æ » degrees of separation and the power of connection
JULY, TEN YEARS AGOthere has always been war. war is raging throughout the world at the present moment. and there is little reason to believe that war will cease to exist in the future. as man has become increasingly civilized, his means of destroying his fellow man have become ever more efficient, cruel and devastating. is it possible to put an end to a form of human behavior which has existed throughout history by means of photography? the proportions of that notion seem ridiculously out of balance. yet, that very idea has motivated me. for me, the strength of photography lies in its ability to evoke a sense of humanity. if war is an attempt to negate humanity, then photography can be perceived as the opposite of war. and if it is used well, it can be a powerful ingredient in the antidote to war.
» james nachtwey
i believe that there is no clear statement that will perfectly define "life". it is impossible to explain, incomprehensible due to the infinite levels and spaces between you and i, between strangers. individual observations are mingled together in a modern ideology; truth lies somewhere in the midst of silence. these days we commonly say, "oh, that's life", because indeed, life can be as simple as walking along the sidewalk, kissing someone on the cheek, and preparing dinner in the late afternoon. but there is more to "this life" than ordinary events and typical relationships. life is composed boldly; intricately; beautifully; awfully; strangely. behind the usual trips to the market or pharmacy, behind the friendships we form and arguments we have, our lives are symbolic. contemplate the progression of history and how it mingles with current events, or imagine your favorite people as characters in your favorite film. consider the silent, invisible routes of political manipulation and the shy, divine movements of a first love. yes, these emotions and concepts are the energy humanity needs to thrive. think of this and tremble.