Elements, the Pirelli Calendar is symbiosis between women and nature

"It is my 33rd calendar. Sølve, like all the photographers before him, has expressed his art. And I found the project he proposed very interesting because it combines nature in all its forms and a cast of women, each from a different world, with a true story behind them'. Marco Tronchetti Provera, number one of the Pirelli group, while discussing the 52nd edition of The Cal, shifts the focus to the meaning of the Calendar. Which, he makes clear, does not necessarily have to send a message, because 'the calendar is free, it must not promote anything, but express quality and have an artist who knows how to give something special'. And Sølve Sundsbø, according to Pirelli's number one, has succeeded perfectly in capturing that "visually unexpected world" to which the author aspired.

In the magical setting of Prague, at the Municipal House, Pirelli unveils the 2026 Calendar signed by the Norwegian photographer. Entitled Elements, its 22 photographs explore the connection between the human being and nature, with its protagonists portrayed as symbolic embodiments of the natural elements, earth, air, fire and water, as well as more intangible forces such as energy, ether and light. Sundsbø chose 11 muses from the worlds of film, fashion, sport and music: the Italian actresses Luisa Ranieri and Isabella Rossellini, the American Adria Arjona and the British actresses Gwendoline Christie and Tilda Swinton. But also fashion designer Susie Cave, supermodels Eva Herzigova Du Juan and IrinaShayk, singer FKA Twigs and tennis icon Venus Williams with her forty-nine WTA titles.

Women, those chosen by the Norwegian author, who end up becoming under his lens a perfect synthesis of nature, technology and sensuality. "We shared the idea that these were women who came from different fields of work and activities, that they had depth in what they did, and that this made them part of this ambitious project by Sølve where nature and beauty are linked to personal qualities. This resulted in a special mix and the magic of Prague helped,' Tronchetti Provera emphasises.

The combinations chosen by the Norwegian photographer thus make the project, which has always served to mark the passing of time, perpetual. Which is none other than the essence of the Pirelli Calendar, son of the times as Tronchetti Provera emphasises, but also unchanged in its identity, made of paper and photography. The ability to innovate the project's communication has also contributed to the Calendar's not getting "old". The sacredness of the photos on paper remains, kept in boxes that have become works of design, alongside a rich digital production, made up of photos, videos and texts produced by Pirelli for formats that follow the photographer's story without ever stealing the scene.

"The Calendar is not limited to the four traditional elements. I wanted to capture emotions, instincts and moods that are central to human life," says Sundsbø, who speaks of "the desire for freedom and curiosity" combined with "the thirst for knowledge". The whole thing is "a kind of mystery, imagination, passion, the desire for emancipation, the connection with nature and our relationship with time and space. It is a way to connect us to something we come from'. These are "ambitious goals", admits the artist himself, highlighting the importance of technology's contribution. "New technologies allowed nature to be not just a background, but a deep connection with the protagonists. Moreover, the combination of the women and the various elements was "born out of a confrontation with them" and everything happened "instinctively". For example, Eva Herzigova was immersed in water, but 'I knew that she is strong and courageous'. Among the 11 protagonists is also tennis player Venus Williams, who is 'very powerful', so 'the contact with fire came out well', while British singer-songwriter Kfa twuigs 'didn't like water and preferred to be on the sand'. In general, "they are all women whom I admire not only for what they have done, but also as human beings", reveals Sundsbø, who wanted to photograph "mature women, with experience and depth. Women I respect deeply".