From January 01, 2021 to January 31, 2021
Few photographers have captured (but no, let’s not use that word)—few photographers have communicated the depth and complexity of primate emotions as Berry has. - Collier Brown, Introduction to Primates, published by 21st Editions, 2017
Behind Glass is a series of portraits of primates made in small zoos throughout Europe. Alone, patient and silent, in these monkey houses I establish a more than passing connection with my subjects. I makes portraits that reveal the unique personality of each of these animals; it is clear that they are posing for me and that there exists a human-primate bond. My goal is to motivate people to feel compassion for primates and an obligation to protect them. Most of the primates I photograph qualify as endangered, and all of them are facing stress from loss of habitat and human activity. The plight of primates on earth is urgent; our indifference will condemn them to extinction, and we will follow. My work with primates has resulted in numerous international exhibitions and two limited edition artist books, Through Glass (North Light Press, 2014) and Primates (21st Editions, 2017), which is in the permanent collection of The National Gallery of Art Special Collections. Around 2015 I began to put this project aside in order to create new work. But the primates keep calling to me. I feel a responsibility towards these animals, and I have seen the emotional responses my photographs evoke. My goal is to work with foundations that improve primate welfare to use this project to broaden their advocacy and support their mission. To facilitate this mission I will publish a book of this project in the summer of 2021.
Curator: Harvey Stein, professional photographer, teacher, lecturer, author and curator based in New York City
Anne Berry is an artist from Atlanta, Georgia. Her photographs investigate the animal world, the domain of childhood, and the terrain of the Southern wilderness. She also explores themes and metaphors from literature. In 2013 and 2014 Critical Mass included her work in their Top 50 Portfolios. Anne has had solo exhibitions at the Centre for Visual and Performing Arts in Newnan, GA, The Lamar Dodd Art Center in LAGrange, GA and The Rankin Arts Center in Columbus, GA. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including The Fox Talbot Museum in Lacock, England, SCAN Tarragona in Spain, The Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, and the Ogden Museum of Southern Arts in New Orleans. Books include Through Glass (North Light Press, 2014) and Primates (21st Editions, 2017). Anne's work is featured in National Geographic Proof, Feature Shoot, Hufffington Post and Lens Culture, among others. Her work is in many permanent collections, including the National Gallery of Art. Anne lives in Newnan, GA. She is represented by the Catherine Couturier Gallery in Houston.
