Cataloochee Ranch – Chef Jeb outdoors Ben Finch Photography 5
Campbell River tourism operators, photographer raise $2,000 for wildlife rescue
Local wildlife rescue efforts are going to benefit from $2,000 raised by Campbell River Whale Watching and photographer Liron Gertsman.
Gertsman and Campbell River Whale Watching joined forces for the 2023 season to host a five-day photography workshop that celebrated coastal wildlife and bald eagles. The workshop was popular, and a portion of the proceeds were set aside to go towards local wildlife rescue.
On April 22, Gertsman and Campbell River Whale Watching owners Stephen Gabyrsh and Tyler Bruce announced they would donate the $2,000 to the MARS Rescue Centre in Black Creek and OWL (Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society) Rehabilitation in Delta.
Stephen Gabyrsh, co-owner of Campbell River Whale Watching, said that “our partnership with Liron Gertsman Photography not only provided an unparalleled photography experience but also enabled us to give back to the local wildlife community. We are deeply grateful to all participants for their enthusiastic support and to MARS and OWL for their tireless dedication to conservation.”
“Responsible and sustainable wildlife ecotourism is incredibly important, and there is a long list of components that go into making that goal a success” Gertsman said. “By immersing people into nature and having respectful encounters with wildlife, we hope to bring an additional in-the-field educational component to our photography workshops, by allowing people to experience first-hand the beauty, inter-connectivity and importance of our local ecosystem. We also want to utilize that opportunity to support local organizations who are making a difference for the wildlife that we enjoy observing and learning about in the wild. As a direct result of these trips, we are able to donate to such organizations as OWL and MARS.”
“We are very grateful to Campbell River Adventure Tours Group for this generous donation and their ongoing support of our work,” a statement from MARS Wildlife Rescue says.
MARS Wildlife Rescue helps ill, injured and orphaned wildlife recover and return home to the wild to live out their lives.
“We care for about 1,000 native species every year ranging from tiny baby hummingbirds and other baby birds to reptiles, fawns, other mammals, waterfowl and majestic bald eagles.”
OWL specializes in the rescue and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned raptors from all over the province. They take care of over 700 birds every year.
For further information on how to support MARS Wildlife Rescue and OWL Rehabilitation, please visit their respective websites at marswildliferescue.com and owlrehab.org.
A National Geographic photographer gave me 4 tips for taking better pictures with my phone. I tried them and the results blew me away.
A National Geographic photographer gave me 4 tips for taking better pictures with my phone. I tried them and the results blew me away.
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An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
When Yüyan and I chatted about taking standout photos on a phone, he mentioned uncommon angles, proximity to the subject, interesting foregrounds, and time spent shooting.
Here are his best tips for creating powerful pictures with a phone and examples of their success from my own camera roll.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
From capturing a rainbow in Salt Lake City to rays of sunlight shining through a tree in my Brooklyn neighborhood, I think staying in one location for long periods of time has served me well while shooting with my phone, just as Yüyan advised me.
“The real secret of professional photographers is we shoot a lot and then edit it down to just one or two,” Yüyan told BI. “You should do the same with your phone.”
According to Yüyan, spending a long time shooting in one location allows you to find optimal lighting and interesting backdrops, as well as to truly immerse yourself in the environment.
In the photos above, I spent between one and five hours at each location. This allowed me to take pictures with light that I found to be stunning, including the rainbow, the sun beaming through the tree, and a shot of a red-hued moon dimmed behind a cloud on a rooftop in Brooklyn, New York.
“Good photographs come from deep observation, and the muses reward those who slow down, stop running from place to place, and immerse themselves in the specific place and moment,” he said.
So stick around in one location, take tons of pictures, and “make room for life to unfold in front of your lens,” he said.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
To find the perfect angle, Yüyan said to start by considering the ways shooting with a lightweight, thin object can open up the realm of possibilities.
“It becomes a habit to use the phone at just eye level, but if you watch someone who is good at selfies, you can see they are always moving the phone around — up, down, and around to try better angles,” he said. “The same applies to making any other kind of photo.”
I thought this was an important point that I’d never thought about before, but it left me wondering how to tell which angle makes the strongest shot.
“One good criterion is seeing how much depth an angle will show in a photograph,” Yüyan said.
For example, he said when photographing a child, an angle looking down at the kid will typically come out flat and boring. But shooting from beneath the child’s eye level looking up can show the layers of the person and whatever is above them.
“We rarely get down below a child’s height to look up at the world, and that perspective can be magical.”
