View allAll Photos Tagged existential
The Loneliness of the Cosmic Dance represents the existential quest for meaning in an indifferent universe and the human struggle for connection and significance. The contrast between light and dark pillars, along with the lone figure, creates a sense of isolation and introspection. The geometric layout of the pillars suggests a choreographed dance, but the emptiness and lack of human interaction highlight feelings of solitude and alienation.
I spent the past few days in Colorado and had the wonderful opportunity to climb the 13,857 ft. Clinton Peak - marking my 84th of the 100 highest in Colorado. On the way up, my friend Ethan and I stopped at Wheeler Lake to take in these post-sunrise views of 14,295 ft. Mount Lincoln, Colorado's 8th highest peak. Also featured in the scene is a huge crop of rose crown wildflowers in the foreground. I have to tell you, I really needed this wilderness adventure to fill up my existential fuel tank. It was awesome being back in Colorado to visit my favorite places and people. Hope you like this shot!
Severance of Light
Gregory Scott
What begins as an ascension — fierce, radiant, undeniable — is violently unmade. In Severance of Light, energy once pure and rising is shattered mid-stream, split by a brutal rupture that annihilates its trajectory. Hope is not dimmed — it is extinguished. Love is not lost — it is betrayed. This is the precise moment when creation turns on itself, when brilliance is severed by unseen hands, and the upward path collapses inward.
The central fracture is not just visual — it’s existential. A blade of darkness cuts through the ascending flow, leaving scorched remnants of what could have been: dreams aborted, joy crushed, divinity turned to debris. Rage pulses in the linework. Grief bleeds in every fracture. Here, in the wake of beauty's murder, hate becomes the new architect.
This is not the fall from grace. This is the execution of grace.
---GSP
A white mist drifts across the shrouds,
A wild moon in this wintry sky
Gleams like an angry lion's eye
Out of a mane of tawny clouds.
--from the poem "La Mer" by Oscar Wilde
Image imagined in MidJourney AI and finished with Topaz Studio and Lightroom Classic.
Straight out of the Camera. A camera is a receptacle of light. A photographer is a gatherer of light. A camera can capture infinite attributes and hues of light. Attributes and hues which can be manipulated but (perhaps) never enhanced by post processing on a computer. Personally I believe that a mild tweaking of exposure or white balance may be necessary at times but extensive processing sucks out the meditative and emotionally charged component of an image leaving behind something which is unreal and lifeless. To PP or not to PP? An existential dilemma which every photographer has to solve for him-her-self.
These images were created around 2020, in a time marked by Covid, but they do not belong only to that moment. I am republishing them today because reading them again means realizing that their meaning has not been exhausted: the facts change, tragic events change, names and circumstances change, but outside the same violence of human mechanisms, inequalities, intolerance, constraint, and imposed survival continues to hold. That is why these photographs remain contemporary. In the contrast between blue and red, in the purity of white, in the vulnerability of the body and in the harshness of the words, there is still a clear position: not a closed memory, but a thought that is still alive, still exposed, still in conflict with the present. I am republishing them in my Pro account so that they are not lost and so that they can continue to speak.
Complete album of the series:
www.flickr.com/photos/192876881@N08/albums/72157719324029...
"For Ben Russell, the Science Museum’s Doctor Who-like curator of mechanical engineering, robots are nothing like the existential menace they have been cracked up to be. They are magic tricks. They are ingeniously contrived fragments of the human mind and body, but nowhere close to mastering the fine motor skills or mental adaptability of a five-year-old. And their role in our society has barely changed in 500 years." - The Times, Feb 7 2017
These images were created around 2020, in a time marked by Covid, but they do not belong only to that moment. I am republishing them today because reading them again means realizing that their meaning has not been exhausted: the facts change, tragic events change, names and circumstances change, but outside the same violence of human mechanisms, inequalities, intolerance, constraint, and imposed survival continues to hold. That is why these photographs remain contemporary. In the contrast between blue and red, in the purity of white, in the vulnerability of the body and in the harshness of the words, there is still a clear position: not a closed memory, but a thought that is still alive, still exposed, still in conflict with the present. I am republishing them in my Pro account so that they are not lost and so that they can continue to speak.
