At MUDEC, 200 Years of Photography in 100 Images: the exhibition that tells the story of the world through its most iconic shots

Editorial Staff
Mar 7
3 min read

From Niépce to Mapplethorpe, and up to contemporary artists: in Milan, a major exhibition traces two centuries of photography and the ways images have shaped our collective memory.

Exhibition room with a dark blue wall displaying "100 Fotografie per ereditare il mondo" text. Vintage camera in a glass case and two framed portraits are showcased. — Entrance installation of exhibition "100 fotografie per ereditare il mondo" (100 photographs to inherit the world), courtesy MUDEC. Ph Jule Hering

In a time dominated by continuous and often fleeting images, pausing in front of one hundred photographs can become an almost revolutionary act. It is from this intuition that "100 fotografie per ereditare il mondo" (100 photographs to inherit the world) was born, the new exhibition at MUDEC - Museo delle Culture, open from March 7 to June 28, 2026.

Curated by Denis Curti in collaboration with Alessio Fusi and Alessandro Curti, the exhibition offers a journey across two centuries of photographic history, placing at its core not only the images themselves but also their power to shape memory, awareness, and collective identity.

The exhibition suggests that photography is both testimony and interpretation. It is a medium that has documented wars, scientific achievements, social transformations, and cultural revolutions, but also private emotions, desires, and vulnerabilities. In this sense, “inheriting the world” means learning to read the present through the images that came before it.

Produced by 24 ORE Cultura, the exhibition is supported by Zurich Insurance Group as the main sponsor and by Turisanda1924.

From the birth of photography to contemporary overproduction

The exhibition begins by reflecting on the transition from a society without images to one completely immersed in them. Early nineteenth-century experiments marked the start of a visual revolution that, over the course of the twentieth century, evolved into an artistic language, a historical document, and a form of personal introspection.

The exhibition is organized into several sections that trace this evolution: from the birth of photography, to its dimension suspended between reality and fiction, to reflections on its role as a historical document, an identity diary, a symbolic evocation, and finally a compass for the future.

This structure allows visitors to understand how the photographic gaze has evolved over time: from a technical and experimental tool to a universal medium capable of interpreting the complexity of the contemporary world.

Gallery interior with framed black-and-white photographs on blue walls. A red entrance banner reads, "Photography as journal." The atmosphere is calm and contemplative.

A museum gallery with light blue walls displays a series of framed photographs. The images include portraits and scenes, creating a contemplative atmosphere. — Installation views mostra "100 fotografie per ereditare il mondo" (100 photographs to inherit the world), courtesy MUDEC. Ph Jule Hering

Images that have shaped collective memory

Walking through the exhibition, the role of photography as the “eye of the world” emerges strongly. Some images have helped shape the way we remember pivotal moments in history, while others have transformed the body, the landscape, or everyday life into powerful visual symbols.

Today, in an era defined by the relentless production of digital images, this legacy takes on an even more urgent significance. New generations live alongside a visual memory of the twentieth century that is no longer a direct trauma, but a cultural backdrop. Many contemporary artists no longer seek only the event to document, but its emotional resonance, what endures over time.

An exhibition to navigate the present

“100 fotografie per ereditare il mondo” thus becomes a space for reflection on our relationship with images. The exhibition invites visitors to slow down their gaze and consider how photography continues to shape our perception of reality, influencing memory, identity, and visions of the future.

Within this interplay of eras and languages, MUDEC - Museum of Cultures affirms its mission to tell the stories of the world’s cultures through visual and narrative tools that resonate with the present.

A panel of six people sits on a stage, discussing in front of an illuminated screen displaying text and an urban photograph. The event appears formal. — Press preview conference in the museum Auditorium, courtesy MUDEC. Ph Jule Hering

Talks and exhibition spin-off

The exhibition also includes a program of talks and in-depth sessions.

On March 14 at 5:00 PM, the MUDEC Auditorium will host a conversation between curator Denis Curti and Ettore Molinario, founder of the Casa Museo Molinario Colombari, dedicated to the 200th anniversary of Niépce’s first photograph.

In parallel, a spin-off of the exhibition will be installed at the Milan office of Zurich Insurance Group, featuring a selection of seven photographs from the main show.