The world through the lens of National Geographic
April 1-May 19, 2005
The National Geographic Society has been in existence since 1888, with the goal of advancing and promoting geographic knowledge.
In addition to organizing scientific research expeditions (starting with Robert Peary’s expedition to the North Pole, Hiram Bingham’s discovery of Machu Picchu, and Robert Ballard’s search for the “Titanic”), the society publishes the popular magazine “National Geographic”, which has 24 national editions (for 4 years also in the Polish version), books and films. There is also a TV channel “National Geographic Channel”.
The advantage of the magazine are not only reliable articles and reports, but also excellent photos, coming from all corners of the world, which are the work of a true elite among photographers. It is from them, after careful selection, that the most attractive are chosen, forming the exhibition.
The exposition presented in Stalowa Wola includes 100 photos enthralling the viewer on a journey through unknown and fascinating corners of our globe. It shows captured in the frame fleeting moments of people’s and nature’s life, traditions and customs, beauty and horror – forming the image of the world from the early twentieth century to the present day.
The oldest of the photos (1907) captures in black and white the first attempts to fly a bizarre, multi-winged glider, while a photograph from the beginning of the 21st century shows a modern airplane passing through a fabulously colorful area over Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Caricatured dancing masks from a festival taking place on the streets of Nice compete for the viewer’s attention with ethereal figures in white attending the carnival in Venice. Into the enchanted world of the magic of the Black Continent are drawn Zambian Makishi dancers and a shaman surrounded by a fiery world, casting out spirits on the plains of southern Africa. The abstract, cosmic landscape is captivated by the hot springs in Yellowstone Park, dripping in color. An unreal impression of materializing shadows of heroes from the past is given by a procession of Japanese sumo wrestlers, cultivating 500-year-old traditions. Dynamic energy immobilized on the film seems to be charged African hunter, running with dogs.
A special rarity of the exhibition is undoubtedly the portrait of Sharbat Gula, a sensationally found Afghan woman after 17 years – the same unknown, green-eyed girl, whose image immortalized in the famous photo, which was a silent cry for the recognition of the victims of the inhuman war (1984), has televised the whole world. The author of both photographs is Steve McCurry, a legendary master of the lens, multiple winner of World Press Photo awards, specializing in documenting events in conflict zones (Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Beirut, Cambodia, Persian Gulf), with excellent results, often achieved at the risk of his life. Also exposed are the works of such individuals as William A. Allard, Sam Abell, Jodi Cobb, David Doubilet, David A. Harvey, Chris Johns, Emory Kristof, Frans Lanting, Nick Nichols, James Stanfield and also Tomasz Tomaszewski.
The photographs presented at the exhibition are part of the best photographs in the history of National Geographic selected for the forthcoming album “The World in the Lens of National Geographic” and a special issue of the magazine entitled “Poland”, devoted entirely to our country.
Due to the combination of educational and informational message with artistic values, photo exhibitions organized by National Geographic are extremely popular. Presented in previous years in many cities in Poland were seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors.
