News | Tuesday, 24th November 2009

Open air photography exhibition 'Hard Rain' at All Saints

Dramatic images of global issues

An open air photographic exhibition exploring the global issues of climate change, poverty, wildlife extinction and human rights has gone on display at MMU’s Grosvenor Park.

Hard Rain: Our Headlong Collision With Nature is a major international touring exhibition that has been seen by over 12 million people in more than 50 countries and on every continent since it’s launch to public and critical acclaim in 2006.

Travelled the world

The 40-metre long banner, opposite the All Saints Building, combines images captured by award-winning photographer Mark Edwards and the poetic lyrics of Bob Dylan's song “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”.

In 1969 Mark was rescued from the edge of the Sahara desert by a Tuareg nomad. When he was taken to the man's community a cassette player playing Bob Dylan's album “Hard Rain” was brought out from one of the dwellings. Mark was inspired and has since travelled the world photographing the issues that define the 21st century, whilst illustrating Dylan's song lyrics and demonstrating humanity's headlong collision with nature.

Challenging audiences

Mark says: "The last verse of Dylan’s song begins ‘What’ll you do now?’. It’s a question that cannot be left hanging when the Copenhagen talks come to a close."

The exhibition aims to provide a thought-provoking insight into why the appropriate management of resources, including energy, is so important and challenges audiences to participate in the debate on these relevant issues.

The striking and often disturbing images – which include malnourished children, animals drinking from muddy puddles, destroyed habitats and the effect of natural disasters – are a powerful commentary on man's impact on the environment, climate and global poverty.

Presentation by photographer

Sophie Leigh, Facilities Environment Team Coordinator at MMU, comments: “Hard Rain has received the attention and support of political and environmental leaders across the world since its launch at the Eden Project and has even been on display at the United Nations headquarters in New York. It’s a real coup for MMU to host such an important and inspiring exhibition.”

The exhibition runs at MMU until Friday 4th December 2009, from where it will travel to the Copenhagen Climate Conference.