An exhibition about the Scandinavian Big Five By Magnus Elander, Staffan Widstrand and Kulturhuset at Kulturhuset, Stockholm, Sweden. Only decades ago, the large carnivores were almost made extinct in Sweden. Today their numbers are increasing again. A fact that stirs up strong feelings. Many have immediate opinions, and most people have questions.
– We have tried to put the carnivore issues in a credible context. This is an exhibition largely about Man, the two-legged carnivore, and about how we relate to our four-legged colleagues and competitors, says Staffan Widstrand.
– We try to use the carnivores as mirrors to look at ourselves. These are animals that we have been living together with, since the Stone age. Animals that we have hated, admired, hunted, studied, revered, persectued, idolized and demonised to the extent that they are now an integral part of our culture and our national identity, says Magnus Elander.
– Maybe our views on the four-legged large carnivores, also tell us a bit about our views on, and our relations to our human neighbours? continues Widstrand.
– Maybe the debate about large carnivores to a certain extent actually deals with issues like our general level of tolerance, our respect towards fellow beings and how we develop attitudes? Maybe even our anxiety about changes in the environment? Or our level of hostility towards strangers, finishes Elander
Photographers and authors Magnus Elander and Staffan Widstrand are frequently published in international press.
They are multiple prize winners in the”BBC-Wildlife Photographer of the Year”-competition, and in the German ”GDT Europäischer Naturfotograf des Jahres”-competition (”European Nature Photographer of the Year”). Staffan was appointed ”Årets Naturfotograf” 2001 (”Nature Photographer of the Year in Sweden”). Two of their books were appointed ”WWF-Panda Book of the Year” in Sweden and one in Norway. Their books have been published in 9 languages, and their exhibitions have been on display in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, France and Canada.
Beasts or beauties is an exhibition, enjoyable for everyone from about 10 years of age and up.
Exhibition producers: Staffan Widstrand, Magnus Elander and Giovanna Jörgensen
Project leader: Helena Gomér
Scenographer: Bo-Masen Larsson
The language in the exhibition is Swedish.
For further information:
Magnus Elander, +46-70-669 10 21
amarok@algonet.se
Staffan Widstrand, +46-70-657 33 24,
photo@staffanwidstrand.se