Exhibit Hopes To Wake Us Up To Climate Change
If one were to travel from New York City to Greenwich, Connecticut, they would not only be traveling 40 minutes, but, instead, would be transported to some of the most remote regions in the world. They would be able to see scenes of penguins huddling for warmth in the cold of Antarctica, or a turtle calmly wadding through Barbadian waters, or a polar bear greeting a Norwegian at his home. Undergirding them all, though, is the threat of climate change.
The exhibition ‘Double Exposure: Two Photographers, One Mission’ is a curation of images from acclaimed wildlife photographers Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen. Located at the C. Parker Gallery, in collaboration with the SeaLegacy.org foundation (the non-profit the two co-founded in 2014), the exhibit features 30 large-scale photographs of their artwork.
Between the two, they have traveled to hundreds of countries, given speeches and presentations, been exhibited throughout the world, and have won countless awards along the way. While their SeaLegacy.org foundation has provided climate education throughout the world, the pair hope the photographs from the exhibit will instill the same kind of message: to preserve and protect our planet from climate change.
“These artists/conservation champions have created some of the most iconic wildlife images of our modern-day culture, and are internationally acclaimed for harnessing the majestic beauty of their images to inspire change on our planet,” said Greenwich elected official Fred Camillo.
“The C. Parker Gallery is thrilled to present the work of two of the most internationally acclaimed conservation photographers,” says Tiffany Benincasa, the curator and owner of the gallery. “Their photographs are included in some of the world’s most important private collections, and have been featured as iconic images by major national media including National Geographic and TIME Magazine. This is an incredible opportunity to witness the beauty of nature in an intimate and personal way, to share their important message, and join their mission advocating for greater conservation and environmental awareness.”
Nicklen believes that the photography found in the exhibit “has the power to connect people to stories with such deep emotion, that their perspective of the world can change.” “My work exists at the intersection of art, science, and conservation as a way to showcase the beauty that exists in nature,” Nicklen concluded.
Mittermeier — who literally coined the phrase ‘conservation photography’— sees that “images can help us understand the urgency to protect wild places that so many of us realize is of the utmost importance.” Her “work is about building a greater awareness of the responsibility of what it means to be human.”
One photograph at a time, Nicklen and Mittermeier are able to bridge the gap between image and viewer. Despite sitting comfortably in a gallery in Connecticut, viewers are given a first-hand look at the issues of climate change.
Due to popular demand the event has been extended to end on July 31.
Featured Image Via Paul Nicklen