Featured in the Fall 2015 Issue – Art Of The Times
Between 2010 and 2014, photographer Jimmy Nelson traveled the world. His mission was to document some of the most fantastic indigenous cultures left on the planet. This project, titled Jimmy Nelson Before They Pass Away, serves as an ambitious aesthetic photographic document.
Nelson realized that his camera was the perfect tool for making contact. Consequently, he built intimate and unique friendships with hitherto unknown communities. He wanted to discover how the rest of the world threatens to change their way of life forever.
A Visual Anthropologist
Jimmy Nelson is not a studied scientist. Rather, he is a self-trained ethnologist and visual anthropologist. Through curiosity, he tries to find answers. He wants to tell stories that leave room for the recipient’s questions.
His hope is that we can all gather around the “digital fireplace of humanity.” There, we can continue to tell stories for generations. He asks us: will we sever the fragile umbilical cord to our primeval past? Or, will we make a different choice?
The Tsaatan Experience
One memorable story from the Jimmy Nelson Before They Pass Away journey involves the Tsaatan peoples in Northern Mongolia. In February, Nelson visited the reindeer herders in the Hovsgol Province. Despite his best efforts, the families did not warm to him initially.
One evening, he succumbed to their request to drink local vodka. Subsequently, he fell into a deep sleep on the floor of a teepee. However, nature called in the middle of the night. Because it was freezing, he relieved himself against the side of the tent.
Surprisingly, human urine is a delicacy for reindeer. Soon, a herd of excited reindeer trampled over the teepee to get to the salt. Although chaotic, the incident broke the ice. The next day, the tribe welcomed him with open arms. He learned that showing vulnerability gains trust.
A Lifetime of Exploration
Jimmy Nelson started working as a photographer in 1987. Previously, he spent ten years at a Jesuit boarding school. Later, he traversed Tibet on foot for a year. His visual diary of that journey received international acclaim.
Furthermore, he produced Literary Portraits of China with his wife Ashkaine. Eventually, he moved into commercial advertising before returning to remote cultures. Today, the Jimmy Nelson Before They Pass Away project stands as a testament to his dedication.
