Until November 9, the Front Room Gallery presents On Everest, an exhibition by Sasha Bezzubov.
On Everest is a series of portraits and landscapes by photographer Sasha Bezzubov, created during multiple treks through Nepal’s Everest region between 2016 and 2024. Throughout these journeys, Bezzubov documented the often overlooked lives of porters, men and women hired to carry supplies across the region’s steep, unforgiving terrain. His images reveal a class of people who are ever present yet largely invisible, forming the backbone of Nepal’s tourism industry while receiving little recognition or compensation for their dangerous labor. This series continues Bezzubov’s long standing exploration of tourism and its impact in the developing world, a focus that began with his 1997 project, “The Gringo Project.”
When Sasha Bezzubov started hiking in Nepal, one of the first things he noticed were the porters (often referred to as Sherpas). These porters are familiar to Westerners – they carry the equipment and supplies needed for trekking and mountaineering expeditions. At least in theory, this work can provide a chance at upward mobility in a region with little economic opportunity.
These porters carry the supplies needed for the lodges that cater to trekkers, from crates of beer to sheets of plywood. Their loads range from an excruciating 130-300 lbs, and because they get paid by weight, they are incentivized to carry as much as possible. They are responsible for paying for their own food and lodging, so to save the little money they earn, they economize on meals and often share a single bed between two or three people. As altitudes rise, so do the prices, and even these sparse accommodations become increasingly costly. The work is physically demanding even outside of the weight they carry, and they are often subject to respiratory infections, altitude sickness and hypothermia. And, unlike expedition porters, the commercial porters generally do not have the opportunity to move up the ranks to become cooks, guides, or expedition leaders, nor do they have much in the way of worker protections.
Sasha Bezzubov : On Everest
October 11 – November 9, 2025
Front Room Gallery
205 Warren Street
Hudson, NY, USA
www.frontroomles.com
