Image 1: The Bombing of Dresden
A great many things can be said about this image, as you can with a lot of images of catastrophes. This event though has a personal connection to my own family history as my father grew up not far from where it was taken 20 years later. Because of the Soviet friendly government of Eastern Germany, a lot of the buildings did not get rebuilt until many years later, and you can even today still see remnants of what happened there in 1945.
The composition of the image itself also says a lot about the event that had just happened. Taken from the roof of city hall, you can see the angel towering over what it used to protect, but now is nothing but ruins. The portrays a certain hopelessness that can only been found after great disasters.
Image 2: Kontiki Arrives
This image is in association with my earlier post about my role model, Thor Heyerdahl. His dedication to his work never seizes to impress me, and this image is the epitome of his success. The voyage no one believed in finally arrives in Tahiti thus proving it possible for ancient tribes to traverse the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes I try to image what it must've felt like to have been on the raft the moment they saw land. After a 101 days - you're riddled with fatigue, you smell, you've eaten nothing but fish for months- and then you see land. That is the dedication and success I strive for in my work.
Image 3 and 3.5: What is peace?
For me art isn't just about making something look neat, presenting it to the world, and then moving on. I want it to spark debate. I want people to stop and think "What if I'm wrong?" - I even want them to think that I might be wrong! (Which is probably the more likely outcome considering human stubbornness.)
I've put these two pictures next to each other to highlight an important difference. On the right Banksy is promoting peace over war, exchanging molotov cocktails for flower bouquets. This is an important message about trying to come to a peaceful agreement instead of waging war. On the left though, I've put a very similar image from the Ferguson riots late last year. People took to the streets to protest the unfair killing of innocent, coloured teenager Michael Brown. Admittedly the riots might have gotten out of hand, but that does not change the fact the people made it clear they will no longer stand for this kind of injustice.
So what is the right procedure to achieve peace? Trying to to spread positive alternatives to violence, or taking to the streets to make your voice heard?
Image 4: The Star Spangled Banner
Usually horrible events make history, but then sometimes, very rarely, positive events make history as well. Woodstock is definitely one of those events. In 1969 a music festival was arranged that promoted "Three days of Peace, Music, and Love." The greatest contemporary artists played, and the festival is remembered as one of the most important musical events to this date.
There was great unrest in America concerning The Vietnam Conflict, and when Jimi Hendrix played an estranged and psychedelic version of the American national anthem it was a message that America was doing something wrong, and the people would not stand for it anymore.
Image 5: The Terror of War
Keeping with the theme, this image from the Vietnam War era is known world wide. Winning the Pulitzer Price in 1972 it showed the west what was truly going on abroad. This wasn't cold war, this was an extermination. This image was taken after a napalm strike on a nearby village, and I don't think I need to write anything more. The cries of pain resonating through every pixel of this picture says it all.
Image 6: This Photograph Is My Proof
This image is in association with my earlier post about my role model, Thor Heyerdahl. His dedication to his work never seizes to impress me, and this image is the epitome of his success. The voyage no one believed in finally arrives in Tahiti thus proving it possible for ancient tribes to traverse the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes I try to image what it must've felt like to have been on the raft the moment they saw land. After a 101 days - you're riddled with fatigue, you smell, you've eaten nothing but fish for months- and then you see land. That is the dedication and success I strive for in my work.
Image 3 and 3.5: What is peace?
For me art isn't just about making something look neat, presenting it to the world, and then moving on. I want it to spark debate. I want people to stop and think "What if I'm wrong?" - I even want them to think that I might be wrong! (Which is probably the more likely outcome considering human stubbornness.)
I've put these two pictures next to each other to highlight an important difference. On the right Banksy is promoting peace over war, exchanging molotov cocktails for flower bouquets. This is an important message about trying to come to a peaceful agreement instead of waging war. On the left though, I've put a very similar image from the Ferguson riots late last year. People took to the streets to protest the unfair killing of innocent, coloured teenager Michael Brown. Admittedly the riots might have gotten out of hand, but that does not change the fact the people made it clear they will no longer stand for this kind of injustice.
So what is the right procedure to achieve peace? Trying to to spread positive alternatives to violence, or taking to the streets to make your voice heard?
Image 4: The Star Spangled Banner
Usually horrible events make history, but then sometimes, very rarely, positive events make history as well. Woodstock is definitely one of those events. In 1969 a music festival was arranged that promoted "Three days of Peace, Music, and Love." The greatest contemporary artists played, and the festival is remembered as one of the most important musical events to this date.
There was great unrest in America concerning The Vietnam Conflict, and when Jimi Hendrix played an estranged and psychedelic version of the American national anthem it was a message that America was doing something wrong, and the people would not stand for it anymore.
Image 5: The Terror of War
Keeping with the theme, this image from the Vietnam War era is known world wide. Winning the Pulitzer Price in 1972 it showed the west what was truly going on abroad. This wasn't cold war, this was an extermination. This image was taken after a napalm strike on a nearby village, and I don't think I need to write anything more. The cries of pain resonating through every pixel of this picture says it all.
I had never heard of, or seen any of Duane Michaels work before this task, but I am certainly very happy that this task has led me to him. His photograph "This Photograph Is My Proof" has become my favourite image, and I even printed it and put on my wall. Art is all about visuals meeting emotions at the perfect time, and for me this happened with this image. Recently having gone through a break up, the thought of remembering how it had once been good was a reminder that I should enjoy things while they happen. It is my belief that that leads to even better memories.
I also felt like ending it on a happy note :)
-TJ
I also felt like ending it on a happy note :)
-TJ
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