A temporary exhibition of extraordinary animal portraiture is
coming to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. The National Geographic Joel
Sartore Photo Ark exhibit will open March
1st, featuring inspirational images that were created to
inspire conservation action.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Feb. 21,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- When it comes to their
names, some animals could use a better publicist because, to the
unfamiliar ear, there's little about "River Chub" or "Least
Rasbora" that spurs the imagination or sparks a desire to protect
them.
"The Photo Ark is really my last-ditch,
desperate effort to get people to care about nature. We must, must,
must get people to care [about these species]. It's absolutely
critical." - Award-winning National Geographic Photographer Joel
Sartore
That's where award-winning National Geographic photographer
Joel Sartore comes in.
The chub and rasbora — both freshwater fish species — are two of
the dozens of animals Sartore has visited the Tennessee Aquarium to
photograph as part of the Photo Ark, his attempt to document all
species in human care at zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries
around the world.
Through this 17-year (and counting) effort, Sartore has archived
stunning portraiture of more than 15,000 species across more than
50,000 images. He estimates completing the archive could take
another seven to eight years.
More than merely ticking each and every box on an exhaustively
ambitious list, Sartore hopes these images inspire wonder and a
sense of urgency to protect all life on Earth. Presented on plain
black or white backgrounds, Photo Ark viewers are given no choice
but to consider each animal's unique qualities in isolation and,
hopefully, feel moved to safeguard them.
"The Photo Ark is really my last-ditch, desperate effort to get
people to care about nature," Sartore explains in the introduction
to a documentary about the project.
Beginning March 1 and continuing
through the end of the year, the Aquarium will exhibit two dozen
images from the Photo Ark throughout its campus. As they explore
the Ocean Journey and River Journey buildings or take in a
screening at the IMAX 3D Theater, guests will see Sartore's
incredible photographs on enormous banners, graphics and video
projections.
Some of the Photo Ark images on display, including the southern
flying squirrel and four-eyed turtle, were created during Sartore's
eight previous visits to the Aquarium. Others, such as the red-eyed
tree frog or African elephant, highlight interesting and at-risk
species that aren't part of the Aquarium's living collection.
Regardless of the setting in which the images were made, the
Photo Ark aims to level the playing field and inspire an equal
sense of wonder and importance for all animals — whether big or
small, world-beloved or largely unknown.
"The black and white backgrounds are a great equalizer," Sartore
said. "It shows the beauty, the grace and power in a mouse. He's no
less important than a Polar Bear. That tiger is no more important
than a tiger beetle.
"We must, must, must get people to care [about these species].
It's absolutely critical."
Presented at the grand scale at which guests will encounter them
during their Aquarium visit, the Photo Ark images bring details to
the fore that would be easy to miss in motion. Up close and frozen
in time, guests can appreciate the rough textured skin of a
Short-tail Nurse Shark or the slick, glossy sheen on a Spotted
Salamander.
Weaving Photo Ark's images and messaging into the guest
experience dovetails naturally with the Aquarium's call in 2024 for
visitors to "get closer, look deeper and enjoy the 'wows' along the
way." Taking a more deliberate pace while exploring brings
minuscule, easily overlooked details into focus, such as the
trailing bubbles that appear in the wake of a diving penguin, the
flecked gold eyes of an American alligator or the gem-like
coloration of native darters and shiners.
The National Geographic Joel Sartore Photo Ark exhibition is
presented locally by the Tennessee Department of Environment &
Conservation with additional support from First Horizon, and Yamaha
Rightwaters.
"The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is
proud to support this special exhibition," says Amy Katcher, TDEC-Materials Management Program
Manager. "Sartore's images help people experience nature with fresh
eyes, inspiring them to seek ways to protect water and
wildlife."
"Yamaha Rightwaters applauds the Tennessee Aquarium's commitment
to environmental education, particularly as it relates to
freshwater," says Joshua Grier,
Sustainability Program Manager for Yamaha Marine. "Viewing
Sartore's wildlife images while immersed in the Aquarium experience
reinforces the idea that protecting water and wildlife begins on
land."
"First Horizon has been proudly supporting the Aquarium's
mission for more than 30 years," says Jay
Dale, First Horizon Market President, Southeast Tennessee. "This exciting new
exhibition is thrilling to see, but it will also cause Aquarium
guests to pause and think about the fragility of nature and our
obligation to protect it for future generations."
To launch the Photo Ark exhibition at the Aquarium, Sartore and
his son — and Photo Ark Curator — Cole will visit Chattanooga on Thursday, Feb. 29. There, they will discuss the
origins of the archive and the harrowing and funny backstories to
creating its images.
Sartore's presentation will take place 6-6:30 p.m. in the River Journey auditorium,
after which audience members can tour the Aquarium and see how
Photo Ark imagery is integrated into the guest experience. Drinks
and hors d'oeuvres will be served before and after the
presentation. Tickets are $45 for
Members and $50 for non-Members.
community.tnaqua.org/events/2024-events/joel-sartore-photo-exhibit-
[Online registration for the evening event with Joel Sartore __title__ Meet Joel Sartore at the TN Aquarium 3.29.24]
joelsartore.com/photo-ark/ [Visit The Photo Ark online __title__
Joel Sartore Photo Ark online]
joelsartore.com/search/tennessee+aquarium/ [View Photo Ark
images taken by Joel Sartore of
animals at the Tennessee Aquarium __title__ TN Aquarium animals in
the Photo Ark]
Media Contact
Thom Benson, Tennessee Aquarium,
423-785-3007, tlb@tnaqua.org, https://tnaqua.org/
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SOURCE Tennessee Aquarium