With all the talk these days about swish new digital cameras boasting endless features and mega-pixels it's easy to forget what picture-taking is really all about. For most of us, it's about people; people we care about.

A photography exhibit on display at the Chiang Mai University Art Museum this month drives home that point with more heart and originality than one often gets to see.

The photos on display were taken with Russian-made "Lomos" - the world's cheapest novelty cameras, fashioned almost entirely out of plastic and costing no more than Bt2,000.

Collage of images

Jumbled together on a giant wall, what emerges from the collage of quirky images is a massive document of squalor and joy, sorrow and affection.

A group of Chiang Mai

expatriates conceived and

organised the project.

Freedom House

Leading the charge was the creator of an organisation called "Freedom House", Lisa Nesser, who offers free rudimentary schooling to underprivileged children, all supported out of her own pocket from the modest salary she earns as a local English teacher.

Having already embarked on interactive artistic programmes for the underprivileged in her native US, as well as Tibetan refugees in India, she was interested in doing the same here but funds were tight.

Lomo Asia

Local Canadian-born photographer Liam Morgan suggested the funky little Lomo, and they contacted Lomo Asia and were lent several models for the project.

To help organise the exhibit, three others came on board: American Sara Latshaw, and Irishwomen Zoe Lambe and Anna McCarthy who had recently created "Cultural Canvas", an organisation which brings foreigners to Thailand to participate in benevolent projects like this.

Nesser distributed the cameras to the kids at her school and told them to take pictures of their everyday lives. After the film was developed a few days later, Cultural Canvas organised the troops, secured sponsors, and built the impressive exhibition out of scratch.

Proceeds from merchandising at the exhibit and donations solicited go to help fund the fledgling little school.

The "Lomo Wall" will be up until end of April.

By Oliver Benjamin

Special to Daily Xpress

chiang mai art

museum

>> 239, Nimmanhaemin Road

>> Tel: 053 218 289

>> Open Tuesday - Sunday 9am-5pm, closed Mondays and public holidays.

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