The People and the Forest
Photo exhibition by Yasuo Ota
Main Bar (Nov. 5 - Dec. 2, 2016)
Man has been hunters and gatherers for the greater part our history. In order to survive and grow, it had been necessary to be at one with nature. Man was just one part of the habitat. He respected and showed gratitude to the trees, rivers and all the living things that made up the forests. However since the Industrial Revolution, we have fallen for the illusion that humans can control nature. Having damaged and destroyed it for our own greed, we have come to a moment when this planet is no longer capable of holding the strains of our devastating activities. As mankind looks for a path to guide us towards the future, we may find clues through looking at the way the people of the forest have coexisted with nature.
Bio
Yasuo Ota's professional career includes working as a contact photographer for Mainichi Newspaper, Sports Nippon, and Kyodo News. However his passion is photographing indigenous people in their native environment. When Ota visits a new location, he spends several weeks living in that community and sharing in their daily activities and diet. He is faced with many challenges in the process to adapting to a very different way of life, but the rewards of experiencing these unique cultures firsthand makes it all worthwhile. For this exhibition, Ota selected photos from five different countries and regions; the Chilean Andes Mountains, Borneo, Tasmania, Amazon rainforest, and Canada.
The Exhibitions Committee