Complete album of the series:
www.flickr.com/photos/192876881@N08/albums/72157719324029...
After the battle of Plassey between the British East India company and the Bengal Subah and their French allies, Colonel Robert Clive and Mir Jafar Ali Khan would meet at the British camp in Daudpur. It was here that both men would unknowingly decide the fate of the Indian subcontinent. Mir Jafar was originally one of the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, generals until he decided to defect to the British. The British would reward his loyalty by making him the new Nawab of Bengal and he would have Siraj executed. However they would soon realize that he used them in order to secure his own power. Mir Jafar would try to reach out to the Dutch to drive the British out as he saw them as an existential threat. This would fail and he would lose his power entirely. The state of Bengal would become territory ruled by the British East India Company. The British were the sole European power on the Indian sub continent and for the next 100 years would conquer the many states making up modern day India and Pakistan today.
This was heavily based on the iconic painting by Francis Hayman. I always thought the British conquest of India was interesting as it involved an island thousands of miles away conquering an entire civilization and redefining it. I might do more builds and scenes related to it in the future. Also, I did not realize this until after I took the picture that the British flag is slightly inaccurate as its the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and not the Kingdom of Great Britain.
A Black-fronted Dotterel (Thinornis melanops) foraging along the margins of a lake in the Grampians region of western Victoria. This individual was quite lively. It would sprint a few steps, pause as if struck by an existential notion, scrutinize the sand, and then dash away, seemingly unsatisfied.
the lover miss
number 21
system sen
regulating the pole gear
different sun watches over the long ing day
oh we've un fanned ourself
stare ing our face in to the
non existential
just in one of us
in itself
merging
(coriander) cilantro
condition of
Tribute to Cesco Dessanti
Tra pochi giorni ricorre l’anniversario della scomparsa, avvenuta un anno fa, del geniale Artista pittore espressionista e poeta Cesco Dessanti. Voglio ricordare e rendere omaggio, per quanto mi sarà possibile, con 8 fotografie che aiutino a comprendere questo grande Artista , particolare persona che ha sempre vissuto con la schiena dritta ed enorme coerenza pagando spesso in prima persona questo difficilissimo percorso esistenziale ed artistico. PER MAGGIORI INFORMAZIONI VEDERE L'ALBUM “ Tribute to Cesco Dessanti”
In a few days the anniversary of his death, which took place a year ago, the brilliant artist expressionist painter and poet Cesco Dessanti. I want to remember and pay tribute, as much as I possibly can, with seven photographs that help to understand this great artist, especially someone who has always lived with your back straight and enormous consistency often paying firsthand this very difficult existential and artistic journey.
FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE THE ALBUM "Tribute to Cesco Dessanti"
Like so many abandones schools and farms, this school has a long history of returning students with words and lately more grafittists as its existential isolation allows one to imagine what it must have been like to be so far away from all other touchstones.
tribune.com.pk/story/831276/the-mangroves-of-karachi-faci...
The most visible and delicate ecosystem of Karachi, a city with a profound coastal environment, is that of the mangrove forests that thrive in the mingled salt and freshwater where the Indus River meets the Arabian Sea.
These forests, however, are under existential threat for a number of reasons, particularly along the city coastline. There is untreated municipal waste and industrial pollution causing still-undetermined amounts of damage, there is exploitation of the trees by the area’s communities for use as firewood, building material and fodder and, most alarmingly, there is the chopping down of the forests to make way for coastal development projects.
The Pakistani coastline stretches for around 990 kilometres, with the Exclusive Economic Zone – the sea zone in which the state has special rights over marine resources – covering an area of about 240,000 square kilometres. Meanwhile, the 220-kilometre Sindh coastal belt, characterised by a network of tidal creeks and numerous islands with mangrove vegetation, is divided between the Indus Delta system and the Karachi coast. The former is home to the largest arid climate mangroves in the world, while mangrove forestation also dots the latter.
