Mongolia: Images from the Steppes
22nd August – 10th December 2006

Mongolia: Images from the Steppes, a photography exhibition by Italian photographer Enzo Obiso, opens at the Museum of East Asian Art on 22nd August 2006. Comprising of twenty five photographs this exhibition explores and arouses visual dialogue created by the vast spaces of the Mongolian steppes. This exhibition is part of the year-long festivities in 2006 marking the 800th anniversary of the Mongolian Statehood.

Founded by Genghis Khan in 1206, Mongolia sits between the borders of Russia and China. The country is well known for its long history of violence and repression but Enzo depicts the enduring connection between man, history and nature. Taken in the summer of 1991 at a time when Communist dictatorship had only just ended and the Mongolian republic was preparing for its new constitution and liberation, these photographs encapsulate the deep sensibilities of a world in transformation.

Captured through the artist's lens, the static grasslands of the Mongolian steppes are transformed into an inspiring display of symbolic references. At the centre of Enzo's work is idea that the human being can be represented through landscape, places, objects and the body. Featuring images of clouds, horses, motorbikes and people, this series of Enzo's work reflects Mongolia's traditional nomadic lifestyle and culture, as well as some of its more modern customs. This exhibition is on display until 10th December 2006.

Enzo Obiso was born in Sicily in 1954 and studied photography at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Turin. Based in Turin, he has been exhibiting since 1974 in commercial and public galleries.

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Digital images and/or slide transparencies also available