Yüyan’s example reminded me of how I photograph my small dog when we’re outside. When I take pictures of her from above or straight on, I find that I can’t get a sense of her expression or personality, which makes the picture look boring to me.
But when I’ve gotten below her and snapped the picture while aiming up, I can see her exploratory nature and the way she uses her environment to feel bigger, like perching on top of a rock on the edge of a creek.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Yüyan’s tip of experimenting with angles that add depth reminded me of another subject I’ve shot on my phone — the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in NYC.
The first time I photographed the famous tree, I shot from eye level. When I looked at my photo, I thought it looked like any other picture of the famous holiday scene.
But when I returned to try a lower angle beneath some foliage, I thought it made a more unique image. I could now see layers of smaller plants in front of the tree and the tops of the buildings surrounding it, giving me a better idea of its scale, which was previously missing.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
According to Yüyan, pictures of stunning natural landscapes are challenging to make stand out since they’ve been photographed so much. His best advice is to find a good foreground subject.
“Great backgrounds, such as mountains or waterfalls, are easy to find because we’re always looking for them,” Yüyan said. “On the other hand, a good foreground subject, such as blooming wildflowers or a craggy tree, can be much harder to find in the right location.”
Yüyan recommended searching for a foreground subject and framing your shot so you can see the scenery in the distance.
“It’ll give your images depth, intimacy, and make your photos unique,” he said.
His tip reminded me of when I photographed a beach across the street from mountains in Santa Cruz, California. I started by photographing the beach from the shore. I thought the mountains looked nice, but there was so much sand that I thought the bottom half of my image looked boring.
So, I took my phone across some ocean rocks and into the tide pools. I thought the rocks and reflecting water spruced up my foreground by giving my image more layers. To me, this made my image feel more dynamic.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Yüyan’s foreground tip reminded me of some photos I also took during a hike in Prescott, Arizona.
When I first arrived at the Watson Lake parking lot for my hike, I thought it looked stunning with rock formations I hadn’t seen before. So I was surprised when I found that photographing the scene from the lot didn’t seem to do it justice.
But once I immersed myself in the landscape by hiking the trails, I found foreground subjects such as shrubs that better framed the lake scene.
I thought the inclusion of these elements in the second image gave a better sense of what it was really like to be there because it had more layers showing what actually surrounds the lake.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
According to Yüyan, making your photos more intimate will often also make them more powerful because the viewer can feel how close you are to your subject.
That’s why he suggested that when you’re shooting with a phone, you should make it feel like you are standing right next to something for “a more human and intimate feeling.”
Rather than using the camera’s zoom function, Yüyan suggests walking closer to your subject and “really get in close on what’s happening,” he said.
This tip reminded me of photographing a 250-year-old Lebanon cedar tree on the grounds of Castello de Roncade outside Venice, Italy.
As soon as I saw the tree, I snapped a photo because I found it alluring. But like my shot of Santa Cruz from the shore, I thought the bottom half of my photo was a bland waste of space. And like my shot of Watson Lake from the parking lot in Prescott, I didn’t find my image nearly as impressive as the real thing.
As I walked closer, I realized that the tree was even more breathtaking up close. In my second photograph, I stood right in front of the tree, where I captured the details of its spewing branches and surrounding greenery.
My goal was to make the photo all about the tree, and I think I accomplished this in my second image because every inch of the frame showed its details, giving the shot more intimacy.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Yüyan’s advice to shoot up close with phones also reminded me of another experience I had in Italy.
When I went inside a fresh pasta shop in Vatican City, I was fascinated by the shaped dough on display. Their smooth-looking textures and specks of flour keeping them fresh made me salivate, and I wanted to capture that feeling in a photograph.
But I thought my first photograph of the display case expressed none of this. While I could see a large chunk of the counter, this image was supposed to be about the pasta, and I could hardly capture its texture from this distance.
So, for my second image, I got right up next to the glass and snapped a shot of the case with the widest variety of pasta shapes. I lit up as I peeked at the image because it elicited the exact feeling I was hoping for when I made it — a strong craving to taste the pasta, thanks to a front-row view detailing its shapes and textures.
Even as I view the image almost five months later, I have a hankering for pasta every time I look at it.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
After getting these tips from Yüyan, I was pleased that I thought some images in my camera roll supported them.
Now that I’ve identified what makes some of these pictures stronger than others, I’ll go into my next trip feeling more inspired to shoot from my phone.
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Photography Business Institute Students Raise Nearly $300K For Charity
Industry: Education
School for photography business leverages its annual event to fund a Village Impact project. Additionally, the Institute students raised $259,735 within their communities in impact donations.
