A pod of Southern Resident Killer Whales travels together against the backdrop of the setting sun in the San Juan Islands, Washington. A Mountain Caribou gazes between snow covered trees, one animal of the eleven total individual caribou remaining in the United States. A cryptic Northern Spotted Owl peers out from an old growth forest nest cavity.
Each of these regionally iconic species share a common thread: all are listed as threatened or endangered. The stories and images of these and other irreplaceable species are featured in a new, travelling visual art exhibition by the Endangered Species Coalition – Our Vanishing Future: Photographs and Illustrations. Photographer and professional tracker David Moskowitz, in collaboration with ESC, invited the participation of other renown wildlife photographers to present work highlighting significant North American plants and animals. These images, in combination with illustrations by the winners of the 2017 Saving Endangered Species Youth Art Contest were presented at an initial show at Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, WA.
The show opening featured artist talks by photographer Paul Bannick and Chris Huss. Each artist shared powerful insights about their photographic careers and the power of images to educate and increase awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation.
The goal of the exhibition is to raise awareness of the scope of threats facing our best-known animal and plant species in the United States. Artists participating in the show provided statements about these species, educating audiences about their unique habits and encouraging action in support of conservation. Opportunities to take immediate action at the show opening included writing postcards to congressional representatives to demonstrate enduring support for the Endangered Species Act. You can take action by signing our petition in defense of the Act.
As the show develops, ESC is excited to bring these impactful images to other locations and to engage new audiences in conservation issues and actions. For additional information about the species highlighted in the exhibition, visit our Vanishing campaign.
Links:
2017 Saving Endangered Species Youth Art Contest
Wildlife Photographers featured in Our Vanishing Future: Photographs and Illustrations
April Bencze
www.aprilbenczewildlife.com
Paul Bannick
www.paulbannick.com
Kerri Farley
www.NewRiverNature.com
Michael Forsberg
www.michaelforsberg.com
Steven Gnam
www.gnam.photo
Chris Huss
www.chrishuss.com
Thomas D. Mangelsen
www.mangelsen.com
David Moskowitz
www.davidmoskowitz.net
Dave Showalter
www.daveshowalter.com
1 comment on “Seattle Photo Exhibition Shows Species At Risk”
Photo Ark is a multi-year National Geographic project with a simple goal—to create portraits of the world’s species before they disappear and to inspire people to care. Each image is a visual connection between the animals and people who can help protect them.