BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Next Stage Arts Project, and the Vermont Women's Fund present “Grit and Grace: The Empowerment of Women at Work in Global Communities,” a talk by National Geographic photographer Alison Wright, on Saturday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m., at Next Stage in Putney.
Tickets are $12 in advance ($15 at the door) and may be purchased at brattleboromuseum.org or nextstagearts.org.
Wright's talk is presented in conjunction with “Grit and Grace: Women at Work,” an exhibit of Wright's photographs opening at BMAC March 14 alongside seven other new exhibits.
Wright is a documentary photographer, a National Geographic Traveler of the Year, a recipient of the Dorothea Lange Award in Documentary Photography, and the author of multiple books, including The Spirit of Tibet: Portrait of a Culture in Exile, Human Tribe, and the memoir Learning to Breathe: One Woman's Journey of Spirit and Survival.
In her talk at Next Stage, Wright will share the stories behind her photographs, speak about her experiences as a global photojournalist, and place the work within the broader context of her own extraordinary life story, which includes a two-decade friendship with the Dalai Lama and a near-death experience in Laos.
“These are more than images of women just toiling in the fields in rural areas,” Wright said in a news release. “Many have joined co-ops, obtained microloans, and opened bank accounts in order to take control of their own money.
“In many of these war-torn countries, nearly every woman has suffered some unspeakable atrocity. By creating awareness of their plight, we can not only help empower these women but learn from their determination and strength.”
“Next Stage Arts Project is honored to collaborate with BMAC in hosting this event so that the community will have the chance to learn more about Alison's process and the motivation behind her vitally important work,” said Kat McGraw, Next Stage Arts Project's board chair.
Wright's March 14 talk at Next Stage Arts Project, her exhibit at BMAC (March 14 to June 14), and an April 23 talk at BMAC by New York Times reporter Dionne Searcey titled “In Pursuit of Disobedient Women” are supported in part by The Vermont Women's Fund, which is committed to supporting the advancement, self-sufficiency, and economic and social equality of Vermont women and girls.