Photo exhibit celebrates
the Arctic’s beauty
A photographer who spent two years documenting the animals, people and landscapes of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska will give a series of slide-show talks statewide, beginning tomorrow at the state Capitol.
Subhankar Banerjee traveled 4,000 miles in the refuge with Inupiat Eskimo guide Robert Thompson to gather images in his "Saving the Hulahula Arctic Birthlands" show, which is touring 20 states this year.
Banerjee said he originally chose to photograph Alaska because "so much up there had not been documented visually."
During Banerjee's first year photographing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, in 2001, the Bush administration started pushing for oil drilling there. Banerjee's photos were influential in persuading the U.S. Senate to vote against the measure twice, according to visit co-host the Conservation Council for Hawaii.
"This is truly one of the most incredible places," Banerjee said. "I realized I wanted to preserve this place."
His book of photographs, "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land," published in 2003, includes essays by others who share his view that oil-drilling should not occur there.
In addition to Banerjee and Thompson, speakers in Hawaii will include Inupiat Eskimo social worker Jane Thompson and Sandra Newman, a member of the Gwitchin First Nation in Canada.
The Hawaii schedule is:
>> Tomorrow, 7-9 p.m., state Capitol.A traveling photo exhibit of Banerjee's work will be displayed at the Bishop Museum April 15-Aug. 5.
>> Saturday, 7-9 p.m., Kahilu Theatre, Waimea.
>> Monday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Komohana Agricultural Complex, Hilo.
>> Next Tuesday, 7-9 p.m., Kauai Community College Performing Arts Center, Lihue.
>> March 4, 7-9 p.m., Kaunoa Senior Center, Sprecklesville.
