Post by gregor on Aug 15, 2011 4:21:01 GMT -5
Very few U.S. tourists will find their way to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the reservation of the Oglala Sioux in South Dakota. However, most European tourists give as a reason for their U.S. trip, their interest in "the Indians". A visit to a folkloristic Pow-wow is often the only event to „meet Indians“. Indian everyday life, they rarely see. Those who visited the Pine Ridge Reservation this summer, maybe had the chance to meet John Willis. Willis has published a photo book about this reservation.
"Views from the Reservation" is a sumptuous book with mainly black and white photographs, which offer insights into the lives of the Oglala Lakota on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
John Willis is a professor of photography at Marlboro College in Marlboro, Vermont and artist (photographer). One would think that he is working to full capacity with these tasks. But Willis has a mission. In 1992, he traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota fort he first time in order to document the lives of the Oglala Lakota. Contrary to many other professional photographers, John Willis, however, was aware of the fact that the penetration into the lives of Lakotas and into impoverished communities (and the shooting of these scenes) was somewhat equivalent to a new exploitation. He could and would therefore act only with the consent of Lakota elders and the photographed people. To this end he had to win the trust of the Lakota Indians and Willis contacted a respected Lakota elder, Eugene Reddest (1919 - 2002). Reddest not only introduced him into Lakota rituals, but also into the community. Parallel to that, Willis sacrificed a part of his lecture-free time and organized in the summer months free photography workshops in the Pine Ridge colleges. Over the years John Willis earned the respect and trust of the Lakota elders who urged him to publish his work. They hoped that the photographs would again focus the public interest on the dire situation of the rez.
"Views from the reservation" is the product of many visits to Pine Ridge from 1992 to 2009. This opulent photo book is a beautiful, but also an upsetting book. It opens not only the eyes but also the minds and hearts to the Lakota culture and their oppressive living conditions. Willis photographs have what it takes to become classics: carefully selected subjects who conserve the affection for the people, but also to the brittle beauty of the landscape - carefully captured for posterity.
Particularly impressive - in conjunction with the photographs - is the poetry of Lakota High School students. So, more "views" are provided by the reservation - besides the images. In addition to this, the volume contains essays on Lakotas by Emil Her-Many-Horses, curator of the National Museum of the American Indian, and the writer Kent Nerburn.
But not enough. Furthermore, the book contains a choice of Ledger Art Drawings of the Oglala Lakota artist Dwayne Wilcox. Wilcox reflects in his ironic, sarcastic paintings aspects of the current, daily lives of the Lakota, in which the acting ethnic groups are sometimes swapped.
www.doghatstudio.com/ (see here samples)
Last but not least the book gives insights into the Reddest family history. For this purpose, the Reddest family has opened their family archive.
The book is delivered with the CD "Heartbeat Of The Rez", which contains traditional songs of the Lakota, selected by Lakota elders, the author and the radio hosts of the Lakota radio station KILI.
Reasons to buy the book? On the one hand, the photo book is a rich kaleidoscope of Willis photographs, historic photographs from the family collection, drawings and thought-provoking lyrics, to introduce the interested reader (and viewer) into the subject. And the second reason: royalties for the book go to the chronic underfunded KILI radio station. You can order the volume worldwide over Amazon.
Greetings from Germany
Gregor
"Views from the Reservation" is a sumptuous book with mainly black and white photographs, which offer insights into the lives of the Oglala Lakota on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
John Willis is a professor of photography at Marlboro College in Marlboro, Vermont and artist (photographer). One would think that he is working to full capacity with these tasks. But Willis has a mission. In 1992, he traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota fort he first time in order to document the lives of the Oglala Lakota. Contrary to many other professional photographers, John Willis, however, was aware of the fact that the penetration into the lives of Lakotas and into impoverished communities (and the shooting of these scenes) was somewhat equivalent to a new exploitation. He could and would therefore act only with the consent of Lakota elders and the photographed people. To this end he had to win the trust of the Lakota Indians and Willis contacted a respected Lakota elder, Eugene Reddest (1919 - 2002). Reddest not only introduced him into Lakota rituals, but also into the community. Parallel to that, Willis sacrificed a part of his lecture-free time and organized in the summer months free photography workshops in the Pine Ridge colleges. Over the years John Willis earned the respect and trust of the Lakota elders who urged him to publish his work. They hoped that the photographs would again focus the public interest on the dire situation of the rez.
"Views from the reservation" is the product of many visits to Pine Ridge from 1992 to 2009. This opulent photo book is a beautiful, but also an upsetting book. It opens not only the eyes but also the minds and hearts to the Lakota culture and their oppressive living conditions. Willis photographs have what it takes to become classics: carefully selected subjects who conserve the affection for the people, but also to the brittle beauty of the landscape - carefully captured for posterity.
Particularly impressive - in conjunction with the photographs - is the poetry of Lakota High School students. So, more "views" are provided by the reservation - besides the images. In addition to this, the volume contains essays on Lakotas by Emil Her-Many-Horses, curator of the National Museum of the American Indian, and the writer Kent Nerburn.
But not enough. Furthermore, the book contains a choice of Ledger Art Drawings of the Oglala Lakota artist Dwayne Wilcox. Wilcox reflects in his ironic, sarcastic paintings aspects of the current, daily lives of the Lakota, in which the acting ethnic groups are sometimes swapped.
www.doghatstudio.com/ (see here samples)
Last but not least the book gives insights into the Reddest family history. For this purpose, the Reddest family has opened their family archive.
The book is delivered with the CD "Heartbeat Of The Rez", which contains traditional songs of the Lakota, selected by Lakota elders, the author and the radio hosts of the Lakota radio station KILI.
Reasons to buy the book? On the one hand, the photo book is a rich kaleidoscope of Willis photographs, historic photographs from the family collection, drawings and thought-provoking lyrics, to introduce the interested reader (and viewer) into the subject. And the second reason: royalties for the book go to the chronic underfunded KILI radio station. You can order the volume worldwide over Amazon.
Greetings from Germany
Gregor