The SHADES OF COMPASSION exhibition’s primary goal is to promote compassion worldwide through inspirational, thought-provoking photographs. Drawn from a diverse roster of forty-one international fine art photographers, the fifty exhibition photographs encompass a diverse spectrum of perspective, subject and artistic expression.

Curated to engender a nuanced experience of compassion, the exhibition invites the viewer to dig deeper into their understanding of compassion. The photographs are sequenced and organized into three theme groups: Environment, Humanity, and Spirituality. Opportunities for engagement in exploring and experiencing compassion are wide ranging - recognizing planet Earth as our collective home, an expansive inter-dependent web of life; weighing the fragility of endangered species and the complexity of human interactions with other life forms; witnessing isolation and alienation as well as the power of love, nurture, caring touch, inter-generational support, and transformative spiritual experience.  SHADES OF COMPASSION provides compelling portals for a broad spectrum of compassionate connection.

Compassion is a foundation for non-violent conflict resolution, equity, sustained social engagement, and addressing challenges facing this planet and all its inhabitants. Extensive research in neuroscience and medicine also suggests that individuals who engage in acts of compassion toward themselves and others, benefit personally, achieving greater physical and emotional health and well-being, while living happier, more productive lives. Making a clear distinction between compassion and affective empathy, ‘feel my pain’, which leverages distress, anger, and fear as the catalyst for action, the SHADES OF COMPASSION exhibition relies on positive, constructive emotions as a means to achieve its primary objectives. It strives to provide an immersive, safe, contemplative environment.

Participating photographers:

Ansel Adams, Wolf Ademeit, Carol Beckwith & Angela Fisher, Daniel Beltra, Niki Boon, Phil Borges, Nick Brandt, Ernest H. Brooks Ii, Kevin Bubriski, Tom Chambers, Imogen Cunningham, Virgil Dibiase, Tj Dixon & James Nelson, Melinda Hurst Frye, Maurizio Gjivovich, David Gonzalez, Misha Gordin, Robert & Shana Parke Harrison, Michael Kenna, Angela Bacon Kidwell, Marla Klein, Jon Kolkin, Lisa Kristine, Joey Lawrence, Ruth Lauer Manenti, Rania Matar, Beth Moon, Nasa / William Anders, Wayne Quilliam, Chris Rainier, Antonio Aragon Renuncio, Manjari Sharma, Maggie Taylor, Joyce Tenneson, Jerry Uelsmann, Dave Walsh, Alice Zilberberg, Zoe Zimmerman.