John Stanmeyer’s photo exhibition “Consciousness — A Need to Awaken” illuminates salient realities of humanity: climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic disparities across the globe in more than two decades of storytelling.

 

The exhibition aims to highlight humankind's significant impact on Earth's systems, foster a deeper understanding of humanity's interconnectedness, and provoke contemplation on the Anthropocene epoch. The exhibition showcases over 40 photographs, each with a distinctive narrative, and features three short films and an audio created by John Stanmeyer.

 

John Stanmeyer is a National Geographic Explorer, award-winning photographer, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, artist, and educator dedicated to environmental, social, and cultural issues to raise global consciousness. John has worked with National Geographic magazine for twenty years, producing over 23 stories, resulting in more than 14 covers. For a decade, John was a contract photographer for Time magazine. His years with Time resulted in 18 covers. In 2001, Stanmeyer co-founded the VII photo agency. Stanmeyer is an Emeritus member of VII and is a member of Ripple Effects Images, a collective of artists and storytellers working on women, empowerment, and equality. In 2017 Stanmeyer co-founded Bridging Stories, an ongoing project working with young photographers in Armenia and Turkey to tell their own stories, working to bridge peace between neighbors. He has received numerous honors, including the prestigious Robert Capa Award, POYi Magazine Photographer of the Year, and the World Press Photo of the Year in 2014. He lives with two Great Danes, Elfriede and Eleanor, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.
 

Exhibition curator: Annie Davarashvili. 

 

The exhibition was showcased at MOMA Tbilisi, Georgia, in May-July, 2024, during KOLGA Tbilisi Photo.