Gallery Exhibition, Jersey Islands, Britain

Curse of the Black Gold will be on exhibit as part of the upcoming 6th Jersey Amnesty International Human Rights Festival in the Jersey Islands, Great Britain. The opening is November 15, 2010 at 7:00pm at the Jersey Art Center in St. Helier. For more info, check out the website.

A New Project

I’ve been mining the archive here at the studio, searching for images from the past that were either overlooked or left out of the edit because they didn’t fit the story at the time. My project is to find a few select images that are not only photographically striking but also have an interesting historical context or relation to present day events. Taking advantage of Ed’s vast archive from over 30 years of work, this is an exercise in talking about photography and why particular images resonate while exploring the ways in which the past intersects the present.





With the President primed to give a speech tonight about withdrawing troops in Iraq while broadening the presence in Afghanistan (and not to mention the not-so-secret operations in Yemen and Pakistan), I thought this image would be the perfect entrée into this new series. The image was taken exactly seven years ago this Sunday in the Afghan village of Loy Kariz. The majority of Ed’s images are taken in and among the troops and the Afghan citizens, it is his preference to be up close, but with this image he's created some distance. Shooting through the window, from an enclosed space peering out, creates a separation between viewer and subject. The viewer, looking through this window (from the comfy confines of our home or wherever we are), is separated not only in time and space, but maybe even in feelings about the war. Without getting overly metaphorical, there’s also something about peering through a torn mesh screen that reflects the situation in Afghanistan. It’s vital, especially in wartime, to take stock of where we are in the grand scheme. Seven years later from when this image was taken, we are no further along on this supposed path to victory in Afghanistan. Seven years later, we still haven’t even begun to understand this land, this people that so many have tried to conquer. And seven years later, countless lives have been lost. We are finally starting to withdraw from Iraq and that is great, but we are sending more troops to Afghanistan, and for what outcome? So far, these wars have really only served to create an entirely more volatile situation than the one we set out to eradicate.

The UN Exonerates Shell For Pollution in the Niger Delta

As reported in the Guardian UK on Sunday, the United Nations Environment Program will all but exonerate Shell for its pollution in the Niger Delta since oil was discovered there in the 1950s. As you know, this is an issue near and dear to Ed and all of us familiar with his work. And we are outraged. The study, paid for by Shell and the Nigerian government, will claim that spills have only been occurring over a nine-year period and are mostly caused by “bunkering,” people trying to illegally steal oil from the pipelines. All of the findings are in direct conflict with what environmental groups say, and what Ed’s photos illustrate, has been occurring for decades. Communities in the area admit that bunkering is an issue but only recently and not to the scale that Shell claims. In my opinion, that’s completely beside the point. Shell and the Nigerian government have created a situation in the Niger Delta that is so deplorable that some people (and this a fraction of the population) resort to crime. The government then gets to blame the entire situation on the people; it's an age-old tactic. It is the ultimate in racism and injustice. Shell and the corrupt Nigerian government can now step back and say, “Hey, they’re killing themselves. It’s not our fault.” This isn't to say that criminals are justified in their actions, it's just that this argument completely ignores decades of systematic oppression of people who haven’t received a dime from the oil-rich government.

Of course Shell and the Nigerian government are going to try to use this small, insignificant problem (as compared to the damage that Shell has caused in the Niger Delta for decades) as the scapegoat, that’s to be expected. The real shocker here is that the UN bought it (and I mean that in every sense of the word) hook, line and sinker.

The claim that the pollution has only occurred for nine years is also a direct offence to the memory of Ken Saro-Wiwa, a political activist who was hanged in 1995 after a peaceful protest against the pollution caused by Shell. That was 15 years ago. Please go to www.remembersarowiwa.com to learn more about his story and the latest news about the case against Shell.

Support Haiti Through Ron Haviv's Work!

Hey All...please check this link out and contribute to Ron Haviv's cause for Haiti. Thanks! We must remember what happened in Haiti. It's not over and they still need support! Ron worked with Partners In Health while down in Haiti to cover the aftermath of the earthquake that occurred on January 12, 2010. Please get involved and do what you can. Ron's work as a concerned photojournalist reflects the changing role we must play in our work. It's not enough to make the great photographs. We must also use them to get others involved, to contribute money to the causes our work documents, in the short term raise awareness and ultimately help in writing history.

The 37th Frame Interviews me about my work on the environment

The The 37th Frame, as part of the Guardian's website, has made live a recent interview about my environmental work from Madagascar and the Niger Delta. Please listen and share this with others, especially young people who must be made aware of what is happening to our world and its implications for everyone's future. Thank you.

"Moving Images" in BJP

As the worlds of photography and filmmaking continue to converge, Ed and other industry professionals share their thoughts on the future relationship of the two mediums. Check out the article in the British Journal of Photography.

Chautauqua Lecture Available for Viewing

As posted earlier, Ed recently spoke at the Chautauqua Institute. His entire presentation is now available to view online. He focuses on his most recent work including Madagascar, the Niger Delta and his book Three. Definitely stick around for the Q&A at the end, as you’ll get to hear Ed speak openly about his work in terms of how he chooses projects, what it’s like in the field, and how the focus of his work has grown and changed over the years. He also speaks candidly about his views on war and conflict, life in the modern digital world and the importance of taking risks.