Prada’s SEA BEYOND turns arctic imagery into climate dialogue

In the marbled interiors of Palazzo Aeronautica, the past and present collapse into a single, unsettling frame. Black-and-white archival images of Umberto Nobile’s 1926 Arctic expedition line the walls, their grainy textures capturing a moment when the North Pole still represented the edge of the known world. Opposite them hang vast, luminous photographs by Enzo Barracco — the same landscapes, a century later, refracted through the lens of climate urgency. The exhibition, Due sguardi sull’Artico a confronto (Two Perspectives on the Arctic), forms part of SEA BEYOND, the long-running educational initiative launched by the Prada Group in partnership with UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. But unlike most sustainability projects tied to luxury, this is not about materials innovation or carbon targets. It is about perception. A visual language for a scientific crisis For Barracco, the challenge of climate storytelling is not the lack of data, but the failure of that data to resonate. “I believe photography has an extraordinary power to communicate complexity without mediation,” he says. “It is silent, it is still, but it reaches people immediately. It doesn’t need translation. It goes exactly where numbers cannot arrive.” The statement, delivered during the Rome presentation, reflects years of work across Antarctica, the Galápagos, Hawaii, and Alaska. His images deliberately avoid scientific framing or explanatory captions. Instead, they invite a more instinctive response. “In my exhibitions, I never use captions,” Barracco says. “I want the viewer to complete the work. It’s a dialogue. The image is only one part, the audience brings the rest. That’s how a deeper connection is created.” This approach echoes a historical precedent. Barracco points to Charles Darwin, whose expeditions relied on visual artists to translate scientific discovery into accessible imagery. “Art and science have always worked together,” he says. “Today, I see my work as a continuation of that relationship, but adapted to a contemporary audience that is overwhelmed with information yet increasingly disconnected from nature.” The strategic choice of beauty In a media landscape saturated with images of environmental destruction, Barracco’s refusal to depict catastrophe stands out. “My work focuses exclusively on the beauty and the power of nature,” he says. “I do not concentrate on environmental loss or disaster. Because I have never seen anyone inspired by a negative story. Beauty, on the other hand, can make you fall in love again. And when you fall in love, you begin to care.” It is a philosophy rooted as much in psychology as in aesthetics. Barracco, who began his career in fashion photography, brings a refined visual language to landscapes often framed through scientific detachment. “I come from fashion, so I bring that sense of composition, of lines, of visual harmony,” he says. “But in nature, beauty is not decorative. It has a purpose. It is part of a much more complex system. That is what makes it powerful.” The result is a body of work that reframes climate change not as an abstract crisis, but as a tangible, emotional reality: one that demands attention precisely because of what is at stake. SEA BEYOND as platform, not campaign If Barracco provides the emotional entry point, SEA BEYOND provides the scale. Since its launch in 2019, the initiative has expanded far beyond exhibitions, evolving into a global educational ecosystem spanning schools, cultural institutions, and scientific organizations. Its central focus “ocean literacy” is both specific and symbolic, positioning the ocean as a connective force across geographies and communities. For Lorenzo Bertelli, head of corporate social responsibility at Prada, the project reflects a long-term vision that extends well beyond brand communication. “SEA BEYOND is not a campaign. It is a commitment,” he says. “We started with a clear idea: if we want to contribute to a better future, we need to invest in education, especially for younger generations. Because that is where real change begins.” Bertelli emphasizes that the initiative is designed as a collaborative model, bringing together public and private actors. “We are working with UNESCO, with scientific institutions, with schools. This is not something a single company can do alone,” he says. “The goal is to create a system where knowledge, culture, and responsibility come together.” That system is underpinned by financial and operational backing. Prada has committed resources from its Re-Nylon initiative to support SEA BEYOND, linking product innovation with educational outreach. “At the end of the day, luxury has a responsibility,” Bertelli says. “We have visibility, we have resources, and we have influence. It is our duty to use them to set an example, not only in terms of products, but in terms of values.” Bridging a century of exploration The Rome exhibition underscores how that vision translates into practice. By placing Barracco’s contemporary images alongside Nobile’s archival photographs, the project creates a visual dialogue across time. For Barracco, retracing the Arctic route a century later was both humbling and revealing. “What struck me most is that even today, with all our technology, the Arctic remains an extremely challenging place,” he says. “It is still hostile, still difficult to access. That gives you immense respect for those early explorers, who were navigating almost blindly.” Yet the project also highlights a shift in meaning. Exploration is no longer about discovery, but about understanding and preservation. One of Barracco’s most vivid memories comes from observing driftwood along the Arctic shore and trees transported thousands of kilometers by ocean currents. “It was a powerful reminder that everything is connected,” he says. “We think of nature as something distant, but our actions travel far beyond our immediate environment. What happens in Europe can impact the Arctic, the Antarctic, and everywhere.” Rebuilding connection through curiosity If SEA BEYOND has a unifying objective, calling young people, especially the next generation, to pay attention to ocean conservation. “We live in a time when we feel separated from nature,” Barracco reflects. “We think it exists somewhere else. But in reality, we are part of it. We have just forgotten.” His work aims to reverse that perception, not through instruction but through curiosity. “I hope my images create surprise,” he says. “Because curiosity leads you to explore, to understand, and eventually to care. Without that first step, nothing else happens.” Bertelli echoes this sentiment, particularly in relation to younger audiences. “When you engage people early, you give them a different perspective,” he says. “You are not imposing ideas, you are opening a door. And once that door is open, they carry that awareness with them.” Luxury’s expanding role SEA BEYOND ultimately reflects a broader shift within the luxury industry. As consumers, particularly younger ones, demand greater accountability and purpose, brands are increasingly expected to engage with global challenges in meaningful ways. For Prada Group, the answer lies not in amplifying the crisis, but in reframing the conversation. By combining art, science, and education, SEA BEYOND transforms sustainability from a technical issue into a cultural one. It leverages the emotional power of imagery, the credibility of scientific partnerships, and the reach of luxury to create a new kind of narrative.

Prada’s SEA BEYOND turns Arctic imagery into climate dialogue

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Prada’s SEA BEYOND turns Arctic imagery into climate dialogue

How Bottega Veneta weaved China’s forever it bag