The Ese’Eja People
© Andrew Bale and Jon Cox
“Developed in 1839, daguerreotypes are the earliest photographic images and have long been described as mirrors with a memory. When viewing each daguerreotype, you first see yourself reflected on the silver surface, and as you look deeper the portrait of an Ese’Eja becomes visible.” Andrew Bale
“Our mercury-developed, gold-gilded images of Ese’Eja community members are created to draw attention to the mercury pollution being cast upon one of the world’s last remaining Amazonian cultures and the unique environment where they live. Like many other indigenous peoples in the Amazon, the Ese’Eja are affected by mercury that has been dumped into their environment as a byproduct of illegal gold mining. The mercury pollution is devastating on the rainforest, its inhabitants and other remote locations across our planet. We are all part of the problem when it comes to illegal gold mining. Our global economies were built on gold, our technological devices require gold, and we adorn ourselves in gold as status symbols.” Andrew Bale
To learn more about Andrew Bale please visit his page at Andrew Bale.