Springfield, IL (PRUnderground) April 23rd, 2024
Photography Business Institute’s Go Boutique Live Virtual event witnessed an inspiring demonstration of compassion and unity as participants rallied to raise an impressive $20,000 for Village Impact. This generous contribution will fund the construction of a toddler classroom at Amani Kuresoi Primary School in Nakuru County, Kenya, providing crucial early childhood education resources to underprivileged children. The donation will facilitate the establishment of essential facilities, including play areas and water sanitation facilities, customized to meet the specific needs of young learners, alongside specialized flooring, multi-sensory learning materials, and play equipment to create an enriching learning environment.
Participants could contribute any amount to the cause as part of the fundraising initiative. However, in appreciation for every donation of $97 or more, the business photography school presented its mascot, a squirrel, in the form of a silver or gold necklace. This collaborative effort between the Go Boutique Live Virtual event and Village Impact exemplifies the profound impact that collective action can have on transforming lives and fostering positive change.
Reflecting on the amount of donations, Sarah Petty, Founder of Photography Business Institute, said, “At our school, we believe in the power of giving back. Our commitment to impact extends beyond business success; we’ve ingrained it in our educational philosophy. We empower our students not only to excel professionally but also to make a meaningful difference in their communities and the world. This core value sets us apart from other photography educational institutions and platforms, reflecting our dedication to shaping compassionate and socially conscious photographers whose impact is felt far beyond the images they create.”
Beyond the immediate impact of the fundraising efforts, the annual Go Boutique Live event serves as a pivotal platform for professional portrait photographers to come together with other photographers who follow the same business model, share insights, and make a meaningful impact on global communities. Attendees engaged in enriching discussions, shared valuable insights and forged lasting relationships with fellow photographers from around the world, underscoring the ethos of Photography Business Institute.
The revered Julie Awards ceremony is central to the event, where the Photography Business Institute honored 218 photographers for their outstanding achievements this year. As a photography business mentor, Photography Business Institute’s largest award category was charitable contributions through work. Totaling $259,735 in donations, 98 students earned this year’s coveted Charity Award. The ceremony underscored the institute’s and its community’s profound commitment to creating a massive impact and brighter futures for everyone.
As participants continue to harness the momentum generated by this event, the ripple effects of their collective efforts are poised to make a lasting difference in the lives of individuals and communities worldwide. To discover more about Photography Business Institute and its upcoming courses and events, visit www.PhotographyBusinessInstitute.com.
About Photography Business Institute
Photography Business Institute aims to educate photographers about how to have a viable, self-sustaining career as a professional portrait photographer and to make lasting contributions to the legacies of the families they photograph and the communities in which they reside.
A sculpture of a snake-bodied Roman-German deity was discovered in Stuttgart
A sculpture of a snake-bodied Roman-German deity was discovered at the Roman fort in Stuttgart, Germany. Since the beginning of…
Megan Thee Stallion Accused Of Forcing Photographer To Watch Her Have Sex With A Woman, In New Lawsuit
Megan Thee Stallion has been hit with a lawsuit from her former photographer, Emilio Garcia, according to NBC News. This lawsuit is for alleged harassment as well as an alleged hostile work environment. As the outlet reports, this lawsuit was filed back on Tuesday in Los Angeles, and there are numerous allegations throughout. Garcia alleges that the artist fat-shamed him, while also creating a “hostile, abusive work environment.” Based on the lawsuit, Garcia claims to have been working with Meg full-time from 2019 to 2023.
Overall, there is one alleged incident in particular that is being highlighted by Garcia. This allegedly took place in June 2022 during a trip to Ibiza. Following a night out, Megan was with her friends in the back of a SUV. Garcia was there, and he alleges that Meg began having sex with one of the women, right in front of him. “I felt uncomfortable. I was kind of frozen, and I was shocked. At kind of just be the overall audacity to do this right, right beside me,” Garcia said to NBC News.
Read More: Megan Thee Stallion & Pardison Fontaine Relationship Timeline
Megan Thee Stallion Hit With Serious Allegations
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – MAY 20: Megan Thee Stallion performs during Preakness LIVE Culinary, Art & Music Festival hosted by 1/ST at Pimlico Race Course on May 20, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for 1/ST)
Subsequently, Garcia alleges that once Meg realized he had been in the car, she told him “Don’t ever discuss what you saw.” As time went on, Garcia claims that he was booked for less gigs with Meg and that his pay structure was eventually changed. Moreover, Garcia alleges that Roc Nation eventually told him his services were no longer required. As for the lawsuit itself, Garcia is looking for “unpaid wages, as well as interest on the unpaid wages, unpaid overtime wages and other employee benefits at the legal rate.” The total comes out to six figures.
