INSIDE TRACKS AT THE MIKHAIL ZAKIN GALLERY

A new exhibition of photographs by the highly acclaimed photojournalist and National Geographic photographer, Rick Smolan, is on view through March 4-31^st in the Mikhail Zakin Gallery. A free film-screening will accompany the exhibition on Saturday, March 7 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM followed with a talk by Rick Smolan, author and photographer of Inside Tracks. This bold, beautiful “smart phone enabled” coffee table book, is based on one of the most beloved stories in the history of National Geographic Magazine: 27-year-old Robyn Davidson’s 1700 mile trek across the Australian outback.  Davidson’s journey from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean, accompanied by just four camels and a dog, inspired her own bestselling book, Tracks, a cult classic that has sold over a million copies, has been translated into 18 languages and is required reading in Australian schools.

Rick Smolan, the American photographer assigned by National Geographic to document her journey, had his own adventure tracking Robyn down in the desert periodically throughout her journey. The outback of Australia, seen through Robyn's eyes and Rick's cameras, is an ancient awesome landscape swept by rain, heat and dust and inhabited by all varieties of marauding life, from poisonous snakes to wild bull camels but is also inhabited by the caring aboriginal people of the Pitjantjatjara tribe and the outback farmers who encouraged and helped Robyn during her journey.

The incredible story is now a major motion picture titled “Tracks” from the Oscar winning producers of "The Kings Speech". In the film Robyn is portrayed by Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) and Rick by Adam Driver (HBO's Girls). A special state of the art Canon projection system will be used for the March 7th presentation of the feature film.

At the film screening event, Rick will share images and behind the scenes stories from Robyn's adventure and will also autograph copies of Inside Tracks. The magnificently printed book features more than two hundred photographs from Robyn’s journey, many never published before, as well as an inside look at the making of the TRACKS movie, with scene photographs and excerpts from the script.

“To me” says Rick Smolan “what matters most is that she [Robyn]  permitted herself to listen to the little voice in her head that propelled her to set off on such a risky journey. My deepest hope is that Inside Tracks and Robyn’s belief that ‘an ordinary person is capable of anything’ will inspire readers to embark on their own voyage of self-discovery”

Special thanks to Hank Gans, photography instructor at the Art School at Old Church who helped organize this inspiring exhibition of photography. Please call (201) 767-7160 by March 5th to RSVP to the March 7th film screening. The exhibition and film event are wheelchair accessible. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM. Call ahead for evening and weekend hours.