Past Exhibit
Michael Yamashita - The Silk Road and Great Wall of China
September 25 - December 16, 2007
85 Avenue A at Third Street - Downtown Turners Falls, Massachusetts
"Silk Road & Great Wall of China" is an exhibition of sixty photographs selected from three of Michael's books: Marco Polo: A Photographer's Journey (which has sold over 240,000 copies); Zheng He: China's Greatest Explorer; and forthcoming, The Great Wall of China.The magnificent color prints depict contemporary scenes from Mr. Yamashita's many years of travel retracing the routes of Marco Polo along the Silk Road, the daring and innovative early Chinese maritime explorer Zheng He's seven grand voyages, and 4,000 miles of the Great Wall of China.
Portraits, architectural wonders, marine activity, landscapes, agricultural practices, scenes of daily life and religious rituals from Italy, Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Oman, Yemen, Zanzibar, Bali, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand and Mongolia reward the museum visitor with a rich sense of history and geography, a heightened awareness of the world's ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, and appreciation for the struggles and accomplishments of humankind.
The prints were made specifically for this exhibition from original film images. Mr. Yamashita acknowledges his gratitude for equipment and material support provided by Hewlett-Packard Development Company (HP), and the technical and aesthetic contributions of Renaissance Press Digital, Brattleboro, Vermont.
About Michael Yamashita
For over twenty-five years Michael Yamashita has combined dual passions for world travel and photography in his role as a National Geographic photographer. He is noted for his expertise in documenting Asia but he's also worked closer to home; his most recent book is a stunning selection of aerial photographs, "New York Flying High".
Michael has published numerous books in addition to his National Geographic Magazine work. They include: In the Japanese Garden; The Mekong: Mother of Waters; Marco Polo: A Photographer's Journey; Zheng He: Tracing Epic Voyages of China's Greatest Explorer. His next book, The Great Wall of China, is scheduled to be released in September, 2007, to coincide with his HMCP exhibition.
Mr. Yamashita has received awards from The National Press Photographer's Association, New York Art Directors Club and the Asian-American Journalists Association. He is a frequent lecturer and teacher at schools and workshops worldwide. And, his work has been exhibited in China, Japan, Italy, Singapore, Korea, Epcot Center and Los Angeles. A National Geographic Channel documentary film following Mike on one of his photographic expeditions through much of the Middle and Far East recently aired on international television.
Michael resides with his wife and daughter in Chester, New Jersey, where he also maintains a studio and extensive stock image licensing library. When he's not traveling or photographing, Michael serves as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown.
View pictures from the Artist’s Reception