At the time of writing this, Megan Thee Stallion, nor her team, have delivered a comment. Let us know what you think about these allegations, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Read More: Who Has Megan Thee Stallion Dated?
[Via]Sandra Cattaneo Adorno On Reinventing Her Photography Practice At 70, For New Project ‘Ten Years’
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She took up photography as a new career path at the age of 60 in 2013, and now in her 70’s, Brazilian photographer Sandra Cattaneo Adorno is celebrating her new project that was a decade in the making at the prestigious 60th Venice Biennale.
Her new exhibition, Sandra Cattaneo Adorno: Ten Years, opened April 20 at the 7th edition of Personal Structures, which runs parallel with the 60th Venice Biennale. Organized by the European Cultural Centre, the 2024 edition of ‘Personal Structures: Beyond Boundaries’ focuses on the experience of foreigners, émigrés, exiled, and refugees, especially those who have moved between the Global South and the Global North.
Hailing from Rio de Janeiro, Sandra Cattaneo Adorno’s life, work, and worldview have been shaped by a lifetime of traveling the globe, fostering a sense of displacement and search for belonging through the act of making art.
Her new photo book ‘Ten Years’ (out April 16 through Radius Press) and exhibition of the same name is imagined as a visual diary without beginning or end, recalling the symbolic language of Tina Modotti, the surrealist archetypes of Leonora Carrington, and the sensuous physicality of Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings of place.
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Printed exclusively with metallic gold ink on black paper that magically transforms quiet scenes of daily life into mystical works of art, Cattaneo Adorno’s glittering scenes of Mauritius, Egypt, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, New York, London, Italy, Portugal, and her native Brazil float in between reality and illusion like scenes from a dream. Like Dora Maar who reinvented her photography practice in her 70s, Cattaneo Adorno is drawn to experimentation and to innovative ways of printing and presenting her work.
Delighting in the combination of immediacy, creativity, and surprise of street photography, Cattaneo Adorno returned to Ipanema, the fabled Rio de Janeiro beach of her childhood, to create Águas de Ouro (Portuguese for “waters of gold”). Revisiting the glittering shores of her youth, she printed the work with gold metallic inks to evoke the elements of water, earth, sun, and sky that sustain life itself.
Ahead of the exhibition at the Venice Biennale, we had the chance to speak with Sandra about her fascinating journey in this new phase of her life and career, the rich symbolism of ignoring the stereotypes about age (especially toward women), and how travel and culture has been a poignant creative guide throughout her life in a number of ways.
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Where did you artistic journey first begin, and what made you fall in love with this medium? You began a new creative path in 2013 at the age of 60. Can you tell us more about why and how you got into photography?
I first started photographing when my daughter, Gwen, invited me to join her in a workshop run by Alex and Rebecca Webb as a present for my 60th birthday. I did not know what to expect from the experience, but I accepted because I thought it could be a good excuse to spend some time with her. As I first started shooting, however, something clicked and I felt a buzz running through me.
Before I started photographing, the street was for me a place that I used to go from A to B without being too conscious of what was happening around me. Through photography, I started to become alert to scenes and gestures that I had never noticed before, and to the beauty of light, shapes and colours. Being able to frame these elements in an image is a kind of magic that still fascinates and surprises me.
When did you begin to compile images for ‘Ten Years’, and how did you decide which photos would make the cut?
I started thinking about this project after publishing my second book, Águas de Ouro, in 2020. For that book, I used metallic inks, but I felt that this technique could be explored more in the future. The idea of having a monograph celebrating my decade of photography gained strength after spending time researching my archives for my the publication of my third book, Scarti di Tempo.
Since the process of using golden ink was experimental, I couldn’t tell what the photographs would look like on paper before actually printing them. Additionally, for the book, I decided to invert some of the images to make them look as if they were photographic negatives, thus expressing their double nature as representations of reality as well as of dreams and memories. This too was, however, quite an unpredictable effect. I therefore decided to select around 250 images I liked and printed them all in small format. These tests gave me a good idea of which image could work well in golden ink or inverted and which didn’t.