A vast ecosystem
According to the Sindh Coastal Community Development Project, the extensive mangrove swamps of Sindh spread over approximately 100,000 hectares. The black mangrove, with aerial roots growing up out of the mud, is the most common species. The forests also house the red mangrove, Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops tagal and Aegiceras corniculatum, as well as several species of marine seaweed that often grow as algal mats on the surface of the mud.
The mangrove swamps, creeks and mudflats serve as a breeding ground for a diverse variety of marine life along the Sindh coastline, such as mussels, oysters, shrimp and fish, which move offshore as they grow. Some species of migratory birds, too, use the swamps as wintering grounds.
It is not just animals and vegetation that are supported by the vast ecosystem formed by Sindh’s mangroves. The 100,000 people living along the northern edge of the Indus Delta use an estimated 18,000 tons of mangrove firewood each year, while the leaves and shoots are used as fodder for livestock.
The mangroves, beautiful as they are, offer more than just aesthetic value: they can greatly benefit both the city and the country if they are properly harnessed. Protecting them could enhance the financial dividends for the fishing industry. Research has also proved that they can act as a barrier against tidal flooding and coastal erosion, as their roots, embedded in the coastal land, provide shoreline stability.
Another important yet neglected element of the viable use of the mangroves is recreation. Countries with these natural assets often develop ways to utilise coastal mangrove forestation as sites for exciting recreational activities, which not only draw tourists and have tremendous financial value but also provide educational benefits.
Farhan Anwar is an urban planner and runs a non-profit organisation based in Karachi focusing on urban sustainability issues
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2rd, 2015.
The image, titled "Introspection - Midnight," captures a deeply evocative scene that resonates through various artistic and philosophical lenses. In the context of expressionism, the photograph portrays an intense emotional experience rather than physical reality. The use of dark tones and shadows emphasizes inner turmoil or profound introspection. The figure’s hunched posture and the obscured facial features suggest an internal struggle or deep contemplation, aligning with the expressionist emphasis on depicting psychological states.
While impressionism focuses on capturing moments and the effects of light, this photograph leans more toward capturing an emotional rather than a fleeting moment. However, the subtle play of light on the figure's back and the floor introduces an impressionistic element, capturing the transient and ephemeral quality of light in a dark setting.
The image evokes existential themes, particularly through its exploration of solitude and introspection. The figure appears to be in a state of deep reflection, perhaps grappling with existential questions about identity, purpose, or the human condition. The darkness surrounding the figure enhances the sense of isolation, a common theme in existential thought.
The interplay of light and shadow is a significant aspect of this image. The soft, diffused light that illuminates the figure’s back creates a stark contrast with the surrounding darkness, symbolizing perhaps a glimmer of hope or understanding in an otherwise bleak or uncertain environment. The shadows add depth and mystery, enhancing the emotional weight of the scene.
The posture of the figure—hunched over with knees drawn close—conveys vulnerability, introspection, and possibly sorrow. This physical stance speaks volumes about the emotional state of the subject, suggesting a need for self-protection or a moment of profound contemplation. The overall mood of the photograph is somber and introspective. The darkness, coupled with the solitary figure, evokes feelings of melancholy, introspection, and solitude. The light illuminating the figure’s back adds a layer of subtle hope or insight amidst the prevailing darkness.
Despite the somber mood, there is a subtle sensuality in the photograph. The gentle curves of the figure’s back, the soft light highlighting the skin, and the overall intimate setting contribute to a quiet, understated sensuality that speaks to the beauty of the human form in moments of vulnerability. From a Freudian perspective, this image could be interpreted as a visual representation of the unconscious mind. The darkness represents the unknown and the repressed, while the illuminated back of the figure could symbolize the conscious mind’s attempt to bring some of these hidden thoughts and feelings into awareness. The posture may indicate a regression to a more primal state of being, or a retreat into the self to confront internal conflicts.
In summary, "Introspection - Midnight" is a powerful image that utilizes elements of light and shadow to convey deep emotional and psychological states. It speaks to themes of isolation, introspection, and the complexity of the human condition, resonating with various artistic and philosophical traditions.
