I’ve been coming across a lot of great, unique zoo photography lately (Daniel Zakharov, Lauren Grabelle) and Gaston Lacombe’s Captive is no exception. With temperatures already in the 90s here in Middle America, it’s particularly difficult to imagine the lives of animals in zoos, and maybe that’s why I’m responding to the images of water in animals’ enclosures in this selection. However, it is not Lacombe’s aim to criticize zoos, necessarily, but the conditions of those he photographs.
From the PDN article, The Unnatural: [Lacombe] points out that zoos originated on the assumption that humans should have dominance over nature; only in recent history have zoos added conservation, preservation and education to their missions, which he applauds. But quality of life, he adds, is still a factor not fully considered by zoos most of the time. “Not all zoos are equal,” Lacombe explains. “Some make great efforts to provide their animals with adequate and comfortable habitats, and some others can only be described as animal torture chambers. However, in all zoos, there are always some animals wedged in habitats that are inappropriate, inadequate and uncomfortable. I still haven’t seen any exceptions to this.”
From “Captive”
Visit artist's site: gastonlacombe.com
Posted June 23rd, 2014
