Posts Tagged ‘Sebastiao Salgado’

There is a lot that we as a nation don’t know about the vast continent of Africa.  Aside from bloody conflicts and bloodied aid workers in the news, our image of African nations is sadly under-informed.  That isn’t to say we can’t geographically place countries on a map of Africa or tell you who Nelson Mandela is and why he’s such a significant man.  It is to say that our image of Africa tends to be one-sided; we tend to look at it as a continent perpetually in need, an example of how vast the difference is between the first and third world.  It’s unfortunate that we often forget how beautiful, earthy, courageous, and changing the landscape is. 

On now through October 1 at the Peter Fetterman Gallery at Bergamot Station is a black and white photography exhibit simply called “Africa” that shows an authentic and not always helpless view of the continent we collectively know little about.  People who’ve spent a significant amount of time in an African country have said when they get home, that they feel a sense of nostalgia for it.  The continent is home to some of the world’s poorest countries most in need of aid, however there is an impenetrable spirit that Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado captures eloquently in this exhibit. 

He shows you a side of Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda that you won’t see on the news or in a public service announcement.  Some of the images, it almost goes without saying, will haunt you or will tug at those heart strings, but then there are others that make you feel proud or curious about what’s in front of you.  These images don’t feel doctored to the point of erasing the individuality of these countries or the natural beauty inherent on the continent.  The exhibit truly celebrates them. 

Sebastiao Salgado’s “Africa” is on view at the Peter Fetterman Gallery at Bergamot Station through October 1, 2009.  For more information, please call (310) 453-6463 or click here.