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News and Views
Fall 2000 Volume 11, Issue 1
Artisitc Expressions:
Portrais of the Peruvian Woman
The captivating faces of women and children from the Peruvian Amazon gazed at us from the walls of the Center for Women's Studies and Gender Research October 3rd at the opening of Ella: Portraits of the Peruvian Amazon. The show features the photography of Kathryn Lynch and Amanda Stronza.
To
Kathryn Lynch, a doctoral candidate in Anthropology at the University
of Florida, the photos document her research into the interconnections
between gender, healing and conservation in the northern Peruvian Amazon.
Lynch commented that "the destruction and degradation of tropical rain
forests is one of the most serious threats facing the planet. The challenge
of protecting these forests is further complicated by the need for economic
development in these biologically rich areas." In 1994, Lynch set
out to investigate one proposition for integrating these concerns--the
economic valuation of medicinal plants. She found that a strategy
that includes not only the market value of medicinal plants but also their
subsistence value in meeting local needs is a more holistic approach that
addresses both environmental protection and social justice issues.
When the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, IL., hired Ms. Lynch as a consultant for their new permanent exhibit, Amazon Rising, and purchased her photograph entitled "Doña Ana" for the Healing Forest display, Office Manager Paula Palmer was prompted to invite Lynch to exhibit her photographs at the Center. Lynch then invited her close colleague, Amanda Stronza, to collaborate in the show. Lynch commented, "We are honored and excited to be sharing our photographs from the Amazon. While the true beauty and power of these sacred places and amazing people cannot be fully captured by photographs, we hope they give you a glimpse into the exquisite beauty of the Amazon."
Lynch concluded that it is imperative to seek an understanding of the perspective of local people when doing research and conservation work. "Local peoples offer alternatives to us about how to interact with our environment. We think we have knowledge, expertise; however, our knowledge is miniscule in comparison to these women, who have amazing knowledge of biological diversity and ecological systems."
Many came to view the opening of the exhibit and talk with Lynch about her Amazon experiences. "It is nice that the CWSGR has a tradition of exhibiting artists and themes that are significant to women," said Martha Ellen Davis, Associate Director of the Center for Latin American Studies.
The exhibit is currently on display until December 16 at the CWSGR located at 3357 Turlington Hall. The exhibit is free and open to the public . For more information call 392-3365.
Article by Michelle Runyon with contributions by Kathryn Lynch.
On Display for Spring 2001
Reflecting
on the Body: Creating and Losing Power
by Jana Bailey
