Bound to Freedom ― Slavery to Liberation 2020

Many think slavery ended with the demise of the trans-Atlantic trade, but sadly, that’s far from true. An estimated 36 million live without dignity or rights and although slavery is illegal in every country, it continues to persist in allas a crime against humanity. Lisa Kristine’s indelible images seek to unify humanity and inform the viewer of the tangible humanness of individuals enslaved today.

Lisa was invited to the Vatican as a witness to the signing of the Declaration to Eradicate Modern Day Slavery by 2020. When Pope Francis gathered twenty-five of the world’s distinguished faith leaders the message was clear slavery is not a political issue it is a crime against humanity, against all people. Her journey sheds light on the need for a global shift from dependence on slave labor, to fair trade labor systems available and active in many parts of the world today. It is not simply a story about slavery, but liberation. In order to create change, we must first visualize what is required to free those enslaved today.

Mud and Lotus focuses on inspiring us to engage in the reality of slavery to make us aware of the depth of its reach and insist we begin to look for solutions across faiths, communities, and the world. The call is for a renewed commitment to cooperate and to empower those enslaved to be seen.

Lisa Kristine is a San Francisco based fine-arts and humanitarian photographer specializing in indigenous peoples worldwide. Through her work, Lisa wishes to encourage a dialogue about the beauty, diversity, and hardship of our inter-locking world. The more meaning born in the images, the deeper that dialogue may be. Lisa Kristine aims to enhance her viewer’s awareness and engage them in a visual journey that is also a questioning of our existence. She wants to welcome them into the exploration of our mysterious existence with a spirit of importance, astonishment and hope.

For more than twenty-five years, Lisa Kristine has explored the globe, looking for the peoples, cultures, and places that time forgot, creating indelible and unforgettable images. She brings the distant, ancient, and rare into clear focus. Best known for her evocative and saturated use of color, her fine-art prints are among the most sought after and collected in her field. Lisa’s work has been auctioned by Christie’s New York for the United Nations with Kofi Annan, and she works with several foundations and NGO’s to promote awareness of cultural, social, and humanitarian goals.