Pierre Verger (1902-1996) was a renowned French photographer, self-taught ethnographer, and later, a Yoruba priest (Babalawo) who devoted his life to documenting the African diaspora and the cultural and religious ties between West Africa and the Americas. His unique perspective evolved from an itinerant photojournalist to an immersed participant in the cultures he studied.
Verger began his nomadic life as a photographer in 1932 after his mother's death, traveling the world and capturing everyday life in places that would soon change forever. He co-founded the Alliance Photo agency with contemporaries like Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson.
Though his work remained somewhat marginal in the global North during his lifetime, he is considered one of the most outstanding photographers of the 20th century in his adopted homeland of Brazil and throughout Latin America, influencing generations of artists and scientists.