Summer in Southwest China: An Adventure in Diversity

Having greatly enjoyed showing some of my earlier photographs in last year’s Fletcher Perspectives exhibit, I am delighted to have another such opportunity to share some shots of where I have been since then.

In terms of background, I am originally from Colorado but consider the world my home. After graduating from Emory University in 1996, I spent one year in Italy on a Fulbright fellowship and then three years traveling and working abroad. Given unique opportunities, circumstances, and more than just a bit of energy and incentive, I was fortunate enough to travel (more or less) around the globe — Western and Central Europe, North Africa, India, South and East Asia and Latin America. It was during this time that I also explored my budding interest in photography. Since then, photography has become both a unique medium for me to share my international experiences and adventures with others, and an outlet for my latent creative streak.

I returned to the United States in 2000, when I began the joint degree program between Harvard Law School and The Fletcher School. I am now in the third of four years and will graduate in 2004 with both JD and MALD degrees. My studies have focused on the overlap between law and economics, with particular emphasis on international finance, capital markets, and the role of investment in developing countries. Having already practiced private international law (and given that I will do so again this coming summer), I decided to split the summer of 2002 doing international microfinance in New York City traveling in southwest China.

My time in China was truly superb. I began in Hong Kong and then spent five weeks doing a loop through Guangxi, Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. This included time near the Tibetan border, with ethnic minorities, and in remote natural environments. One of my “objectives” for the trip was to work on my photography; in particular, I wanted to expand the subject matter of my photographs to include more portraits and landscapes. To this end, I learned — among other things — that a photographer does not “take” a portrait; rather, a portrait “takes itself,” and is largely dependent upon a willing subject. Not surprisingly, happy and inquisitive children are perfect participants for that. And of course, for those of you who saw my exhibit last year, you will see that my interest in abstractions of color, market shots and architecture continues.

I hope you enjoy viewing this exhibit as much as I enjoyed creating it — and please, feel free to pass along any comments and suggestions that you may have! Thanks.

April K. Rinne
JD (Harvard)/ MALD ‘04
a_rinne@yahoo.com

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