 online exhibitions contact details Stock photography by Adrian Arbib at Alamy
After studying photography at the London College of Printing in 1984, I
concentrated on human rights and social
documentary photography.
Alongside environmental author George Monbiot, I travelled to Irian Jaya to
document the destruction of the
Papuan culture and land rights and contributed to the book 'Poisoned
Arrows'. Similarly in Kenya, for the
Turkana pastoralists (for the book 'No Mans Land') and in Rwanda for the Twa
(pygmies), I travelled to
pictorially cover their experiences of marginalisation and human rights
abuses.
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With some backing from Christian Aid in 1989 I travelled to Northern Namibia
to document the San (Bushmen) The one underlying factor for all these peoples has been the destruction of tribal land rights; minority groups have no say in government and find themselves marginalised to the point of cultural genocide. For many there are only two options open to them: change or cease to exist. The same is going on in England. Protest at the destruction of the countryside not only provided colourful photographs but a clear message that people care and want to do something about it. It's an indictment of our progress that we can't see when to stop or how to make our society a better place to live in. Images are only one way of describing what is going on, but they are a powerful medium - transcending language and cultural differences. They help build a relationship and sense of responsibility to the issues described in the image that may otherwise be lost in verbal or written descriptions. |
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The aim of these exhibitions is to go some way to document the issues I have
covered - but they are only small
pieces of the very large 'world jigsaw' in which we live. If a greater
understanding of land rights or social
justice issues results, then all the better.
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