Gregory Colbert's Ashes and Snow

“In exploring the shared language and poetic sensibilities of all animals, I am working towards rediscovering the common ground that once existed when people lived in harmony with animals. The images depict a world that is without beginning or end, here or there, past or present.”

Gregory Colbert, Creator of Ashes and Snow



Gregory Colbert's Ashes and Snow is an ongoing project that weaves together photographic works, 35mm films, art installations and a novel in letters. With profound patience and an unswerving commitment to the expressive and artistic nature of animals, he has captured extraordinary interactions between humans and animals.



The show first opened at the Arsenale in Venice, Italy, in 2002 and is charted to travel the globe with no final destination. The Nomadic Museum, the permanent home of Ashes and Snow, debuted in New York (March–June 2005) and made its second stop in Santa Monica (January–May 2006). It will be open in Odaiba, Tokyo from March 11 to June 24, 2007.

The Nomadic Museum was designed by architect Shigeru Ban, the photographic works are printed on custom handmade washi paper, and cinematographer Koji Nakamura filmed many of the underwater scenes with elephants and whales in which Colbert appears.



In a rare public appearance, Gregory Colbert shares an astounding film from Ashes and Snow.

This video runs for almost 20 minutes and contains some astonishing imagery.

There's also a gallery of stills, which won't let me link directly to it, so you'll have to enter by the front door and navigate your way to Portfolio.

Thanks John Salisbury!