TRIBE
Andrew Eldon
Exhibition Dates: 27 October – 12 November, 2023
Venue: Blue Lotus Gallery, G/F, 28 Pound Lane, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11am – 6pm, closed on Mondays and Public Holidays
Related Events: Talk Andrew Eldon: Saturday 4 November, 11:00-12:30
Inquiries: kozaf@bluelotus-gallery.com | t/whatsapp: +852 5590 3229
The Suri Tribe of Ethiopia: A Remarkable Culture
Blue Lotus Gallery is pleased to present an intimate photographic exhibition by Andrew Eldon titled "Tribe" opening 27 October. This vibrant series offers a rare glimpse into the world of the Suri, a semi-nomadic tribe inhabiting the remote Omo Valley of Ethiopia.
Through vivid portraits and cultural scenes, Eldon's lens captures the grace and splendor of Suri life and traditions before they are irrevocably altered by modernisation. His images reveal the tribe's distinctive practices of body modification and adornment. Women wear large clay lip plates and both men and women engage in ritual body scarring—testaments to the Suri's unique concepts of beauty and identity. Eldon's photographs also unveil the Suri's elaborate floral headdresses and face painting, artful preparations usually reserved for special occasions.
Beyond aesthetics, the exhibition invites viewers to understand the daily rhythms and values of Suri life. Their semi-nomadic pastoral existence revolves around cattle herding and subsistence farming on ancestral lands. Family and community are central pillars for the Suri, with polygamy commonly practiced and major decisions made collectively by village elders. While life is difficult by modern standards, Eldon's images radiate the Suri's infectious joy and camaraderie.
Eldon's photographs capture a culture on the cusp of transformation. The Ethiopian government has begun leasing Suri lands to international mining and agricultural companies, carving roads through once-isolated terrain. The exhibition becomes a meditation on the impermanence of indigenous cultures amidst the unstoppable tide of globalisation.
About Andrew Eldon:
Andrew Eldon is an award winning Hong Kong-based photographer committed to nurturing the creative and technical aspects of his craft. He brings a spirit of discovery to unveiling new perspectives through his camera lens, whether on local streets or in far-flung places. Eldon's passion for travel photography has taken him to Uzbekistan, Ethiopia and beyond. Andrew Eldon was the finalist and won several honourable mentions at the International Photo Awards in 2023.
About Blue Lotus Gallery:
Blue Lotus Gallery, established in 2007 by Sarah Greene, is Hong Kong’s leading photography gallery with a strong focus on exploring Hong Kong culture and identity. The gallery offers an exquisite selection of books, limited edition and vintage prints by respected master photographers and emerging contemporary artists such as Fan Ho, Wing Shya, Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze and many more. The gallery's intimate exhibition space in in Sheung Wan seeks to foster cultural appreciation and meaningful dialogue.
Blue Lotus Gallery 很榮幸呈獻，將於10月27日開幕的 Andrew Eldon 攝影展覽《Tribe 部落》。這個引人入勝的系列作品為我們提供了一個難得的機會，一探埃塞俄比亞奧莫谷地居住的蘇里部落世界。
通過鮮明的肖像和文化場景， Andrew 的鏡頭捕捉了蘇里生活與傳統共存的優雅和輝煌，而這些傳統將在現代化的巨輪下無可避免地遭受變化。他的作品展示了蘇里部落獨特的身體裝飾方式：女性佩戴著巨大的黏土唇盤、男性和女性都會進行儀式性的身體刺痕，這些都是蘇里部落對美麗和身份的獨特見解。 Andrew 的攝影作品還展示了蘇里部落精心製作的花卉頭飾和面部彩繪，而這些藝術性的配備通常用於特殊場合中。
除了美學之外，這個展覽還邀請觀眾深入了解蘇里生活的日常節奏和價值觀。他們半游牧的牧場生活圍繞著牛群飼養以及在祖傳土地上自給自足的農業。家庭和社區是蘇里文化的核心支柱，多妻制度在這裡很常見，而重大決策通常由村莊及長老共同作出。雖然按照現代標準，蘇里的生活可算是艱難，但 Andrew 的攝影作品卻散發出蘇里人的快樂和情誼。
Andrew 的攝影作品捕捉到一個文化正在變革的重要時刻。埃塞俄比亞政府已經開始將蘇里部落的土地租給國際礦業和農業公司，同時在曾經孤立的地區開辟新的道路。這個展覽將成為一個深思的場所，讓我們反思原住民文化在不可阻擋的全球化浪潮中所面臨的挑戰。
關於藝術家:
Andrew Eldon 是一位屢獲殊榮的居港攝影師，致力於培養攝影藝術的創造性和技術性。不論是在本地街道還是遠處的他方， Andrew 都帶著探索的精神，以鏡頭揭示不同的新視角。 他對旅行攝影充滿熱情，他曾前往烏茲別克斯坦、埃塞俄比亞等地。他的作品於 2023 年的國際攝影獎中成為了決賽入圍者，並獲得了多個榮譽提名。
關於 Blue Lotus Gallery:
Blue Lotus Gallery 成立於 2007 年，是一家專注於探索香港文化及身份的攝影畫廊，致力搜羅多位備受尊敬的攝影大師和當代新銳藝術家的攝影集、限量印刷作品以及早期原作照片。我們是全球獨家代理何藩及其家屬的畫廊。多年來，本畫廊為多位藝術家如 Romain Jacquet-Lagrèze 、Tugo Cheng 及 Stefan Irvine 的創作生涯發揮起重要作用，同時亦作為他們於香港地區的獨家代理。我們位於香港上環磅巷28號，一個古樸而寧靜的歷史小區。
