Italian black-and-white photographer Gianni Berengo Gardin dies at 94

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ROME (Reuters) -Gianni Berengo Gardin, one of Italy’s most celebrated photographers, whose black-and-white images chronicled social and cultural changes, has died at the age of 94, the Italian Photography Centre, where he served as president, said on Thursday.

Berengo Gardin was born in Santa Margherita Ligure on October 10, 1930, but he considered himself Venetian.

“My father is Venetian from St Mark’s Square, my wife is Venetian, my children are Venetian. Although I was not born there, I have always considered myself an adopted Venetian,” he once said.

He was renowned for his documentary approach and iconic portraits of post-war Italy, capturing everyday life from the Venetian lagoon to the industrial landscapes of Milan.

Over a career that spanned more than 60 years, Berengo Gardin published over 250 books and his work was featured in dozens of exhibitions in Italy and abroad.

Often compared to Henri Cartier-Bresson, Berengo Gardin was celebrated for his vision and commitment to photography as a tool for social commentary.

“I am not an artist, nor do I wish to be: I am only a witness of my era,” he said.

His work was featured in collections at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Maison Europeenne de la Photographie in Paris.

“In Gianni Berengo Gardin, we have lost an undisputed master of photography,” Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli said.

“He was a true explorer who knew how to portray humanity and nature in every corner of the earth. His gaze illuminated the history of the 20th century.”

(Reporting by Francesca Piscioneri, editing by Ed Osmond)