Gregory Colbert

Born in Toronto, Canada in 1960, Gregory Colbert is a film-maker and photographer best known as the creator of "Ashes and Snow", an exhibition of photographic artworks and films housed in the Nomadic Museum.

Career

Ashes and Snow

Gregory Colbert's first exhibition, "Timewaves", opened in 1992 at the Museum of Elysée in Switzerland to wide critical acclaim. For the next ten years, Colbert did not publicly exhibit his art or show any films. Instead, he traveled to such places as India, Burma, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Dominica, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tonga, Namibia, and Antarctica to film and photograph interactions between human beings and animals. Since 1992, he has launched more than sixty such expeditions, and has collaborated with over 130 species. Elephants, whales, manatees, sacred ibis, Antigone cranes, royal eagles, Gyr falcons, rhinoceros hornbills, cheetahs, leopards, African wild dogs, caracals, baboons, eland, meerkats, gibbons, orangutans, and saltwater crocodiles are among the animals he has filmed and photographed. Human subjects include Burmese monks, trance dancers, San people, and other indigenous tribes from around the world.

In 2002, Colbert presented his work, "Ashes and Snow", in Venice, Italy. An April 9, 2002 review in "The Globe and Mail" stated, “Colbert unveiled "Ashes and Snow", an exhibition of images and photographs unprecedented in both scope and scale. Covering 12,600 square meters, it is billed as one of the largest one-man shows in the history of Europe.” [cite web | title = The Globe and Mail: Canadian artist Gregory Colbert's photographs are the subject of a giant exhibit in Venice. And you probably haven't heard of him, writes SIMON HOUPT (2002–) | url = http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/v5/content/subscribe?user_URL=http://www.theglobeandmail.com%2Fservlet%2Fstory%2FLAC.20020409.RVCOLB%2FTPStory%2F%3Fquery%3Dsimon%2Bhoupt%2Bgregory%2Bcolbert&ord=84831883&brand=theglobeandmail&force_login=true]

In spring 2005, the show opened in New York City in the Nomadic Museum, a temporary structure built to house the exhibition. "Ashes and Snow" and the Nomadic Museum then traveled to Santa Monica in 2006, Tokyo in 2007, and Mexico City in 2008. To date, "Ashes and Snow" has attracted over 10 million visitors, making it the most attended exhibition by a living artist in history. [cite web | title = El Mañana: Acaba Museo Nómada su peregrinar (2008–) | url = http://www.elmanana.com.mx/notas.asp?id=54261] "" by Alan Riding stated “The power of the images comes less from their formal beauty than from the way they envelop the viewer in their mood. . . .They are simply windows toa world in which silence and patience govern time.” [cite web | title = New York Times review of Ashes and Snow, May 23, 2008, Dances With Whales (2008–) | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CE0D7103FF931A15757C0A9649C8B63&sec=&spon=&&scp=2&sq=ashes%20and%20snow&st=cse]

Colbert began his career in Paris in 1983 making documentary films on social issues. His documentary, "On the Brink-An AIDS chronicle", was filmed in nine countries, and was nominated for an ACE award in 1985 in the category of best documentary. Other film projects include "Last Words" and "Finding a Way Home". Film-making led to fine arts photography.

Gregory Colbert has been the recipient of a number of awards and distinctions. In 2006 he was awarded the "Best Curator of the Year" at the Lucie Awards. [cite web | title = Lucie Awards (2005–) | url = http://www.lucieawards.com/05/nominees.asp] In 2007, his film, "Ashes and Snow" was nominated for a special prize at the Venice Film festival. [cite web | title = Venice Film Festival | url = http://www.ppr.com/front__sectionId-213_PubliId-7503_Change _en. title = NOMBRA GOBIERNO DE LA CIUDAD EMBAJADOR TURÍSTICO DE MÉXICO AL ARTISTA GREGORY COLBERT | url = http://www.mexicocity.gob.mx/contenidos.php?cat=41400&sub=12]

"Ashes and Snow" at the Nomadic Museum will open in Brazil in 2009. Additional venues are planned in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Animal Copyright

Gregory Colbert announced the launch of the Animal Copyright Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to help preserve species and habitats around the world, at the TED (conference) in 2006. The foundation urges companies to contribute 1% of their media buy when using animals in an advertising campaign. Participating companies are granted the right to display the Animal Copyright mark on the ads that constitute that campaign.

Beginning in 2008, with the launch of the Animal Copyright Foundation website [Animal Copyright Foundation website] , [www.animalcopyright.com] , corporations are encouraged to comply with the Animal Copyright Foundation standards and utilize the Animal Copyright symbol when using animals in their advertising. Funds are distributed directly from advertisers to conservation projects around the world.

The Flying Elephants Foundation

Gregory Colbert created the Flying Elephants Foundation to support individuals who are working to benefit the environment through the arts and sciences. Recipients of grants from the foundation include cite web | title = Zana Briski|url = http://www.zanabriski.com/, Marc Ancrenaz, cite web | title = Edward Burtynsky|url = http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/, Ravi Corea, Jim Darling, cite web | title = Iain Douglas-Hamilton|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_Douglas-Hamilton, cite web | title = David Hykes|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hykes, cite web | title = Andy Lipkis|url = http://www.treepeople.org/, cite web | title = Sharon Matola|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Matola, cite web | title = Alan Rabinowitz|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Rabinowitz, cite web | title = Carl Safina|url = http://www.carlsafina.org/, cite web | title = James Turrell|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Turrell, and cite web | title = Siew Te Wong|url = http://wongsiewte.blogspot.com/.

Quotes

“When I started "Ashes and Snow" in 1992, I set out to explore the relationship between man and animals from the inside out. In discovering the shared language and poetic sensibilities of all animals, I am working towards restoring the common ground that once existed when people lived in harmony with animals.”

"Every culture from the Egyptians to the Mayans to the American Indians to the Bedouins created bestiaries that enabled them to express their relationship with nature. "Ashes and Snow" is a 21st-century bestiary filled with species from around the world. Nature’s orchestra includes not just Homo sapiens but elephants, whales, manatees, eagles, cheetahs, orangutans, and many others."

“Until now, that has not been the case for nature and animals. We need to renegotiate our contract with nature. Every year corporations spend billions of dollars in advertising their products using animals and nature. The Animal Copyright Foundation provides an immediately recognizable way for responsible companies to communicate their awareness and commitment to preserving the world’s natural habitats and species.”

External links

* [http://www.ashesandsnow.com/en/home.php Ashes and Snow.com]
* www.imdb.com [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493393/]
* Animal Copyright [http://www.animalcopyright.org]
* Flying Elephants Foundation [http://www.flyingelephants.org/]

References