There were a few surprises, as it was extremely difficult to predict the printed result. I ended up selecting the photographs where the gold and the inverted technique appeared to enhance the meaning of the image, making it more mysterious and engaging. At the same time, the photographs needed to be pleasing aesthetically, and I selected the images where the gold shone beautifully while creating interesting tonal ranges and bringing hidden details to the fore.
Your images transform ordinary, everyday life moments into something magical using color. Can you talk us through your creative decision and why you wanted readers to see these everyday moments in a new light?
The use of gold sets the images aesthetically apart from ‘real ’life, thus conveying the experience of being ‘foreign. ’At the same time, the golden ink has a very personal significance, as it reminds me of the golden paint used by dancers to cover their body during Carnival in Brazil. So painted, the dancers look otherworldly and magical. Through the golden ink, I wanted my pictures to convey a similar effect of wonder, enchantment and beauty. The black paper contributes to abstracting the figures, as it leaves them deprived of an identifiable background.
A similar effect is conveyed in my new book, Ten Years, as its images are printed with the same ink and paper as the photographs on the wall. In the exhibition, the book will rest on a table and it will be open as an accordion, so as to display simultaneously all the photographs it contains and to allow the public to move freely around it.
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How has travel influenced your perspective on life and art, and how they intertwine?
Travel taps into something adventurous and playful in my personality. Play is in fact a fundamental element of my approach to photography: it is at the heart of the feelings of wonder and surprise that motivate me to go out with my camera and take pictures. Being playful and open to exploring also allows me to experiment with my camera without being too concerned about the final result. Taking pictures then becomes a very liberating and creative process. Luckily, if you are having fun when photographing, it invariably shows in the images.
Travelling is also fundamental to me because it allows me to really question what I see. The reality of a place or a situation subsequently becomes the starting point through which I aim to reach another dimension in my images, one that is related to dreams and mystery. For this reason, too, I often photograph through glass, take pictures of reflections or try not to show a scene or a person in a straightforward way.
I didn’t know I could be able to interpret the world around me while communicating in such a personal way before I picked up a camera. It fascinates me that there is so much of me, of my life and experiences in my photos and yet I think I achieve my best shots when I am the most open to the outside world. It is paradoxical, but I believe this is the way in which travel allows me to express my life in my art, as it draws something out of my deepest self while confronting me with an unfamiliar environment.
Can you talk about the notion of displacement and the idea of belonging, and how your work incorporates these themes?
Themes of dislocation and belonging resonate deeply with me, as my personal life and career have spanned many continents and countries. I could even say that my very identity was fashioned by my international background. I was therefore pleased to be able to investigate these experiences while celebrating ten years of my photography in an exhibition at Personal Structures.
The show opens with a projection in which black and gold photographs – images of strangers that I have taken on the streets of different countries – transform into one another. The flux of images of the projection hints at the fluidity of the identity of who is considered ‘foreign ’or ‘other ’and at their difficulty to be fitted into canonical contexts, as foreigners are always re-contextualising their experiences by moving into a different culture. At the same time the photographs, by merging into each other, acknowledge the interconnectedness of people and call for renewed interactions to be established.
The investigation of the themes of displacement and connectedness continues inside the main room of the exhibition, which features thirteen photographs printed in metallic golden ink on black paper and mounted inside black wooden frames. Because of their composition and aesthetics, the photographs look abstract, although a human element is always recognizable. They call for the visitors to get closer and interpret them. Most of the images have been inverted in postproduction, so as to accentuate the feeling of displacement they evoke.
My new book, Ten Years, is displayed on a table in the middle of the same room, open as an accordion. The book juxtaposes images that I have taken in different countries, although it is deprived of linearity and geographical context. While suggesting the experience of travel and dislocation, it also favors contact between people: the visitors will in fact be able to activate new connections and narratives between the images by moving along the piece.
Displacement and an attempt to forge new connections are also evoked by the curtains covering the windows at the end of the room, as a photograph of Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro printed on them overlays the iconic buildings of the Venetian Gran Canal to create a new view of the city.
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Society loves to brush women aside after a certain age, but there are many, like you, who are defying the stereotypes and inspiring many other women along the way. What message do you have for people who would try to dismiss your age?
I don’t think I am too concerned about people who try to dismiss my age or put me down, as I am too busy doing the things that I love and using my time and energy positively to realize my dreams and ambitions in photography. I am convinced that my work will then speak for myself.
What message do you have for women who are struggling to find their own identity and place in the world because of their age?
I feel very lucky and privileged to have discovered such a passion in life as photography. Sometimes I wish I could have discovered it earlier, but I think it came at a time when I could best appreciate it and, most importantly, when I was able to fully enjoy it.
