Shelterbox exhibition

Press release:
Haiti, Pakistan and Japan – Behind the Headlines
ShelterBox brings the reality of major disasters home with a photography exhibition at the National Geographic London Store, (13 - 18 June 2011)

International disaster relief charity, ShelterBox, will provide visitors to the National Geographic London Store with a distinctly personal perspective on recent natural disasters with an exhibition of photographs from aid worker and photojournalist Mark Pearson. 

This collection of emotive and thought provoking images includes panoramic views of aid camps surrounded by flood water in Pakistan and portraits of Haitian families still living in ShelterBox tents over a year after the earthquake that devastated their country. They offer a unique insight into the reality faced by aid workers and those affected by disasters in areas like Japan, Haiti or Pakistan after the news crews have left.
The exhibition will be displayed in the gallery within the National Geographic London Store on Regent Street during ShelterBox’s annual fundraising week, Big Green Box Week (11 - 18 June).
Mark Pearson has worked with ShelterBox for six years as a Field Operations Specialist, arriving on the ground in the immediate aftermath of a disaster to assess the situation and set up a process for distributing aid. With his background as a press photographer, working for the world’s leading photo agencies, Mark is uniquely positioned to document the story of a disaster from the perspective of those living it. The photographs in this exhibition, including shocking images of life in Haiti in the days after the earthquake, and behind the scenes photographs of the US military distributing ShelterBoxes, are the result of Mark’s experience at the front line of disaster relief. Mark Pearson said: “ShelterBox operates in the most difficult circumstances, in some of the most challenging countries in the world; I hope this exhibition will provide people with a glimpse of what it is really like on the ground in the aftermath of a disaster. My approach to photography is very much about social documentary; I like to immerse myself in the story. The photographs on display reflect my own experiences in Haiti, Japan and Pakistan.”

ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that provides emergency shelter and life-saving supplies to families around the world who are affected by disasters. In ten short years ShelterBox has responded to earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides, typhoons and conflict, delivering lifesaving aid to families across the globe at a time when they need it the most.
In anticipation of the exhibition, ShelterBox Founder and CEO, Tom Henderson OBE, said “This exhibition represents a fantastic opportunity for ShelterBox to showcase its disaster relief work around the world. There is clearly a great affinity between ShelterBox and National Geographic, an organisation dedicated to improving our understanding of the world in which we live, and we are very proud to have our photographs on display in such a prestigious venue.”

The National Geographic Store on Regent Street, with its unique gallery space, is one of London’s top destinations for those interested in the work of the world’s leading documentary and travel photographers. Sara Borowiak, events manager for the National Geographic London Store said “We are delighted to be hosting this ShelterBox exhibition and hope it will help raise awareness of the fantastic work they do providing shelter and life-saving essentials to people affected by disasters all over the world.”