'Cultural Horizons' photo exhibit of global landscapes to open at UO March 7

Opening Reception will be held on March 14, at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History.

EUGENE, Ore. -- (Feb. 24, 2008) -- Cultural Horizons, an exhibit of stunning color photographs that depict areas as diverse as the American Arctic, the forests of Borneo and the Tibetan Plateau, will open at the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History on March 7.

An opening reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., Friday, March 14, at the museum, 1680 E. 15th Ave. The free event will include a slide presentation and an opportunity to talk with photographer Dennis Griffin. Griffin, who also is an archaeologist for the state of Oregon, hopes that his photos will help preserve the integrity of the places he has photographed--places that are being impacted by the growth of cultural tourism.

Twenty-six color photographs from 11 countries will be on display -- from the highlands of Guatemala to the American Arctic, from the Tibetan Plateau to the Australian Outback and from the forests of Borneo to the jungles of New Guinea. Griffin's work illuminates the variety of cultural heritages he has found across the globe.

Griffin began traveling as a young man and started taking photographs in order to help him accurately remember the places he had visited. Over time he was able to use those pictures to document changes to areas he had previously visited.  "Once isolated communities were affected by government intervention, organized religion, commercial ventures and, finally, eco-tourist opportunities," he said.

The exhibit continues through June 22.

Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Admission is $3 for adults; $2 for seniors and youths ages 17 and under and $8 for families (two adults and up to four youths). Museum members, university faculty and staff and students are admitted free. Admission is free for the public on Wednesdays.

About the University of Oregon

The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of 62 of the leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. Membership in the AAU is by invitation only. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.

Media contact: Pauline Austin, 541-346-3129, paustin@uoregon.edu

Museum Contact: Judi Pruitt, 541-346-1671, judip@uoregon.edu

Link: Museum of Natural and Cultural History, http://natural-history.uoregon.edu/

###