I think it is important for women of any age to find something they like doing and that they can feel is exclusively theirs, as women often have to put the interests of other people before their own.
My advice to other women would therefore be to try and find something that resonates with them deeply and that gives them a special spark. They will probably need to experiment with different things before they can find an activity that gives them a special spark, but that’s part of the progress, too.
Once they have found this passion, I would urge them to work hard, but with a light heart, because at this age we are unapologetically entitled to some fun!
How do you feel about being part of the 60th Venice Biennale, where ‘Ten Years’ will be on display as part of the ‘Personal Structures: Beyond Boundaries’ exhibit?
Being able to have an exhibition in Venice during the Biennale is an experience both exhilarating and humbling. I am thrilled to be able to celebrate my
photography with all the wonderful people that have accompanied me along my journey and with my friends and family. At the same time, I feel proud of what I could achieve, because this show is the result not only of a big passion for photography, but also of lots of commitment and hard work.
As someone whose work focuses on the experience of foreigners, émigrés, exiled, and refugees, especially those who have moved between the Global South and the Global North, what draws you to their stories and what connection do you hope viewers will find with those people in your images?
As I mentioned earlier, their stories resonate deeply with me because of my personal experience. Eventually, I would like the viewers to be able to establish a similar connection with their experiences through my images. I would like the photographs to create a space for imagination and dream in which the viewers could participate while feeling that they, too, are part of a bigger world and that they share experiences with a diverse range of people.
You can purchase a copy of ‘Ten Years’, out now through Radius Books, and see more of Sandra Cattaneo Adorno’s work on her website. Follow Sandra on Instagram and Twitter.
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Photographer puts focus on firefighters
John Keller manages Chicagoland Fire Photos, a photography website dedicated to displaying the hard work of firefighters throughout the Chicagoland area.
After his camera equipment was stolen in March, friends and family of Keller raised over $2,000 through a GoFundMe page to help replace the equipment.
In Ernesto Neto’s Largest Installation to Date, the World Is a Crocheted Ship Moving to a Single Rhythm
Photo by Joana Linda. All images © Ernesto Neto, courtesy of MAAT, shared with permission
An enormous, cascading installation of crocheted fabric strips stretches across a cavernous gallery in Ernesto Neto’s newest exhibition. At MAAT in Lisbon, the Brazilian artist (previously) presents Nosso Barco Tambor Terra, which translates to “our boat drum Earth,” a solo exhibition encompassing one of the largest suspended sculptures he has ever made.
Created with a team of assistants in his expansive Rio de Janeiro studio, the new piece draws on images of sails and maritime materials like canvas and rope. Neto nods to the history of transatlantic voyages between Europe and South America, stitching remnants of bright chintz, common in Brazil, into a swathe of fabric punctuated by points of interest like a vessel full of decorated drums or corn kernels, a symbol of international trade. Historically, the percussive instrument kept a rhythm for the galley rowers, some of whom would have been enslaved people.
Photo by Joana Linda
Suspended from the ceiling, the central work in Nosso Barco Tambor Terra adopts a cell-like structure, with numerous colors and patterns that intertwine, drape, stretch, and overlap. The piece suggests “a ship, a primordial beast, a forest, or even, and more likely, all of those things and infinite others,” writes curator Jacopo Crivelli Visconti in the exhibition text. He emphasizes that Neto portrays the world as a whole, defining the earth as “ancestral, pre-colonial, and even pre-human.”
The artist considers the dark legacies of enforced displacement and slavery during colonial rule, which the Portuguese implemented in Brazil. He situates the work as celebration of the planet’s array of people, cultures, and “worldviews whose strength and beauty one must recognise, reaffirm,” Visconti says. Amid destruction and chaos, Neto’s ark-like vessel envisions a way to propel the whole world forward.
The exhibition opens May 2 and continues through October 7 in Lisbon. Find more from MAAT.
Photo by Joana Linda
Photo by Joana Linda
Photos by Joana Linda
Photo by Joana Linda
Photo by Paulo Schettino
Photos by Joana Linda
Photo by Paulo Schettino
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article In Ernesto Neto’s Largest Installation to Date, the World Is a Crocheted Ship Moving to a Single Rhythm appeared first on Colossal.
8 Places to Appreciate Indigenous Culture in the United States
There are approximately 5.2 million “American Indians and Alaska Natives” in the United States, making up 2% of the population. To truly understand American history, we must look to the First Nations that occupied the land long before European settlers arrived. Their Indigenous culture and traditions strengthen the fabric of the United States, and as time passes the country has slowly recognized and reconciled past errors. The last few years have been full of long-awaited victories, like the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians finally changing their names, or TikTok emerging as a platform for Native creators to share their stories.
