Photo Reflections from Son-Kul, Kyrgyzstan
Description
Eleanor Pugh co-led a space science and photography camp for semi-nomadic children in the Son-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan this August, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of State. This exhibit, hosted in-person at the Abrahams Planetarium in January as well as virtually, will share some photos that the children took, offering a window into rural, semi-nomadic Kyrgyz life to an American audience.
About the Artist
Eleanor Pugh is a sophomore majoring in International Relations and Russian. She studied abroad in Kyrgyzstan during the summer of 2022 on an intensive Russian language program funded by the U.S. Department of State, inspiring her to seek a career in international diplomacy focusing on post-Soviet States. She is passionate about bridging her interests in art and internationalism to promote cultural exchange and understanding through creative expression.
Reflection
The Son-Kol Cosmos Photo Camp took place in yurts against the breathtaking backdrop of Son-Kol Lake and its stunning starry skies. The camp provided enriching learning enrichment for educationally underserved children who migrate with their families to this remote mountainous pasture region during the summer months. The camp engaged 16 children ages 8-11 in astronomy and photography activities that deepened participants’ connection with nature and their environment. For most of the participants, this was their first experience using a camera and looking through a telescope. The camp aimed to empower these children to become advocates for both their environment and their futures. The participants completed science crafts and activities to learn more about their place in the cosmos, participated in photography exercises to capture their environment and home life, and went on a nature walk to consider and photograph the crucial place that water holds in their community. The camp culminated in each participant curating their own personal photo essay. The Cosmos Photo Camp was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of State.
Receiving the microgrant allowed me to host an in-person exhibit at the Abrahams Planetarium at Michigan State University, as the funds enabled me to physically print and mount the photos. Through the process of creating the exhibit, I was able to delve deeper into the lives of the participants who came to our camp, viewing their photos in a different light. Curating this exhibit showed me the immense power that visual storytelling holds. The children’s snapshots provided close-up windows into their personal lives, each capturing and preserving a fleeting moment that held importance to the children. This project shows how technology combined with creative expression can build bridges across cultures. This camp provided children who had never used a camera before with the agency to tell their own stories with photos, and curating an exhibition of their photos has allowed me to share snapshots of their lives with an American audience.