Italien / Friaul / Julische Alpen - Luschariberg
THE HISTORY OF THE SANCTUARY
On the spot where the little statue of the Mother of God was found, a small chapel arose, and later a church. Despite political and linguistic divisions, Mary of Lussari remains the mother of all nations, queen of Europe.
When we enter the sanctuary of Lussari, we are embraced by a pleasantly dim setting, with thick, sturdy walls and a roof reminiscent of a ship. From the wall dividing the presbytery and the nave, Mary, mother of Jesus and of us all, greets us with open arms. She opens her mantle like a sail, in which warm rays of sunlight – of God – have been caught. With this mantle, a symbol of divine love for mankind, she embraces the pilgrims who arrive at the place where a young shepherd, 650 years ago, found her graceful little statue. Under this mantle there is room for me, for you, and for all the thousands who set out on pilgrimage every year.
***
According to tradition, a small chapel was soon built on the spot where the statue was found, and over time it developed into a church. A rectory and structures to welcome pilgrims were added to it. The church survived every calamity, whether natural or man-made. In the zeal of the Enlightenment it was destroyed by Emperor Joseph II, who wished to root out “backward” popular devotions. In the First World War it burned under artillery fire together with the hamlet. Except for the walls, today only the little statue of Mary and a burnt relief embedded in the eastern wall of the nave recall the old church. But after every catastrophe, whether natural or man-made, the sanctuary has always risen again.
The strongest mark on the rebuilt church was left by the painter Tone Kralj, who in the 1930s frescoed the presbytery. He finished the work after the Second World War, in 1960. In the presbytery are depicted scenes from the life of Mary: the Annunciation, the flight into Egypt, the finding of Jesus in the Temple, the crucifixion, and the coronation of Mary. On the separating arch he depicted Mary with the mantle, to whom the pilgrims turn. In the side chapel to the north we see the altarpiece with Anna, Joachim, and the young Mary; on the side walls of the nave, instead, two historical depictions: the finding of the little statue and the devastation of the First World War. Also by Kralj is the painting of the Slavic apostles St. Cyril and St. Methodius, in the company of the patrons of the Patriarchate of Aquileia, Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus.
After 1960, Kralj’s Way of the Cross also found a home in the church, having been created to be placed along the ancient pilgrim’s path. The local inhabitants never finished the work begun in the 1930s. In recent years, together with them, pilgrims have taken up the original idea again and begun building the last structures, in which copies of Kralj’s Way of the Cross will be displayed.
While Kralj’s works are mainly dedicated to Mary, to the church of Lussari, and to the suffering of Jesus, the stained-glass windows instead tell us of the continuation of Jesus’ work in the world, which is the Church. From the windows of the presbytery, Jesus’ predecessor, St. John the Baptist (on whose feast day the pilgrimage season usually began), and his successor St. Peter, the first Pope, greet us. Facing them, in the portal above the main door, are represented two pairs of saints who have marked our history. On the sides are St. Paulinus, an important patriarch of Aquileia, and St. Benedict, patron and teacher of Europe. In the centre are two contemporaries from the 19th century, St. Luigi Scrosoppi of Udine and Blessed Anton Martin Slomšek of Maribor. The side chapel, dedicated to Saints Joachim and Anna, connects us, through the young Mary, to human history, which begins with the exile of our first parents Adam and Eve from earthly paradise. Two biblical women, Judith and Esther, prepare the way for Mary, the woman who bore the Son of God, who redeemed us from the sin of our first parents. In the chapel of St. Joseph, instead, are depicted the patron of the parish of Camporosso, St. Giles, and the patron of woodcutters and foresters, St. John Gualbert.
The sacred place
The church building is a consecrated space. The church is set apart from everyday use because extraordinary things happen within it: it is not merely a physical space, but a particular existential dimension, in which all places and all times are simultaneously present. Here we Christians gather for Mass, that moment in which the Last Supper of Jesus, his suffering, and his crucifixion become present. In church we normally baptise new members of the community and confirm them with the sacrament of confirmation. Here Christians marry and are ordained deacons, priests, and bishops. In church we often gather for prayer, we reconcile with God and with our neighbour; it is the place where we pronounce our vows to God.
