Exhibit puts Peru in focus

Scenes of the culture, varied landscape and people of Peru are captured in the exhibit "Peru: Land of the Sun," featuring photographers led by Yuba College professor Rick Murai, at Viewpoint Photographic Art Center in Sacramento.

Seven photography students, including Henry Greene, Auburn Wendover and Mirella Santana from Yuba College, are each exhibiting eight to 10 photos from the travel workshop completed in July 2012.

The exhibit is on display through March 2.

An artists reception, open to the public, is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at Viewpoint, 2015 J St., Suite 101, Sacramento.

The trip was centered around the country's Virgen del Carmen Festival and included the Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley areas.

"The Sacred Valley is really a sacred place to photograph," Murai said. "There's still a strong influence of the Aymara," people indigenous to the area.

The area is an "interesting contrast between and the Aymara and the Spanish."

The exhibit also includes one piece by Murai.

The trip to Peru was the first time out of the country for many of the workshop participants, Murai said.

"The culture shock and meeting new people was an eye opener for a lot of them."

Most in the group have not exhibited their work before.

Murai, a founding member of Viewpoint, hosted a travel workshop to Cambodia and Myanmar in 2011 and plans another in September to Bhutan.

Active in photography, he has exhibited and published his work and has been featured in national and international publications.

Viewpoint Photographic Art Center gallery hours are noon-6 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

CONTACT Leticia Gutierrez at lgutierrez@appeal-democrat.com or 749-4722.