“GIRL WITH THE BLUE VEIL”: This photograph by Princeton Day School alumna Dede Pickering will be on display at the Anne Reid ’72 Art Gallery from September 6 through October 6, 2016. The exhibit “Bridge Between Cultures,” features photos from Pickering’s travels to over 100 countries.

The Anne Reid ’72 Art Gallery at Princeton Day School will have the photographs of alumna Dede Pickering ’71 on display in “Bridge Between Cultures.” This exhibit will be on view from September 6 through October 6, 2016, with an opening reception on Thursday, September 22 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

Dede Pickering is a photographer and humanitarian who has traveled to more than 100 countries, from the high peaks of the Himalayas to the hidden villages of indigenous people in some of the most remote corners of the world. “Bridge Between Cultures” will feature her stunning photographs recounting these travels. Ms. Pickering notes, “My interest in photography grew out of my wish to record what I witnessed during my journeys to different cultures. That wish motivated me to document people and their everyday life, especially in marginalized communities. Stepping into the shoes of others was something I could only imagine. My camera changed that and serves as a bridge, not a barrier, to my subject allowing me to record hope and despair as well as the beauty and the roughness of the world. My mission is that my photography reflects something about the world and the people I photograph.”

Ms. Pickering was the recipient of Princeton Day School’s Alumni Service Award in 2011 for her non-government charity work on behalf of women and children worldwide. She aligned herself with NGOs whose work with women she believed in and then witnessed firsthand the power and impact they made on communities. She became a spokesperson and fundraiser, working to support programs advocating for education for women. “When I combined my love of travel and photography to benefit humanity, everything changed and my life came together,” says Pickering.

While at PDS, Ms. Pickering was a competitive athlete and ranked tennis player, but credits the art department for helping develop her keen eye. But it was a trip to Africa upon leaving PDS that released her sense of adventure and curiosity and truly set her on her current course. An avid traveler, camera in hand, Pickering frequently returns to her favorite destinations, especially the Far East and the Buddhist areas that surround the Himalayas.

Seeing and photographing the world has been a lifelong personal journey of soul searching for Dede Pickering, which is apparent in her work. She says, “photography has given me an increased empathy and connection to the world for which I am most grateful.”

“Bridge Between Cultures” is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday when the school is in session, and by appointment on weekends. For more information about the Anne Reid ’72 Art Gallery, please call Jody Erdman, Art Gallery Director, at (609) 924-6700 x 1772 or visit www.pds.org.

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