Photo Ark Project at NC Arboretum encourages interaction with large-format animal portraits
The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville is hosting an ambitious traveling exhibit curated from the National Geographic Photo Ark. It’s a visually powerful project that aims to capture by lens as many as 20,000 species – many of which are at risk. The traveling program features large-format prints, as well as a grid of many more images, to highlight the immense range of species in the ever-growing Photo Ark portfolio.
The project was launched in 2006 by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore. Since then, he has visited more than 50 countries — from Slovenia to South Korea and from Australia to Sweden — with the goal of photographing every species being cared for in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries around the world.
So far, Sartore has shot intimate, stunningly beautiful portraits of more than 13,000 species. Those range from regal lions and enchanting Arabian cobras to adorable pandas and huggable-looking manatees. The 11,000th portrait in this collection was of a long-toothed moth, and it is believed to be the first photo ever taken of a live specimen of that elusive species. The moth was collected at night, using lights to attract it, and as soon as it was photographed, it was released back into the wilds of New Mexico.
The exhibit at the Arboretum showcases more than 50 of Photo Ark’s most compelling images, to provide visitors with a realistic face-to-face encounter. “It’s the eye contact that moves people,” Sartore observes, adding that it “engages feelings of compassion and a desire to help.”
Help is the underlying premise of the Photo Ark, which teaches people of all ages about the planet’s biodiversity. In addition to public exhibits, the project engages students through free educational materials and activities. Visitors are encouraged to take selfies with the impressive large-format portraits to show their support for the species’ conservation — and because, hey, who wouldn’t want to be portrayed in the company of such magnificent creatures?
As Sartore explains, “I want people to care, to fall in love, and to take action.”
Fall and Winter Highlights at the NC Arboretum
Selections from the National Geographic Photo Ark (nationalgeographic.org) are on display in the Baker Visitor Center of the NC Arboretum (100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville) through Sunday, Jan. 8; the exhibit is free with standard Arboretum parking admission.
Photo Ark coincides with the Arboretum’s other major seasonal event, Winter Lights, a walk-through, after-hours attraction of millions of LED lights artistically arranged in woodland and seasonal narratives. Winter Lights opens Friday, Nov. 18 and runs through Saturday, Dec. 31. The nightly program includes refreshments and holiday gifts for sale. For Winter Lights ticket pricing and more information, see ncarboretum.org