Alessandro Grassani is a photographer and a visual journalist. He uses photography and video as his main form of expression.
At the beginning of his career, from 2003 to 2009, he focused his work in Iran, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories. He was at the funeral of Yasser Arafat, before and during the clearing out of the Israeli settlements in Gaza Strip and again after the Hamas election victory and the military operation in Gaza Strip, the Israeli-called “Summer Rain”. He has visited Iran for the first time to document the effects of the Bam earthquake, and has since visited more than a dozen times to explore the situation of the Hebrew-Iranian Jews and has continuing work there on a long-term project on Iranian ethnic minorities.
Over the years he has worked on personal projects and assignments in more than 40 countries around the world, from Mozambique to the Ivory Coast, from Haiti to Bolivia and from Myanmar to Indonesia.
Since 2011, he has been a regular contributor with The New York Times and has also contributed to other media outlets such as CNN, TIME magazine, National Geographic, Vanity Fair, El Pais Semanal, and Stern, just to name a few.
He has also worked on several cultural projects, reports, and assignments for organizations such as the United Nations, IOM International Organization for Migration, UNOPS, AVSI Foundation, USAID, the German Institute for Human Rights, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, and Doctors of the World.
Grassani’s visual narratives have been picked up by different companies who have commissioned him to develop corporate and ADV communication projects. His clients include Enel SPA, Lufthansa, Etro, GUCCI, LuisaViaRoma, Satispay, Parmacotto, Trenitalia (the Italian national railway company), Silversea Cruises, and ICE (Italian foreign trade institution).
Today, his personal projects focuses mainly on long terms documentary projects in which he explores the consequences of climate change and its aftermath on society. But, after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, he began a new personal project in which he explores the concepts of suspension, fear, and dreams in the nations ideologically divided between East and West.
His work has been exhibited and screened at festivals and galleries worldwide including the United Nations, the Museum of Immigration at the Palais de la Porte Dorèe in Paris, the Royal Geographic Society in London, the Rencontres de la Photographie in Arles, VISA Pour l’Image in Perpignan and the International Center for Climate Governance.
A selection of Grassani’s accolades includes two Sony World Photography Awards (2012 and 2019), the DAYS JAPAN International Photojournalism Awards, the Luchetta International Press Award for photography, the Luis Valtueña International Humanitarian Photography Award, and the Amilcari Ponchielli Award.
He is a Sony Global Imaging Ambassador and a TEDx Berlin speaker. He is continuously engaged in educational activities such as lectures 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)
At the beginning of his career, from 2003 to 2009, he focused his work in Iran, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories. He was at the funeral of Yasser Arafat, before and during the clearing out of the Israeli settlements in Gaza Strip and again after the Hamas election victory and the military operation in Gaza Strip, the Israeli-called “Summer Rain”. He has visited Iran for the first time to document the effects of the Bam earthquake, and has since visited more than a dozen times to explore the situation of the Hebrew-Iranian Jews and has continuing work there on a long-term project on Iranian ethnic minorities.
Over the years he has worked on personal projects and assignments in more than 40 countries around the world, from Mozambique to the Ivory Coast, from Haiti to Bolivia and from Myanmar to Indonesia.
Since 2011, he has been a regular contributor with The New York Times and has also contributed to other media outlets such as CNN, TIME magazine, National Geographic, Vanity Fair, El Pais Semanal, and Stern, just to name a few.
He has also worked on several cultural projects, reports, and assignments for organizations such as the United Nations, IOM International Organization for Migration, UNOPS, AVSI Foundation, USAID, the German Institute for Human Rights, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, and Doctors of the World.
Grassani’s visual narratives have been picked up by different companies who have commissioned him to develop corporate and ADV communication projects. His clients include Enel SPA, Lufthansa, Etro, GUCCI, LuisaViaRoma, Satispay, Parmacotto, Trenitalia (the Italian national railway company), Silversea Cruises, and ICE (Italian foreign trade institution).
Today, his personal projects focuses mainly on long terms documentary projects in which he explores the consequences of climate change and its aftermath on society. But, after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, he began a new personal project in which he explores the concepts of suspension, fear, and dreams in the nations ideologically divided between East and West.
His work has been exhibited and screened at festivals and galleries worldwide including the United Nations, the Museum of Immigration at the Palais de la Porte Dorèe in Paris, the Royal Geographic Society in London, the Rencontres de la Photographie in Arles, VISA Pour l’Image in Perpignan and the International Center for Climate Governance.
A selection of Grassani’s accolades includes two Sony World Photography Awards (2012 and 2019), the DAYS JAPAN International Photojournalism Awards, the Luchetta International Press Award for photography, the Luis Valtueña International Humanitarian Photography Award, and the Amilcari Ponchielli Award.
He is a Sony Global Imaging Ambassador and a TEDx Berlin speaker. He is continuously engaged in educational activities such as lectures 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)