Jul 03, 2015

UNPO Announces Photography Exhibition “Indigenous Peoples – Invisible Peoples” by Italian Photojournalist Luca Catalano Gonzaga in Brussels


 

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization will host a photography exhibition featuring the artwork of Italian photojournalist Luca Catalano Gonzaga on 3 July 2015 from 18:30 to 20:30 at Mundo-b in Brussels, Belgium. The exhibition will provide glimpses into the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable and isolated indigenous peoples. 


The exhibited artwork is part of a project implemented in cooperation with UNPO on the threats made to indigenous people around the world. This project took the photographer to different parts of the world, where he spent several weeks living with the indigenous populations portrayed in his reportages, capturing their stories through his camera lens. 

The Batwa, also called the pygmies of Rwanda, face the dilution of their environmentally safe, sustainable and traditional livelihoods, due to land confiscation and new economic systems. As for the Mapuche of Chile, years of misrepresentation, authoritarian rule, migration, and disregard to their elders’ hierarchical status has eroded much of their traditional culture and divided communities. A large proportion of the ethnic Degar-Montagnard population from Vietnam has resettled and preserving their language and knowledge accrued through painful experiences is challenging within their diaspora community. Approximately half of the Haratin community, the largest minority and most marginalized group in Mauritania, languish in conditions of de facto slavery.

Luca Catalano Gonzaga started his career in marketing and advertising and became a professional photographer in 2008, focusing mainly on social issues, portraits and ad hoc projects in the private sector. He has received several awards, including the “Grand Prix Care du Reportage Humanitaire 2009” for a feature on child labour in Nepal, which was displayed at the international festival of photojournalism “Visa Pour l’Image” at Perpignan. In 2010, he co-founded Witness Image, a non-profit association aimed at developing photographic projects on human rights issues.

To register, please click here or send your full name, organization/ occupation and e-mail address to Julie Duval at [email protected]. Please note that the event is open to the public, and that your registration is for informational purposes only.