07.07.11
Haiti, Pakistan and Japan - Behind the Headlines at Leeds Corn Exchange
ShelterBox brings the reality of major disasters home with a photography exhibition at the Leeds Corn Exchange, (11 - 17 July 2011)
International disaster relief charity, ShelterBox, will provide visitors to the Leeds Corn Exchange with a distinctly personal perspective on recent natural disasters with an exhibition of photographs from aid worker and photojournalist Mark Pearson.
This collection of emotive and thought provoking images includes panoramic views of aid camps surrounded by flood water in Pakistan and portraits of Haitian families still living in ShelterBox tents over a year after the earthquake that devastated their country. They offer a unique insight into the reality faced by aid workers and those affected by disasters in areas like Japan, Haiti or Pakistan after the news crews have left.
Mark Pearson has worked with ShelterBox for six years as a Field Operations Specialist, arriving on the ground in the immediate aftermath of a disaster to assess the situation and set up a process for distributing aid. With his background as a press photographer, working for the world’s leading photo agencies, Mark is uniquely positioned to document the story of a disaster from the perspective of those living it. The photographs in this exhibition, including shocking images of life in Haiti in the days after the earthquake, and behind the scenes photographs of the US military distributing ShelterBoxes, are the result of Mark’s experience at the front line of disaster relief.
Mark Pearson said: “ShelterBox operates in the most difficult circumstances, in some of the most challenging countries in the world; I hope this exhibition will provide people with a glimpse of what it is really like on the ground in the aftermath of a disaster. My approach to photography is very much about social documentary; I like to immerse myself in the story. The photographs on display reflect my own experiences in Haiti, Japan and Pakistan.”
Louise Smith, centre manager at the Corn Exchange, said: “We are very excited to be supporting ShelterBox by welcoming Mark Pearson’s exhibition to the Corn Exchange. The images are very powerful and we hope that the people of Leeds come and support ShelterBox and enjoy the free event.”
ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that provides emergency shelter and life-saving supplies to families around the world who are affected by disasters. In ten short years ShelterBox has responded to earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides, typhoons and conflict, delivering lifesaving aid to families across the globe at a time when they need it the most.
In anticipation of the exhibition, ShelterBox Founder and CEO, Tom Henderson OBE, said: “This exhibition represents a fantastic opportunity for ShelterBox to showcase its disaster relief work around the world. After the success of the debut exhibition in London’s National Geographic , we now hope by securing the iconic Leeds Corn Exchange as our next venue that we can raise the awareness of ShelterBox in the north of England.”
www.shelterbox.org
- Average Article Rating 0 Stars
-
Your Rating
Login Required!
Sorry - You must be a registered user & logged in to rate this.
Login | Register
Back to Categories