Today, we celebrate Indigenous culture. It is all around us. To further learn from and appreciate the Indigenous people of America, visit any of these places.
1. Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation is the largest Native reservation in the United States, spanning 16 million acres throughout Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. There are countless sites that have risen in popularity due to their picturesque nature, including Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon. When you visit these sites, you will have a Navajo guide as they are the only ones granted commercial access to sacred land.
The annual Navajo Nation Fair is held in Window Rock, Arizona—Navajo Nation’s capital. Taking place every September, this weeklong celebration features horticultural exhibits, art displays and markets, a parade, and a cultural showcase.
Other attractions include ancient Anasazi ruins and perfectly preserved dinosaur tracks from the Jurassic Era. The Navajo are renowned for their hospitality, operating three lodging properties in the heart of Navajo Nation—the NavajoLand Hotel in Tuba City, Quality Inn Navajo Nation Capital, and Quality Inn Lake Powell. All three are staffed almost exclusively with Navajo people and ready to accommodate you as you “explore Navajo.”
2. Miccosukee Village
The Miccosukee people were originally part of Creek Nation but migrated to Florida before it became part of the United States. Most were pushed west as a result of wars, but 100 or so refused to surrender and took shelter in the Everglades. Today, over 600 members of the Miccosukee Tribe are direct descendants of those who stayed behind, and have established a prominent presence just 25 miles west of Miami, Florida.
There are three exciting opportunities for visitors to Miccosukee Village. First, guests can learn how to touch and mount a Florida alligator. Those who are bold enough will find that a live alligator wrestling selfie is hard to top—but equally hard to take. Second, guests can take an airboat ride through the Everglades with Miccosukee fishermen, hunters and froggers as guides. A highlight of the trip is a visit to a small island, where you can see an old-fashioned Miccosukee camp.
Finally, the Miccosukee Museum features a village with “chickees,” traditional open-sided houses of the Miccosukee people, as well as patchwork sewing and cooking demonstrations. There are several annual festivals, the most highly anticipated of which is the Miccosukee Indian Arts & Crafts Festival, featuring storytelling, fire performances, and handmade arts and crafts. All proceeds go to the Miccosukee Educational Fund to provide educational programs for Miccosukee youth.
3. Grand Canyon West Rim
The Grand Canyon West Rim is home to the Hualapai Tribe. As such, National Park passes are not accepted here. There are over 1,300 tribal members living on the premises and well-known attractions like the Skywalk and zipline are part of their entrepreneurial ventures. This means any fees or money spent while there directly benefits the Hualapai people.
Your journey starts with a visit to Hualapai Point, formerly known as Hualapai Ranch. There, you’ll find a trading post with tribe ambassadors crafting artistic creations from Sunday to Tuesday. From Friday to Sunday, there are daily performances by Hualapai singers and dancers. For traditional cuisine, try the Gwe Ma’Jo Restaurant, serving breakfast and lunch—the frybread is a must. You can purchase handmade souvenirs at Native Hands, on site.
Popular lookout areas include Eagle Point and Guano Point, with panoramic views of the Canyon. Colorado River rafting is also available through Hualapai River Runners. They offer one or two day tours with certified Hualapai guides. On the tour, you’ll learn about the geology of the region, local flora and fauna, and history of the Hualapai people and their Indigenous culture. Guests can stay at the Hualapai Lodge, the starting point for river rafting along Route 66, the Cabins at Grand Canyon West near Hualapai Point, or RV parking near the main terminal. RV reservations must be made by phone. All activities close by 4:30 pm.
4. Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Tribe was one of the most displaced by the Trail of Tears. Originally located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Georgia, modern Cherokee Nation consists of 14 counties in Oklahoma. With much resilience and resolve, the Cherokee people have continued to thrive. Responsible for the first newspaper in Native territory, they have always been renowned as a progressive people, boasting a long history of trade and alliance with Great Britain and Europe long before any settlers arrived.
Popular sites include the Cherokee National History Museum, where guests can take lessons in arts and crafts and study the Cherokee Syllabary. The highly anticipated Cherokee Art Market takes place every October in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to which only the most elite artists are invited to compete for a $75,000 grand prize. Guests can observe artwork demonstrations and admire stunning displays of Native jewelry, pottery, textiles, paintings, and sculptures at this event.