The church building and its art seek to bring us into a reality that connects us beyond the boundaries of time and space, in which even death does not mean final separation. In the sacraments, above all the Mass, we enter into the transcendent event of Christ’s work and presence, which began during the years of his life in Palestine, and which, by the power of His death and resurrection, continues until the end of days. The Christian’s life is not limited to the space and time that he directly experiences. When the Christian is connected to God, he enters a reality that transcends space and time. For the Christian, life does not end with death; for this reason he remains in relationship with the deceased, since they live in the same way that Christ lives. This faith and this bond with them are expressed through prayer, especially when we remember them at Holy Mass.
The church building helps us gain access to this reality, greater than our experience of time and space. This is why the church windows are not transparent. They are not meant for looking through at the surrounding space. It is true that they let light into the sacred place, yet their purpose is something else: through the coloured windows God “looks” into our world, into our life. In church our life is literally presented to us in another light: through the windows God looks upon us and upon the community in which we live, and he invites us too to look at ourselves and at the world through his eyes. That this is possible is reminded to us by the saints depicted on the windows. The saints are our brothers and sisters, who knew how to look at the world and at people with the eyes of God.
All the art of the church serves this purpose. The paintings and statues bring us to that dimension of life which escapes our direct experience, both because of its distance in time and because of its transcendent nature. The figures of the saints are not there to awaken the memory of something that was and has passed, but to assure us that they are still with us. Not only through the effects of their own works, but above all because they live in God. The angels and the other symbols of God point to that transcendent reality which we can neither fully understand nor fully experience, but which is, at the same time, part of our life. So, when we cross the threshold of the sanctuary, we enter another world. Or rather: we enter a world that encompasses everything we have brought with us and everything that awaits us outside the sanctuary, but which at the same time transcends all of this, and which therefore allows us to see ourselves and the world with the eyes of God. The church building places us within a greater reality.
When we enter the sanctuary of Lussari, we are embraced by a pleasantly dim setting, with sturdy, thick walls and a roof reminiscent of a ship. From the wall that divides the presbytery and the nave, Mary, mother of Jesus and of us all, greets us with open arms. She opens her mantle like a sail, in which warm rays of sunlight have been caught. The sun is an ancient symbol of God. With this mantle, a symbol of God’s love for mankind, Mary embraces the pilgrims who arrive at the place where a young shepherd, 650 years ago, found her graceful little statue. Under the mantle there is room for me, for you, and for all the thousands who set out on pilgrimage every year.
The church of Lussari speaks of two families. First it presents to us Mary’s family: the lineage from which she was born and the closer family circle in which Jesus Christ was born and raised. At the same time, it surrounds us with the family founded by Jesus through his own suffering, death, and resurrection. This is the community of the faithful, which includes Mary, the apostles, and all Christians – or rather, all people of good will and indeed all of creation. Some of them are depicted on the walls and windows; for others we pray or to them we entrust ourselves.
The side chapels tell us of Mary’s birth and family. The chapel on the left is dedicated to her parents Joachim and Anna. In it are also depicted Adam and Eve, our first parents, who represent the fall of mankind and the estrangement from God and from paradise. Esther and Judith, two important women from the history of the people of Israel, link the first parents to Mary’s family. The chapel on the right is dedicated to St. Joseph. The presbytery, with scenes from their lives, speaks of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. In the presbytery stand the altar, a symbol of God’s offering for us, and the tabernacle, in which the eucharistic bread is kept, the sacrament of Jesus’ continual presence among us.
