Lucy, the famous Australopithecus discovered in Ethiopia in 1974, gave Hans Silvester the desire to explore the cradle of humanity. He made his first trip to Ethiopia in 2002 and met with the peoples of the Omo Valley, a region covering 60,000km2. Each of these tribes has kept its own identity, customs and language. In the Omo Valley, Silvester learned that the Mursis and especially the Suris, isolated near Sudan, still practice daily body painting.
On the borders of Ethiopia, Silvester was able to able capture images of their bodies, their faces pigmented with ashes and flowers. We are in awe of these sublime photographs showing a fragile tribe with primal beauty and aesthetic sense. They are revealed to us with the humanity that characterizes the photographer’s work.
Hans Silvester – Les peuples de l’Omo
September 8 – October 13, 2012
Galerie Pome Turbil
48 rue Burdeau
69001 Lyon
France
