Natural Lang: Exhibition

In 2006, I received a Fulbright Fellowship in Photography, enabling me to spend eight months in Manila, Philippines, photographing and mentoring young adults through beginning and advanced photographic concepts and techniques.

We produced a traveling exhibition, of our combined work, "Natural Lang: Images of Childhood in Tropical Palace."

My students and I approached our exhibition with two objectives: 1: to curate the show for the children depicted in the images, and 2: to combat the likelihood that the viewer would identify poverty and stop looking.

We wanted the viewer to have to be active, to physically move, and to interact with the artwork. We hoped that a non-traditional presentation would defy the viewer’s expectations and therefore help to de-objectify the subjects.

The light boxes are hung on different planes to force the viewer to move and view the work at a close distance. The only wall that is hung traditionally is hung at the eyelevel of the children. This exhibition was first shown at Blank Space Gallery Manila, and then traveled to the Cultural Center of the Philippines.