Key figures from our history present to us renewed humanity: the Christian community, founded by Jesus Christ. Behind, near the entrance of the church, our “patriarchs” greet us – men who proclaimed and communicated the faith in Christ to us. On the left is Patriarch Paulinus, who worked on the proclamation of Christianity in the lands south of the Drava; on the right, Abbot Benedict, founder of monasteries, which were centres radiating Christianity and classical culture in those parts of Europe that gave way to the wave of tribes from the east and north – the wave of our pagan ancestors. In the centre are Luigi Scrosoppi and Anton Martin Slomšek, two contemporaries from the 19th century, who, each in his own place, educated and instructed people, also helping them concretely, according to Jesus’ commandment of love for one’s neighbour. Joining them are the founders of the Christian community in our area: the patrons of Aquileia, Hermagoras and Fortunatus, who marked the area between the Adriatic Sea and the Drava; Cyril and Methodius, instead, transmitted the faith to the Slavs.
The space of the church seeks to help us gain conscious access to that history which the aforementioned people significantly shaped. Our spiritual ancestors are here; we carry their “spiritual DNA” within us. They laid the foundations of our culture; it is because of them that we are what we are. Their choices and their work have consequences for us, today. It is up to us, however, to immerse ourselves in this dimension of our reality and accept it, so as to add our own brick and place our own little stone in the mosaic – or to pass by superficially like a light breeze, which for a moment stirred up a little dust, then vanished and was forgotten.
The church is a construction of a particular kind, and it is good that we realise this. Like any other construction, it must meet the criteria of civil engineering and art. It is made of quality materials and decorated with high-level works of art. Yet science and art are not ends in themselves; they serve so that God and his family may more easily meet in a concrete time and space. Sacred places help us better understand who we are and what we are called to.
(lussari.eu)
Der Luschariberg (italienisch Monte Santo di Lussari, slowenisch Svete Višarje und friaulisch Mont Sante di Lussari) ist ein 1790 Meter hoher Berg in den Julischen Alpen. Er ist ein Teil der Gemeinde Tarvis und der Fraktion Camporosso.
Wallfahrtsort
Nach einer Legende fand ein junger Hirte auf der Anhöhe des Luscharibergs eine Statue Marias mit dem Kind, als er die Schafe zurück ins Tal führte. Er brachte die Statue zum Pfarrer, der sie im Pfarrhof aufbewahrte. Die Statue fand jedoch immer wieder ihren Weg auf den Berg. In Absprache mit dem Patriarchen von Aquileia wurden an der Fundstelle um 1360 eine Kapelle und im 16. Jahrhundert eine Kirche gebaut, die über die Jahre zum Ziel vieler Pilger wurde.
Aufgrund der bergigen Lage war die Kirche anfangs nur in den Sommermonaten geöffnet. Als Öffnungs- und Schließungsdatum dienten der Festtag der Geburt von Johannes dem Täufer (24. Juni) und der erste Sonntag im Oktober. Auf dem nur zu Fuß erreichbaren Berg entstanden ein Pfarrhof und ein Gasthof, in dem die Pilger übernachten konnten. Zudem waren auch Priester für die Beichte und Messfeiern anwesend. Infolge der Josephinischen Reformen und 1915 während des Ersten Weltkriegs wurde die Kirche zweimal zerstört. Durch die neue Grenzziehung infolge der Pariser Friedenskonferenz geriet der Pilgerstrom ins Stocken, was die Renovierung der Kirche erschwerte. Die Kontrolle über den Luschariberg geriet vermehrt in öffentliche Hand, was zur Entstehung von Souvenirgeschäften und Restaurants führte.
In der 2. Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts erlebte der Wallfahrtsort mit dem Bau einer Gondelbahn einen Aufschwung. Zahlreiche Jubiläen sowie der zunehmende Wintersporttourismus führten zudem zu einer wachsenden Bekanntheit.
Neben der Kirche befindet sich eine Gedenktafel an Siegfried Gödl, den langjährigen Pfarrer in Eibiswald, St. Oswald, St. Lorenzen und Soboth, der am 15. Juli 2019 bei einer Fußwallfahrt am Aufstieg zum Monte Lussari verstarb.
Skigebiet
Der Luschariberg ist ein Teil des Skigebiets „Monte Lussari / Tarvisio“. Insgesamt führen eine Gondelbahn, acht Sessellifte und vier kleinere Skilifte zu den 13 verschiedenen Pisten. Das Skigebiet weist 24 Pistenkilometer auf.
