Zed Nelson's "The Anthropocene Illusion" exhibition

Summary

Sony World Photography Awards' Photographer of the Year 2025, Zed Nelson, presents "The Anthropocene Illusion" at Somerset House. The exhibition showcases six years of work across 14 countries, exploring humanity's fabricated interactions with the natural world. Nelson uses a restrained, documentary style to photograph artificial landscapes, synthetic beaches, and manipulated natural environments, inviting viewers to perceive the dissonance between what has been lost and the simulations created to replace it. The project highlights the broken ancient bonds with nature since the industrial revolution and the commercial supply of artificial connections.

Key points

• Zed Nelson's "The Anthropocene Illusion" exhibition is on display at Somerset House.
• The project documents humanity's artificial relationship with nature over six years.
• Nelson's work uses a restrained style to photograph simulated natural environments.
• The exhibition is part of the 2026 Sony World Photography Awards exhibition.