Gold

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What is it about this lifeless yellow metal that drives people to leave their homes, sell all their possessions, and traverse an entire continent, risking their lives, health, and bones for a dream? In 1979, gold was discovered in Serra Pelada, igniting the longing for the legendary El Dorado. For a decade, it was the largest open-pit gold mine in the world, employing around 50,000 miners under extreme conditions. Today, the memories of Brazil's gold rush are legendary, supported by Sebastião Salgado's photographs. After years of prohibition, Salgado was granted permission to visit the mine in 1986 and was shocked by the sight: a massive pit filled with thousands of men working in harsh conditions. While color photography dominated the era, Salgado chose to use black-and-white photography, leading to a revival of this tradition. His images evoke a profound silence in the New York Times Magazine. Despite the mine's closure, the drama of the gold rush remains alive in his work, captured in large-format reproductions.