Photographer makes ‘eye contact’ with vanishing world of primates

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

With an array of portraits documenting the human-like expressions of some of the world’s most charismatic primates, Danish zoologist and wildlife photographer Mogens Trolle led audiences at the sixth Xposure International Photography Festival on an intriguing journey into the jungles of Asia and Africa.

“It was after years of doing mammal research in South Africa that I decided to become a wildlife photographer with a mission to capture images and portraits of the vanishing world of primates,” said the lensman, detailing his interest in both the hard-to-find and unique primates located in deep jungles and snowy mountains across the globe.

“Primates are the only mammals that use their faces and eyes to make ‘micro-expressions’ - like humans. They have facial muscles like ours and that becomes a window to their inner world. You can see the feelings, moods, and the personalities of each individual,” he said, explaining why he chose to zoom in on primates for his project.

“If you’re lucky, you may even make eye contact. It’s these magical moments, when you get a glimpse of the animals’ ‘personality’, that I try to capture in my pictures,” said Trolle, whose exhibition at Xposure showcased 25 portraits of 11 species of primates. The photographer, who has spent seven years on the project to showcase the intelligence and unique personalities of the creatures, has captured around 40,000 portraits of primates in their natural habitat ranging from the jungles of Gabon to Japan’s cold forests.

During his talk, Mogens wowed the audience with the diversity of intense facial expressions of the ‘bleeding heart monkey,’ the black macaque, orangutans, proboscis monkeys, the costume monkey, the dragon white snow monkey, and the shy, reclusive mandrill.

“Over the years, having observed and documented the primates at close quarters, (the experience) has given me the opportunity to spotlight unique characteristics like their intelligence, their interaction with the community, their complex social life, and more. Primates use the same facial expression muscles that humans do, which allows you to see a gamut of expressions around their eyes and lips,” Trolle stated.

Lamenting that more than 60 per cent of primate species are currently endangered due to human-induced factors like habitat destruction, hunting for food and illegal pet trading, the Danish wildlife photographer, said: “I hope that by documenting these vanishing primates, it will help people realise what amazing animals they are and why it would be an incredible loss if they were to disappear forever.”

DEBI CORNWALL: “Fiction is a way to illuminate the realities of our human condition and it helps answer questions I often grapple with,” said civil rights lawyer-turned-conceptual documentary artist Debi Cornwall during a presentation at the sixth Xposure International Photography Festival, which concluded yesterday (Tuesday) at Expo Centre Sharjah.

  Showcasing two of her most notable works ‘Welcome to Camp America: Inside Guantánamo Bay’ and ‘Necessary Fiction’, she took the audience on a riveting behind-the-scenes journey with visuals from Guantánamo Bay to mock villages hosting immersive, realistic war scenarios for the American military.

 The inside tour of Guantánamo Bay began with photos of a Tiki bar, bowling alleys and an outdoor movie theatre. “The challenge was to take a different kind of picture. We had been accustomed to seeing the same kinds of images – the orange jumpsuit, soldiers in fatigues, and the barbed wires – and I wanted to do something else,” she said, describing how the idea for the project took shape when her military escort at the notorious US detention facility remarked: ‘There’s so much fun to be had here!’

“And so, I decided to show the ‘fun’ – to look at what I was being asked to see,” said Cornwall who documented everything from toddler T-shirts and turkey vulture soft toys to a Fidel Castro radio set that were available for sale at the naval base. “These gift-shop souvenirs depict the commodification of American military power,” she added.

 In her attempt to capture “how power operates” and bring to light “state-created realities”, Cornwall’s images also captured ‘comfort items’ that differed from one detainee to another. “Flipflops and toothpaste were common to all, but those in full compliance had towels and cushions – a claim that was refuted by prisoners I met later,” she said, adding, “What I was asked to see vividly brought home the denial of personhood in this place.”