Note that the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma is different from the Eastern Band of Cherokee based in the Qualla Boundary of North Carolina. If you’re visiting the latter, don’t leave without stopping at the world famous Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, located right across the street from the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.
5. Haudenosaunee (a.k.a. Iroquois) Confederacy
Also referred to as The League of Nations or Haudenosaunee, the Confederacy is made up of six different tribes: the Seneca, Cayuga, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, and Tuscarora Tribes. They came together centuries ago, and their organizational model is believed to have influenced the U.S. constitution. Scattered throughout upstate New York, Wisconsin, Quebec, and Ontario, guests can visit attractions hosted by each respective tribe.
The Seneca Iroquois National Museum in Salamanca, N.Y. features over 300,000 pieces of ancient and modern art, including wooden face masks, corn husk dolls and horn rattles. They moved to a new building in 2018 and have expanded significantly to include an outdoor amphitheater, archives, offices, and the Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center. There are events year-round, including moccasin making classes, corn husk doll classes, singing and dancing classes, and other explorations of Indigenous culture. Every November they have an annual festival that features and supports local artists and Indigenous food vendors.
In Victor, New York, the Ganondagan State Historic Site is located on the original site of a 17th century Seneca town. Today, it connects visitors to the culture and natural world of the Seneca through workshops and lectures by Indigenous speakers, interactive exhibits, and the annual Hodinohso:ni’ Art Show at the on-site Seneca Art & Culture Center.
On Labor Day weekend, the Annual Iroquois Festival takes place at the Iroquois Museum in Howes Cave, New York. The beautiful costumes that the dancers and singers wear might be the highlight of the festivities. As always, be sure to ask before taking any photos. The Iroquois Museum is open April through November generally and is well worth a visit.
6. Standing Rock Sioux Reservation
Spanning more than two million acres, the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation is the fifth largest in the United States. The reservation is rich with historical significance and natural beauty.
The region is known for its bald eagle spotting opportunities, with the eagle considered sacred in Native cultures. Visitors can drive along the Standing Rock National Native American Scenic Byway, which spans 86 miles. It has markers and interpretive signs that tell the history of Indigenous tribes in the area.
Along the drive, make a stop at the Aktá Lakota Museum & Cultural Center. The Lakota are one of the main tribes of the Sioux. The museum has a collection of artifacts, a gift shop, and events like book readings and Museum Monday, free weekly presentations held in July and August to educate the public about Lakota philosophy, anthropology, and other disciplines.
In nearby Mobridge, you’ll find the Klein Museum, with 10 murals by Native artist Oscar Howe. This is also home to the Sitting Bull Monument. Chief Sitting Bull was the Sioux leader known for defeating General Custer at Little Bighorn but beloved for much more, and the monument was built to mark his final resting place.
If street art is your thing, stop by Eagle Butte. The Red Can Graffiti Jam is an annual festival organized by the Cheyenne River Youth Project that has resulted in various murals throughout the area. They blend Lakota and graffiti culture to revitalize neighborhoods and give a new platform to Indigenous artists.
7. Wind River Reservation
The Wind River Reservation in southwestern Wyoming is home to both the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe Tribes.
Nature lovers can take a trip up the Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway. A 40-minute drive (not including stops), the aptly named byway goes from Shoshoni to Thermopolis, home of the world’s largest mineral hot spring. There are plenty of camping options at Gannett Peak, the state’s highest point, with elevations upward of 13,000 feet.
Be sure to stop by Sacajawea’s gravesite at Sacajawea Cemetery in Fort Washakie, Wyo. Fort Washakie is also the final resting place of Chief Washakie, one of the most prominent leaders of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe. The Fort hosts Eastern Shoshone Indian Days, the reservation’s largest annual event, open to the public and held in June. The event features a collective powwow, rodeo and re-enactment of the signing of the Treaty of 1868.
8. Chickasaw Country
The Chickasaw Nation has a jurisdictional territory in Oklahoma, but migrated throughout Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama, and Tennessee. The Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Okla. is a state-of-the-art venue with permanent and rotating exhibits, agritours and cooking demonstrations, a speaker series, and hands-on educational activities.
In Oklahoma City, Exhibit C Gallery serves as an art gallery and retail space. It is Chickasaw owned and features pieces by Native artists. It is also a tourist information hub and can provide information on other indigenous attractions and activities throughout Chickasaw Country. For those in Mississippi, Tupelo also has a Chickasaw Heritage Trail.
Jen Ruiz is a full-time travel writer and content creator. She is based in Puerto Rico.
