Amazonia

Lynae N.

January 17, 2010 - 9:18 PM

So my husband is taking a photography class and heard about a photography display that opened this weekend at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art on campus. The display was called Amazonia and it was a presentation of the amazing photographs Sam Abell and Torben Ulrkin Nissen took in the untamed jungles of Peru.

The event was more than I expected. I walked into the museum with my husband, daughter and her friend and we were met at the door with a sea of people dressed like they were going to a business conference. There we were in our casual we-don't-have-to-go-to-class-today clothes and that felt a bit out of place. And I wasn't expecting the food either. The UO catered the event and they had an awesome meal prepared and we all go to nibble on goodies before we ventured upstairs to the exhibit.

When we managed to wind our way through the schools of people milling about in suits and heels and made it upstairs to the display. We were met with the most amazing pictures! Exotic Jaguars were turning and facing us through the frames with a not-so-happy look on their faces. Giant clouds of brightly colored butterflies danced around, dozens of Macaw parrots swarmed the cliffs, snakes peered out from under leaves, boars charged towards us, monkeys swung overhead, and many other creatures great and small peeked and peered at us. How amazing to think so many wild animals can share such a dense environment together. I can't help but wonder how much of the world used to be like this place and now are parking lots and apartment buildings. There is so much wonder that has been lost.

And it was wonder we saw. I was pleased that my daughter and her friend were captured by the pictures they saw. They oo'd and aaah'd and shivered with the heebie-jeebies as they snaked between the crowds trying to press close enough to get a glimpse of the pictures. As for my husband, he was more captivated by the way the pictures were taken. He understood what the artists were doing when they took their pictures and he had a deeper appreciation than what I have with my ignorance about photography.

After we'd had our fill of Amazonia, we wondered through the other displays in the museum and the girls in particular really enjoyed this. After the night began to wane we made our way back down the stairs and were met with a surprise; Sam Abell and Torben Ulrick Nissen were sitting in the lobby of the museum discussing their artwork with fellow museum goers. Unfortunately, I didn't get a change to meet these two men because I had two hyper girls getting restless and wanting to dash in and out of the crowds of people. Still it was a fantastic evening and I encourage anyone who has not seen the display to head over to Jordan Schnitzer and check it out.