“I want to awaken a sense of reverence,” says photographer Gleeson Paulino of his solo show Echoes of the Amazon. “A reminder that we are not separate from nature, but a part of it; a call to remember, to respect, and to reconnect.” 

Paulino’s evocative photography explores the cultural, social and environmental realities of the changing rainforest and indigenous communities of the Amazon. The arresting exhibition, curated by Marie Gomis-Trezise of Galerie Gomis and held at Sheriff Gallery, Paris, delves into the region’s entrenched connection with nature, the resilience of its native peoples and the urgency of environmental preservation. Capturing the luscious but fragile beauty of the jungle, Echoes of the Amazon, presented in collaboration with Tales, an international non-profit multimedia initiative dedicated to broadening perspectives and connecting worlds, invites viewers to reflect on our shared responsibility to protect vital ecosystems. 

I’m documenting real people and real moments, but I’m also chasing something more intangible – an energy, a lingering atmosphere – Gleeson Paulino

Paulino was “conceived in the Amazon and born in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul”, where he grew up before moving to London at 17. “I was surrounded by incredible biodiversity,” he tells Dazed, but, growing up, he took its beauty for granted. “It was years later, after moving abroad that I felt a strong pull to reconnect with my roots.” It was this magnetism that took him to the Amazon, where he observed up close the fragility and balance of Amazonian ecosystems. “I immersed myself in the daily lives of indigenous communities, witnessing their resilience and the environmental challenges they face.” 

Climate change can seem abstract and distant. Direct manifestations first impact countries in the Global South. Where statistics and words often falter, photography and film can have a greater capacity to invoke an emotional response. “Photography has the power to awaken empathy, to pause someone for just a second longer, and maybe even to inspire care and action. I’m documenting real people and real moments, but I’m also chasing something more intangible – an energy, a lingering atmosphere,” he tells us. 

Paulino’s imagery is surreal, dreamlike, and painterly. They might appear otherworldly and unfamiliar to the urban eye, intuitively blending the factual with the emotional, what is seen with what is felt. “I let my feelings lead the way, sensing when a moment wants to be captured,” he says of those ‘in-between spaces’, “where reality softens and something more mysterious emerges.” 

“I grew up in a very closed, religious family with no real connection to the outside world. We weren’t allowed to watch films or listen to contemporary music. The only music I was exposed to was Mozart and Bach, which we studied as part of the church’s orchestra – it was sacred, structured, and deeply embedded in our daily lives,” says Paulino. “It wasn’t until I moved to London that everything changed and I, for the first time, encountered art in all its forms – cinema, music, literature.” Cinema, in particular its modes and rhythms of storytelling, became a profound inspiration for the photographer. “My photography is often guided by that same emotional current.” 

The creative partnership between Paulino and curator Marie Gomis-Trezise unfolded organically, the photographer tells us. “Working with Tales and Sheriff Projects was really special. They care deeply about storytelling and creating space for meaningful dialogue. It’s not just about showing images – it’s about sharing emotion, starting conversation and inviting people to feel more connected to nature and each other.” 

As he reflects on this project ahead of his next, a feature film exploring identity, belonging and mental health, Paulino considers Echoes of the Amazon as a deeply personal journey that helped him reconnect with parts of himself he’d been long distant from. He concludes: “The forest breathes, feels and responds. We depend on it, and in many ways, it depends on us too.” 

Gleeson Paulino: Echoes Of The Amazon (presented by Galerie Gomis, in collaboration with Tales and curated by Marie Gomis-Trezise) runs at Sheriff Gallery, Paris, until 2 May, 2025