Review: Another Life

Aaron Bellette
Sessional lecturer, Faculty of Arts, Avondale College
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Business student Reuben Ennor explores the often overlooked and the hidden in an exhibition of photographs from his travels through Rwanda, Nepal and India.

Shadow.

Perfectly framed images abounding with strong colours and tones bring a new perspective to confronting situations. The photographs, rich with intrigue and mystery, take the viewer on a journey to Another Life. Two stand out.

Dawn Patrol captures former refugees lining a road in the early morning haze, walking with their tools to work in the fields. Many Rwandans were homeless after the 1994 genocide, so the government gave them a portion of the Akagera National Park to establish their homes.

Shadow is a harrowing photograph of the son of a sex worker. The photography is a side profile with much of the boy’s face hidden in shadow, creating a strong sense of anonymity. The boy has epilepsy and lives with his aunt as his mother has HIV/AIDS and cannot afford to care for him.

Reuben believes those of us who live in the West have a responsibility to help people who live in “less fortunate parts of the world.” “We are a blessed minority,” he says.

Aaron supervised the production of the book Another Life Reuben completed for the unit, Independent Topic.