Voices of the earth photography Exhibition

the launch

After weeks of planning and preparation we have finally launched the exhibition, our year-long project “The Voices of the Earth" has been brought to fruition! I think it is safe to say the exhibition was a success due to all the smiles and participation from our guests who visited on the evening of the 10th of June.

The photographs had a real radiant, vibrant quality about them, nature is shining through them. Especially the photograph of the lichen on the bark, it shows that there’s beauty in something small. If the photographs were in a white room, tucked away with no windows, and with artificial light, then, for me, they wouldn’t have so much radiance and beauty about them than them being displayed in the garden. - Rod Sugden

It was rewarding to see how our creative ideas and input, such as Cassie’s suggestion of the mobile instalment, were brought to life from the drawing board, made possible with the help of our wonderful Glen and Nadire.

Of course, we were faced with challenges along the way, especially since it is the first time that we are having an outdoor exhibition. For instance finding ways to make the photographs waterproof and long-lasting as well discovering innovative ways and locations to install the photographs to make them appealing and eye-catching. I found that the job of placing images in frames with pressed flowers is more difficult than I would have thought, especially on a hot Spring day, but since all the fellows alternated between the tasks it became more enjoyable and much easier.

On the day of the launch we each prepared a short opening speech, which was understandably quite nerve-wracking, but we were reassured by Jane’s guidance to allow our minds to go free and improvise without needing to memorise a script. Ultimately, in my opinion, there is no better place to learn this than through Global Generation for it provides a safe and supportive space. 

During the launch we invited our guests to interact with someone that they did not know and introduce them to a photograph that had stuck with them. 

It was a really nice way to bring everyone together and it sparked a nice atmosphere for everyone to go around and take a look at the photos. - Nadire

Some of my favourite parts of the exhibition and event were working with the Partners and all the skills that we, as Fellows, have gained and strengthened. Everything I worked on during the exhibition was made to the best of my ability. In fact, the entire project gave us greater responsibility than we had previously had with Global Generation. The challenges that we faced helped strengthen our relationships and synergy with each other. 

As I walk around the garden observing the photographs my eyes meet an image. I reminisce about the storytelling workshops that we did with Theatre Complicité last Summer, the feeling of wonder that I felt when I first encountered the grace of the bamboo and felt its flow as I contemplated my hope of what is in store for the future. I hope that visitors also explore the garden and seek out the photographs, each with their own story. 

The exhibition takes me back to one of the very first sessions at the beginning of the project when I vividly remember Silvia introducing us to the Voyager Golden Records and, in hindsight, this exhibition, the audio pieces and the anthology are our very own golden records!

By Cassie & Maedah, Voices of the Earth Fellows

Notes from the Garden