Marco Vernaschi

Marco Vernaschi is globally recognized for his diverse body of work, seamlessly merging fine art, advocacy, and documentary. His thought-provoking photography and distinctive portraiture have established him as one of the most prominent contemporary artists.

Among his most iconic works, the autobiographical series Placebo—exhibited at the Venice Biennale and hailed by David Lynch as “a monumental break in photography”—marked a defining moment in his career. His recent body of work, Antidote, presenting indigenous worldview as a powerful form of resistance, have further bolstered his influence in contemporary portraiture.

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Marco Vernaschi is a distinctive voice in contemporary visual culture—an artist and producer whose work transcends boundaries, blending creative expression, advocacy, and the raw essence of human experience. Spanning the frontlines of global crises and the introspective landscapes of fine art, Vernaschi has carved out a career defined by emotional depth and a profound commitment to using his artistic practice as a catalyst for personal and social transformation.

He first rose to international prominence for his in-depth documentary work, creating powerful investigations like Narco State, Dying for Treatment, and Child Sacrifice—riveting exposés on narco-terrorism, maternal mortality, and child organ trafficking in Africa. Supported by the Pulitzer Center and recognized with a World Press Photo Award and other accolades, these projects reflected both his photographic mastery and a strong sense of human engagement.

Vernaschi’s creative journey, however, was never meant to be confined by form or expectation. In 2011 his career took a bold turn with Placebo, a daring autobiographical exploration of sexuality and perception that catapulted him into the realm of contemporary fine art. Premiering at the 54th Venice Biennale and hailed by filmmaker David Lynch as “a monumental break in photography,” Placebo marked a seismic shift—not just in Vernaschi’s career, but in the visual language of photography itself. With Placebo, Vernaschi turned the camera inward—into the subconscious, the erotic, and the spiritual. The series, also exhibited at the MACRO Museum and other venues, explored sexual energy as a primal force shaping identity, perception, and healing. Through hauntingly raw and symbolic imagery, Vernaschi constructed an intimate visual narrative that was both intensely personal and universally resonant.

marco vernaschi, gaucha, apple campaign

Marco Vernaschi • APPLE #ShotOniPhone

Building on this radical departure, Vernaschi created Biophilia, a series that further deepened his exploration of humanity’s inner landscapes—this time through our intrinsic connection with the natural world. Celebrated for its meditative beauty and psychological intensity, Biophilia offered a profound visual reflection on the human need to reconnect with nature in an age of disconnection and ecological decline. Exhibited internationally at venues such as the Noorderlicht Festival and the Tokyo Institute of Photography, the series revealed another facet of Vernaschi’s artistry: a capacity to evoke wonder, intimacy, and environmental urgency in equal measure. Through dreamlike compositions and haunting atmospheres, Biophilia stands as a lyrical plea for spiritual reconnection and ecological awareness—further cementing his status as a visionary voice in contemporary art.

Marco Vernaschi • SEEDS for LIFE

From that moment on, Vernaschi embraced a more fluid, poetic, and deeply personal form of storytelling—without ever abandoning his activist soul. His campaign SEEDS for LIFE, supported by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, tackled the devastating impact of agrochemicals in Argentina, leading to real policy change. Gaucha, created for Apple’s global #ShotOniPhone campaign, celebrated the strength and wisdom of Argentina’s indigenous matriarchs in a stunning visual homage to cultural resilience.

With Warmi, he turned his lens toward the Andean Altiplano, spotlighting indigenous women as guardians of identity and land, fusing ancestral feminism with contemporary vision. With Macondo, one of his most iconic portrait series to date, he reimagines climate resilience through the lens of magical realism—crafting a cinematic, spiritual meditation on humanity’s relationship with nature, myth, and survival. In The Land of Never After, he explores Argentina’s endless pendulum swings between populist ideologies. Framed through the iconic Gaucho culture, the series exposes the stark contrast between the country’s founding ideals of unity and social justice and the polarizing rhetoric of hatred that prevails today.

In a world increasingly desensitized by noise, Marco Vernaschi offers something rare and vital: a clear, courageous, and profoundly human vision. His legacy is not only one of artistic innovation, but of conscience—and of a deep belief in the power of storytelling to reshape the future. Through his lens, we are invited not just to see the world differently, but to care enough to change it.