The Annenberg Space for Photography has partnered with National Geographic to present an exhibit it hopes will bring awareness to the significance, and the lack, of fresh water.
The exhibit was timed to coincide with National Geographic’s April issue dedicated to addressing the world’s current water troubles. It has a small collection of photographs on display in the gallery, as well as two large screens that play a 20 minute video that offer more photographs as well as comments from the photographers themselves.
The six artists featured covered a variety of topics. Jonas Bendiksen documented the thawing of the Tibetan Plateau, which supplies water to almost a third of the world. Edward Burtynsky hit close to home by photographing the stressful outcome of California’s water delivery system. Lynn Johnson addressed the women in developing countries who are burdened by a lack of access to clean water, Paolo Pellegrin photographed the conflict of the Jordan River, which serves as the border between Israel and Jordan and has been strongly impacted by drought and expanding populations, Joel Sartore captured efforts to rehabilitate endangered species that live in our freshwater waterways as well as to record those creatures and John Stanmeyer displayed the unity of people worldwide in their view of water as sacrosanct and their worship of it.
Aloma Ichinose, one of the staff members at the Annenberg Space for Photography, said that the response from visitors has been very favorable.
“There’s been maybe three responses. The big one is after the video, they feel overwhelmed and emotional. I know I felt like crying,” said Ichinose. “Other people are looking at it in a more scientific way. Others just want to see the pictures.”
Ray Ramos, another staff member, said “This is our fourth show and it’s been the best so far, even compared to the sports show,” referring to the previous exhibition of sports photography by Walter Iooss and Neil Leifer.
The Annenberg Space for Photography is located at:
Century Park
2000 Avenue of the Stars, #10
Los Angeles, CA 90067
213.403.3000
Wed-Sun: 11am – 6pm
Admission is free but self-parking is usually $3.50 with validation, depending on the time/day.
