©Ryan Vizzions
Protesters face off with police and the National Guard on February 1, 2017,
near Cannon Ball, North Dakota
Santa Fe--Monroe Gallery of
Photography is pleased to announce the release of an important
photobook by independent photojournalist
Ryan Vizzions documenting the Standing
Rock movement. “No Spiritual Surrender: A Dedication to Standing Rock” will be
first released at a special book signing during the
AIPAD Photography Show in
New York at Pier 94. Ryan Vizzions will be signing copies in the Monroe Gallery
of Photography booth #706, on Friday, April 5. A second book signing will take
place Friday, April 12 in Santa Fe, New Mexico at the Monroe Gallery. (Books are only available for in-person sales at these event, no orders or reserves.) Monroe
Gallery of Photography is the exclusive representative for Vizzions’ fine art photography.
The 11” x 8.5” hardcover bound
book comprises 5 visual chapters with 117 photographs across 166 full color
pages. Vizzions’ takes the viewer inside the resistance camps, both showing
frontline resistance to the pipeline and conflict with the over 50 law
enforcement agencies from over 10 states, as well as the spirit and life of the
camp itself. Featured in the book are writings by Joye Braun, Paula Antoine, Bobby Jean Three Legs, Waniya Locke, Jennifer Weston, and Morgan Brings Plenty,
- Oceti Sakowin women - to provide context and history of the
Standing Rock reservation.
Between April of 2016 and March
of 2017 one of the largest social justice movements in American history took
place in the plains of North Dakota on the Standing Rock reservation. With an
oil pipeline threatening the drinking water of the Standing Rock Sioux and 17
million people downstream on the Missouri River, thousands of people ascended
upon the resistance camps to stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux and
oppose the construction of the pipeline. From early spring of 2016 to late
winter of 2017, over 15,000 people camped in tipis, army tents and vehicles
without the use of electricity in an attempt to
raise awareness and prevent the possible contamination of Lake Oahe, the source
of drinking water for the reservation. Over 300 tribes and indigenous
communities traveled to the camps, as well as nearly 4000 veterans and 500
clergy, to stand in solidarity with the NODAPL movement.
In September of 2016, Ryan
Vizzions traveled from Atlanta, Georgia to stand in solidarity with the
movement. Bringing his camera with him, but not intending to be a media source,
Vizzions soon found himself using social media to reach over half a billion
people with his photographic documentation of events unfolding over the months.
With viral reach of one photograph in particular, "
Defend The Sacred", Vizzions’ photography helped bring awareness around the world to
the movement. Vizzions documentation of his 6 months at Oceti Sakowin camp was
selected for the "Photos of the Year" by People Magazine, ABC News,
The Guardian, Artsy.net; and as well his work has been featured in the Nobel
Peace Prize forums, Adbusters, Huffington Post, Mother Jones, Amnesty International
and many more publications as well as books such as "The Militarization of
Indian Country" by Winona LaDuke & "An Indigenous Peoples History
of The United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.
100 advance copies are being made available exclusively
through the Monroe Gallery book signing events, and proceeds from these releases will be given to the Water Protectors
to help against KXL Pipeline, another oil pipeline threatening the same
indigenous lands as DAPL. From the total edition of
2,000 500 books are being donated to Water Protector families across the nation
as a thank you for standing in support of the water. On April 1st pre-orders will open to allow the public to access the book.
Signed copies are available from
Monroe Gallery of Photography.
Atlanta based photographer Ryan
Vizzions first discovered his
love for exploration and photography in 2010 while on a self discovery trip
around the world. In Atlanta, Vizzions has been named Creative Loafing 2014
"Best Fine Art Photographer" (readers choice), 2015 Creative Loafing
"Best Cityscape Photographer" (critics pick), worked alongside
international brands such as Adidas and Pharrell Williams, along with local
companies such as #WeLoveATL, The Atlanta Opera, Van Michael Salon, and covered
many music festivals including Outkast's long awaited reunion series
"Outkast ATLast". Hosting his own photo exhibition yearly entitled
"Wander Never Wonder", Vizzions connects local photographers, and
helps provide a platform for local artists to make money off of their craft.
Ryan is also involved with the Atlanta community, often donating portions of
his art sales to various local charities and foundations.
