Photographs of Native Americans in full powwow regalia and make up will appear at an art opening in Buffalo tonight. Photographer Ben Marra said he started his career doing portraits, and so it came naturally to him to present powwow dancers with that kind of controlled lighting.
“I felt comfortable that way and it gave me more control,” Marra said. “And now we have probably the largest present day collection of this type of photographs in the world.”
Marra has traveled around the United States photographing powwow dancers for over 20 years and has had two books published of his work. The 40 photographs featured at tonight’s art exhibit are all from tribes that made contact with Lewis and Clark on their journey west.
The Faces From The Land show opens tonight at the Cowboy Carousel Center in Buffalo at five. The show will run until April.