World News programme “Global” with presenter Matthew Amroliwala- London, 2019. “About Photography” (TV Interview)
- BBC World Service programme “News Hour” presenter Julian Worricker – London, 2019. “Female Boxers of Goma”. (Radio Interview)
- The Observer – UK, 2019. “Female Boxers of Goma” (Print and Online Interview)
- TG3 Mondo, RaiTre – Italy, 2019. “Mau Forest, Kenya”. (TV Interview)
- Logotel S.p.A – Milan, 2018. “Do It With Care” lecture for all company employees. (Lecture)
- Tor Vergata University – Rome, 2019. “Climate Change and Environmental Migration”. (Lecture)
- IUSS Higher University School – Pavia/Italy, 2019. “Environmental Migration”. (Lecture)
- Polo del 900 – Turin, 2019. “Climate Change and Human Settlements” together with professor Adriano Favole. (Lecture)
- Radio Rai Due GR Live – Italy, 2019. (Radio Interview)
- TG3 Mondo, RaiTre – Italy, 2018. “Environmental Migrants”. (TV Interview)
- Triennale di Milano – Milan, 2018. (Lecture)
- Gli sbandati, Radio Due – Italy, 2018. “Photography and its Future”. (Radio Interview)
- Il Fotografo Magazine – Italy, 2018. (Print Interview)
- Filarmonica Academy at Casale Monferrato, Italy, 2018. “On the Ways of Reportage”. (Lecture)
- “Photographing the Future”, curated by Denis Curti and organized by Sony S.p.A – Milan, 2018. (Talk)
- A Coruña Town Hall – A Coruña, Spain, 2018. (Lecture)
- Gli sbandati, Radio Due – Italy, 2018. (Radio Interview)
- TIME Magazine – USA, 2017. “The Long Journey to the Great Wall”. (Online Interview)
- Royal Villa of Monza – Monza/Italy, 2017. (Lecture)
- Spazio Forma Meravigli – Milan, 2017. (Lecture)
- National Geographic – USA, 2017. “Environmental Migrants”. (Online Interview)
- Corriere della Sera – Italy, 2016. (Print Interview)
- Marie Claire – Spain, 2016. “Climate Change and Environmental Migrants”. (Print Interview)
- NikonLive! Rome, Padua and Ancona – Italy, 2015. (Touring Lecture)
- Touring Club Italiano – Milan, 2013-2014-2015. (Workshop)
- TG3, RaiTre – Italy, 2015. “Photography Business Today” (TV Interview)
- Artè channel – France, 2015. (TV Interview)
- Amilcare Ponchielli Award – Jury member
- Same World, International Seminar organized by The European Union – Milan, 2015. (Lecture)
- I nostri Angeli, RaiUno – Italy, 2014. (TV Interview)
- Alle Falde del Kilimangiaro, RaiTre. Italy, 2014. “Environmental Migrants”. (TV Interview)
- Il Fotografo Magazine – Italy, 2014. (Print Interview)
- World Trade Institute – University of Bern. 2014. (Lecture)
- FOTONOMICA - Milan, 2013-2014-2015. (Workshops)
- Condominio Fotografico – Modica/Italy, 2014. (Workshop)
- ZOOM Magazine – Italy, 2014. (Print Interview)
- Officina Fotografica – Catania/Italy, 2014. (Workshop)
- Centro Italiano della Fotografia d’Autore. Bibbiena/Italy, 2014. (Lecture)
- LUZ Academy – Milan, 2013 and 2014. (Workshop).
- TEDx – Berlin, 2013. (Lecture)
- Actuphoto – France, 2013- “Environmental Migrants”. (Online Interview)