Xposure 2021 zooms in on Aaron Gekoski’s work

Titled ‘Animosity – Documenting Human-Animal Conflict’, the session was led by Izzy Sasada, from Four Corners Films and Photography, who spoke on the vital subject sifting through a stark and compelling body of work developed by internationally-acclaimed environmental photojournalist, Aaron Gekoski.   

Sasada urged the audience to go deeper into the matter to analyse the financial motivations behind illegal wildlife trade and the practice of animal cruelty. “You need to ask the question: Is someone making money here?” she said.  

By showing the audience a series of moving images taken by Gekoski, who documents human-animal conflict in the most inhospitable places on earth, Izzy sought to raise awareness on the extremity of the extent in which animals and wildlife across the globe are being hunted, poached, traded and consumed – to the point of extinction, and their natural habitats being destroyed. 

Sasada showcased the photojournalist’s powerful images captured from the frontlines of the conservation movement, which have taken the veil off the otherwise obscure and heavily-guarded world of exotic pet trade. She also spoke about the various mental, physical and creative challenges lens professionals have to overcome to shape and document powerful stories on conflict and conservation.

Sharing facts and figures on the illegal trade of wildlife, animals, plants and their derivatives, she said it was currently estimated at $160 billion per year and that 7,000 different species of wild animals and plants are traded illegally annually. 

“We are  headed for a sixth mass extinction. We have lost 52 per cent of the planet’s wildlife in the last 40 years,” Izzy emphasised.

Pointing out that was important to raise a voice against animal cruelty, whenever and wherever witnessed, she noted: “If you have a phone and access to social media, you have the power to become a photojournalist and bring about the change.”    

Crediting events like Xposure for offering a global platform for showcasing important work to raise the public’s awareness on critical issues that impact the future of all humanity, the presenter stressed: “Photography competitions can do a good job of amplifying such causes and relaying such messages to a broader audience.” 

During the session, Sasada also introduced the audience to new projects and informative documentaries on wildlife conservation that Gekoski and his team have worked on and urged the audience to watch these documentaries, which are being screened at Xposure 2021, hosted by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau at the Expo Centre Sharjah.