Ocean rage West Africa’s coastline disappears at Xposure 2026

January 29, 2026 / 8:16 PM

Sharjah 24: “Today I’m going to tell you the story of a village that no longer exists,” award-winning documentary photographer Matilde Gattoni told an expectant audience at the 10th Xposure International Photography Festival (Xposure 2026), as she prepared to share her stark account of climate emergency impacts on coastal communities.

Ocean Rage: West Africa being swallowed by the sea

Gattoni’s presentation, titled “Ocean Rage: West Africa is being swallowed by the sea,” was shot along 7,000 kilometers of coastline from Mauritania to Cameroon. The work highlights how coastal erosion in parts of West Africa is advancing by up to 36 meters per year, forcing tens of millions of people to relocate as entire villages are abandoned and traditional fishing communities become ghost towns within decades.

The human cost of climate change

Having focused on climate issues for a decade, Gattoni travelled to Ghana in 2016 and was deeply affected by what she witnessed. She explained that rising temperatures have driven fish stocks to migrate, starving local fishermen, while erosion and salinisation have reduced arable land and contaminated freshwater reserves.

Loss of homes, heritage, and livelihoods

The crisis extends beyond environmental damage, leading to the destruction of homes, churches, farmland, and community infrastructure, erasing centuries-old coastal ways of life. Gattoni’s documentary portrays the extreme vulnerability and displacement faced by these communities, showing how the sea destroys livelihoods, cultural heritage, and social structures, while contaminating water wells and damaging essential services.

A Voice of fear and uncertainty

Gattoni warned that traditional communities are being sacrificed in the name of modernity and consumerism. She shared a haunting quote from a villager she interviewed: “Every time I go to sleep, I know it may be my last time as the waves may take me away. I am very afraid for the future of this place, sooner or later we will have to leave. But we have nowhere to go.”

Xposure 2026: A global platform for visual storytelling

Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), the 10th edition of Xposure 2026 runs from January 29 to February 4 and features more than 420 photographers, filmmakers, and visual artists from over 60 countries.