Remembering Elaine Ling

photo-eye Gallery Remembering Elaine Ling On Monday August 1st, 2016 photo-eye was very sad to hear of the loss of our colleague, collaborator, and friend Elaine Ling. We would like to take a moment to recognize and celebrate Ling’s life and work.

On Monday August 1st, 2016 photo-eye was very sad to hear of the loss of our colleague, collaborator, and friend Elaine Ling. We would like to take a moment to recognize and celebrate Ling’s life and work.

An avid world traveler, Ling’s images focused on the delicate balance between time, people, and planet. Drawn both to desserts and ancient ruins, Ling sought to detail the conversation between man-made objects, cultural practice, and the natural environment. In a career spanning more than 20 years and 10 projects, Ling made work in the deserts of Mongolia, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Timbuktu, Namibia, North Africa, India, South America, Australia, American Southwest; the citadels of Ethiopia, San Agustin, Persepolis, Petra, Cappadocia, Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, Great Zimbabwe, Abu Simbel; as well as the Buddhist centres of Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Tibet, and Bhutan. Describing her work in Baobab: Tree of Generations Ling stated: “I am intrigued by the role that this thousand year old giant plays in the lives of its human neighbours. It is an enduring presence, perhaps older than the legends passed down from generation to generation, its roots deeply intertwined with daily existence. The images in this exhibition reflect both the resilience and transience of life as I partner the Baobob with a person from the community: a grandmother, a grandfather, a young man, a young woman, a mother, a boy child, a girl child.”

Personally, Ling is remembered for her exuberance, compassion, and winning smile:

“Elaine was a great friend and talented artist with an amazing, adventurous spirit. Her dedication to her art was incomparable. Elaine was an incredibly strong person through her illness, always hopeful despite the odds. Her smile was infectious and unforgettable.”
— Rixon Reed, Director of photo-eye

“It was great fun traveling with Elaine, she was intrepid and strong and there was always her positive energy and warm smile. It was a pleasure to watch her grow as a photographer and witness the success of her career as a visual artist - one of her many talents. I am grateful to have spent time with her and will miss her." — Mark Klett, Photographer & photo-eye Gallery Artist

Elaine Ling will be missed greatly, but her photographic legacy remains. Ling's work can be found in a variety of permanent museum collections including: Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, France; Musée de la Photographie, Charleroi, Belgium; Fotografie Forum International, Frankfurt, Germany; Museet for Fotokunst, Odense, Denmark; Centro Portugues de Fotografia, Porto, Portugal; Scavi Scaligeri International Centre of Photography, Verona, Italy; Fototeca de Cuba, Havana; Lishui Museum of Photography; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas; Brooklyn Museum, New York; SE Museum of photography, Florida.

Read Elaine Ling's obituary on Dignity Memorial

View Elaine Ling's website

Read photo-eye's 2015 Interview with Elaine Ling about her Baobab: Tree of Generations portfolio

View the Baobab: Tree of Generations Portfolio

View monographs by Elaine Ling