Martin CAGNATO - Martintxu
An artistic journey between wildlife photography and painting
About Martin
Martin, a French expert in nature conservation, is dedicated to the preservation of island ecosystems. His passion began when he was a child and his parents instilled in him the values of nature conservation and a love for travel.
​
His missions lead him to remote islands worldwide where he endeavours to find solutions that safeguard the biodiversity and remarkable untamed ecosystems.
​
An expertise in nature conservation...
His primary focus lies in finding effective strategies to protect island ecosystems from invasive alien species. This threat is responsible for 80% of modern extinctions on these landmasses despite them only counting for 5% of the Earth’s surface (more information available at Kiore service).
​
Carrying out these missions allows one to get involved in the preservation of living heritage during a period when the planet is experiencing its sixth mass extinction due to human activity.
​
His work allows him to visit lesser-known remote places like Europa, Juan de Nova, and Grande Glorieuse (French possessions administered by the French Southern and Antarctic Lands - TAAF) or more recently, Aldabra (administered by the Seychelles Islands Foundation), highlighting their pristine environments and the need for preservation.
Crossing the mangrove of Europa Island
Inspiring his photographies...
During his missions, Martin and his teams spend up to three months in near-autonomy. These experiences are remarkable human adventures as well as immersive artistic journey.
.jpg)
While not a professional artist, Martin captures breathtaking images with his camera. He’s inspired by his explorations and particularly by the wildlife he encounters. The isolated breathtaking landscapes and the wild nature inspire his photography, drawing and more recently painting. He works under the pseudonym "Martintxu".
​
This work, along with the time he spends on these islands provides unique opportunity to document and raise awareness about the significance of preserving this natural wealth. His work is showcased in the "Tropical islands" section.
Walking on the beach of Grande Glorieuse Island
And other artistic activities.
Martin has also extended his artistic expression into creating video content. He collaborates with the association "Low Production" which focuses on producing documentaries highlighting social and environmental themes. Their mission is to share knowledge freely and inspire positive change.Hopefully, their documentaries will be available on their website in the near future.
​
Some of this video content may possibly be featured on this website in the future.
​
​
​
Stay tuned for exciting updates!
Shooting of the second documentary (Pandiyé)