Radsport
Im Jahr 2023 wurde der Luschariberg erstmals vom Giro d’Italia befahren. Im Rahmen der 20. Etappe führte ein Einzelzeitfahren von Tarvis auf die Anhöhe des Berges. Die Auffahrt erfolgte vom Val Saisera, von dem eine 7,5 Kilometer lange Straße über elf Kehren auf den Luschariberg führt. Die Steigung lag im Schnitt bei 12,1 %, wobei die ersten fünf Kilometer eine durchschnittliche Steigung von 15,3 % aufwiesen und Passagen von bis zu 22 % beinhalteten. Auf den letzten 2,5 Kilometern flacht die Straße etwas ab, ehe im Finale ein weiterer Abschnitt mit 22 % befahren werden musste. Der Slowene Primož Roglič übernahm mit dem Etappensieg einen Tag vor dem Ende der Rundfahrt die Gesamtwertung von Geraint Thomas, obwohl er im Anstieg einen technischen Defekt hatte und kurzzeitig vom Rad absteigen musste. Er absolvierte den Anstieg in einer Zeit von 30 Minuten und 34 Sekunden, was einer durchschnittlichen Geschwindigkeit von 15,3 km/h entspricht.
(Wikipedia)
A star in the air and its colourful shadow on the ground.
From the guide booklet: "A new star, Morningstar, twinkles above the cliffs of Pilane. Eric Langert and Per Petersson have together created a spherical celestial body that captivates us with its shimmering colours and play of light. Prisms fragment the light and invites us to dance. Beautiful and innocent, at first glance. Quirky and deceptive, on closer inspection. A morning star - the shape of this hovering object - is a medieval club-like weapon with a spiked iron ball. Used in close combat, became common in the 14th century and was made to crush armour and shields.
In a blend of humour and seriousness, art reveals how easily the eye is deceived, and how what we think we see is so much else. Meanings are shifted, challenging our habitual seeing. In times of global conflicts and environmental disasters, this work of art is both a piece of glistening eye candy, and an existential reminder of how remarkable our world is, where beauty and danger are sometimes hard to tell apart."
When the British newspaper The Guardian appointed "10 of the best scupture parks in Europe", Pilane was one of them.
www.pilane.com/en/index.php (website also in English)
The Selkies Call
Selkie mythology, much like existentialist philosophy, grapples with profound questions of identity, freedom, alienation, and the ongoing search for meaning. Selkies, embodying a dual nature that forces them to exist between two worlds, directly confronts the existentialist struggle to find authenticity and reconcile their place in a world that imposes societal expectations. Moreover, these creatures' ability to reclaim their seal skins becomes a powerful metaphor for the existential emphasis on individual freedom and the necessity of autonomous choice in a world devoid of certainty. Yet, as beings caught between the human and animal realms, selkies experience profound feelings of alienation and displacement, mirroring the existentialist exploration of isolation and the longing for connection in a vast and seemingly indifferent world. The rich symbolism inherent in the Selkie myth—their longing for the sea, their struggles with belonging—mirrors expressionism's use of symbolic imagery and allegory to convey deeper truths about the human condition.
One of the things I've always admired about some of my favourite artists is their absolute commitment to truth.
The raw, open honesty that speaks of existential struggle and ultimately the great power beyond ourselves and in our own human spirit.
I have this reoccurring dream where I'm walking along a railroad track that stretches into an unknown surreal world. As I walk, the landscape morphs and shifts with each passing moment. With each step, I think that the dream is about to reveal its true intentions and I will arrive at a destination. Then I wake up.
Image imagined in MidJourney AI and finished with Topaz Studio and Lightroom Classic.
"I was conscious, and that's all. Beyond my consciousness, there was nothing else.
More time passed. I waited for something to happen. Nothing happened.
I was calm. Or frozen. I felt as if I was on the verge of the most terrifying thought in the world, but I wasn't having it quite yet.
Then I had it."
- Alex Garland, The Coma