The Liu Lobby Gallery presents a 7 week-long exhibition featuring a photo-essa y of conservation student and photographer Sofya Babak.
Exhibit: Jan 24 - Mar 8\, 2024
Opening R eception: Join us on Jan 24\, 2023 at 6:00pm for a special evening where you can meet the artist and enjoy light refreshments.
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About the Exhibit:
In August 2023\, Ecuador held an unprecedented national vote to ba n oil concessions in Yasuní National Park. This win was made possible by pe ople and for people – bringing hope for social and environmental justice. P rotecting one of the most biodiverse places in the world means recognizing its intrinsic value\, but it also means protecting vulnerable communities i n the region and around the world. It means preventing and mitigating the c onsequences of deforestation and mining pollution. Within and beyond Amazon ian rainforests - Ecuador continues to fight for conservation and social ch ange. To share some of these stories\, this exhibition showcases photograph s from the Yasuní Biodiversity Research Station\, as well as grassroots mov ements from three other different ecosystems of Ecuador.
In the Amazo n\, visual stories make one feel how alive this forest is and experience a deeper connection with distant natural wonders\, and with people who care f or it and are cared for by it. On the coast\, first-hand stories of local c onservation efforts from NGOs and MPAs. In the Cloud Forest\, Pictured is t he Yungilla community that lives proudly and prospers by means of ecotouris m and sustainability grants. Finally\, from Paramo Highlands\, tales of the growing ecotourism industry and projects protecting water sources that fee d the valleys below.
"With my art\, I hope to shine a light on th e power of grassroots movements and initiatives that have the incredible po tential to improve livelihoods in Latin America and around the world\, as w ell as draw attention to the importance of vast local and Indigenous knowle dge that conservation relies on."
Biography
Sofya Babak is a self-taught creative and documentary p hotographer and a Natural Resources Conservation student at UBC. With her p hotography\, Sofya hopes to tell stories that help others feel\, and amplif y voices of social and environmental change\, whether through abstraction o f her style of “visual poetry” or through travel photography from around th e world. Previously\, Sofya has collaborated with Liu Institute’s Transform ative Memory Network to digitize archives and tell stories of personal obje cts and tapestries from the time of the tragic war in northern Uganda.
< p>While participating in the UBC Global Seminar in Ecuador\, she has captur ed local stories of conservation success and the people behind them\, showc ased here. Throughout this exhibit\, Sofya hopes to use her creative medium to facilitate dialogue about environmental and social justice in Ecuador a nd beyond. Other non-professional photographers who participated in the cou rse and shared similar values are displayed in the exhibition as well: Siem on Joubert\, Marin Phillips-Hing and Ethan Vayman.The exhibi t is free and open to the public during regular building hours\, 9am-5pm. I t is located in the Lobby on the first floor.
Curate d by Fabiola Vizcardo.
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