Guy Laliberté, Tibet, Lake in the Xizang Region, 2009, photographic print on cotton paper, 20” x 30”, 30” x 45”, 40 x 60, 72” x 108” limited editions
August 2 – October 1, 2012
Opening Reception: Friday, August 3, 6 – 8 p.m.
THOMPSON LANDRY GALLERY
The Distillery District
Stone Distillery Space
55 Mill Street, Building 5, #102
Toronto, Ontario, M5A 3C4
Tel: 416.364.4955
E-mail:info@thompsonlandry.com
www.thompsonlandry.com
Hours: Tues–Sat 11-6, Sun 12-5
The Thompson Landry Gallery presents GAIA, a breathtaking series of photographs taken from space, by Guy Laliberté.
In August 2012, the Thompson Landry Gallery presents GAIA: the latest tour de force of Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil® and first-ever private space explorer. GAIA features stunning photographs of the Earth taken from 220 miles away during an eleven-day trip into space. The photographs highlight unique views of nearly forty countries.
ONE DROP is a non-profit organization founded by Laliberté to fight poverty worldwide by ensuring access to clean water now and in the future. For more information on ONE DROP please visit their website at http://www.onedrop.org/en/default.aspx
In keeping with ONE DROP’s mandate, Laliberté dedicated his spaceflight to raising awareness about water issues facing humankind, referring to the trip as his “Poetic Social Mission”. During these eleven days, Laliberté spent over fifty percent of his time photographing the surface of the earth using the Nikon D3S and Nikon D3X digital SLR cameras. The photographs capture the earth’s beautiful natural and man-made landscapes. In addition, his photographs reveal the changing climate and shed light on the lack of water resources available to some communities. Laliberté developed the images into a photographic collection called GAIA, named after the Greek primordial earth-goddess. GAIA is comprised of photographs personally curated by Laliberté from the collection of ten-thousand photographs he took in space. His images are natural works of art: deserts resemble contemporary abstract paintings, and faces and figures are revealed in nature. GAIA showcases the planet we inhabit as it has never been seen before.
In conjunction with the Thompson Landry Gallery, ONE DROP will be showcasing a public exhibition of 60 large-scale photographs outside along Distillery Lane in Toronto’s Historical Distillery District. The outdoor exhibition seeks to raise awareness of water-related issues on our planet and to encourage people to adopt responsible habits with respect to this vital resource. Paired with descriptions of the location and the geographical and geological significance of the photograph, GAIA will be both visually and intellectually stimulating as viewers ponder the evolving landscape of the earth’s surface.
In addition to the outdoor exhibition, 30 images will be on display and available for purchase, inside the Thompson Landry Gallery’s Stone Distillery Space. Each of the limited editions, available in four sizes, is printed on cotton paper, these incredible images can be found on the gallery website at www.thompsonlandry.com
Proceeds from the sale of GAIA will benefit ONE DROP http://www.onedrop.org/en/default.aspx
In coming months, and over the next few years, the GAIA Exhibition will be sharing this compelling tale with men, women and children everywhere as it travels to cities all over the world.
GAIA is available in the first ever photography book published by a private space explorer. Guy Laliberté’s unforgettable photographs capture the colours and textures of the earth’s surface from 220 kilometres in space. These are presented in a wonderful collection of three publications:
– The hardcover trade edition features over 300 pages and 149 stunning images from Laliberté’s expedition into space.
– The hand-bound special edition featuring 168 pages, 101 images and 12 gatefolds. Presented in a linen box with a four colour metallic plate
– The hand-bound hardcover with multilevel topographic embossing, limited edition, printed on aquarelle paper and presented in a linen clamshell case features 178 pages, 90 illustrations and 25 gatefolds.
All proceeds from book sales will go to ONE DROP. In addition, the purchase of the multilevel topographic embossed edition is considered a charitable donation to ONE DROP and is eligible for tax receipt.
Featured image: Guy Laliberté, Mali, Above Dianké, 2009, photographic print on cotton paper, 20” x 30”, 30” x 45”, 40 x 60, 72” x 108” limited editions