ROME — The exhibition Through Southern Lenses: Science in Focus officially opened on 7 May 2026 at Palazzo Pamphilj’s Galleria Candido Portinari, at the Embassy of Brazil in Rome. Promoted by the Conrado Wessel Foundation (FCW) in partnership with The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS), the exhibition will be open to the public until 19 June 2026, with free admission.
At the heart of the exhibition is the photo essay “Planting Water” by Musuk Nolte, winner of the inaugural international edition of the Through Southern Lenses: Science in Focus award, launched by FCW and TWAS to showcase science in the global South through photography.
Nolte’s work was selected from submissions representing 26 countries across four continents, standing out for its powerful visual narrative and its ability to weave together scientific research, ancestral knowledge, and community resilience in the face of the climate crisis. The essay documents a practice revived in the Peruvian Andes—known as “planting water”—which combines traditional techniques and contemporary science to help communities adapt to increasing drought and environmental stress.
The exhibition also features photo essays by three photographers awarded the FCW Photography Prize:
Érico Hiller (Minas Gerais), 2025 winner with a project on climate change;
Luciana Whitaker (Rio de Janeiro), 2024 awardee with the theme “Brazil, a Surreal Country”;
Fabiano Carvalho (Acre), 2023 winner with a project focused on computer sciences.