Well just watched a programme about the photographers of LIFE magazine. To explain life magazine it was a magazine run by photographers first, then journalists. The first real picture on the world for Americans (and the rest of us).
Started in the 30's then on to when home boy, was in europe fighting another war, through the good times of the 50's when the Americans seem to have everything, but ignoring the elephant in the room (the race issue). Through Vietnam were some of the most harrowing photo's were taken by a magazine that was selling a 100 million copies a week (half the population). With money and influence the magazine searched deeper and deeper into the soul of America, from a small town Barbers to heroin addicts in New York, to civil rights
riots to the shooting of President's.
Then as usual a phrase pops into my head ,
Landscape without people is wilderness, the question is, as a Landscape Architect what is driving me???
Humanity, with all its faults. Its not so much about changing the world ,but using the talents we have to help foster change.
I heard a radio commentary recently saying the spirit of 1968 seems to be returning, well i was 4 at the time so that passed me by, but...surely we can do something??
I am so envious of many of our lecturers as they will leave a legacy....us
What are we going to leave? It has to be more than a salaried job.
I am never going to change the world, but i may just be a small cog in changing something. Just like those time photographers
Bed and ZVI....BUMP.
Somehow I have beaten the work system and got access to your blog today - hurrah! Grant, I love this. Art (and its bedfellows) have fostered many a huge change before as you say. I think we have reached a critical point where there is no other way - time to stop the race to the top of everything and to sit back down. Time to look inwards, sort of at the human race, if that makes any garbled sense. It doesn't matter how big or small our part is to play, I think, but every single person who wants to play a part - has to step up. I think we have quite a unique position and can really effect the next chapter, in particular in light of the modern day issues. So, lets do this!
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