View allAll Photos Tagged materialism
(4 partially duplicated and assembled photos)
The spider: materialism remembered and kneeling/winged
Piet Mondrian (actually Mondriaan,the artist dropped the second "a" in his surname in 1911)
b.1872 Amersfoort,Netherlands
d.1944 New York
Composition No.1:Lozenge with Four Lines
(1930)
-oil on canvas
Movement-De Stijl (The Style)
In 1918,Mondrian created his first "losangique" paintings such as the latter Composition No.1 Lozenge with Four Lines by tilting his square canvas 45 degrees.Most of these diamond-shaped works were created in 1925 and 1926 following his break with the De Stijl group over Theo van Doesburg's introduction of the diagonal.Mondrian felt that in doing so van Doesburg had betrayed the movement's fundamental principles thus forfeiting the static immutability achieved through stable verticals and horizontals.Mondrian asserted however that his own rotated canvases maintained the desired equilibrium of the grid,while the 45 degree turn allowed for longer lines.
Art historian Rosalind Krauss identifies the grid as a structure that remains emblematic modernist ambition.She notes that these painting by Mondrian whose works had become synonymous with the grid,two signal opposing generative tendencies in which the lines intersect just beyond the picture frame (suggesting that the work is taken from a larger whole),exemplifies a centrifugal of the grid;Tableau 2,whose lines stop short of the picture's edges (implying that it is a self-contained unit) evinces a centripetal tendency.Krauss argues that these dual and conflicting readings of the grid embody the central conflict of Mondrian's-and indeed of Modernism's- ambition: to represent properties of material or perception while also responding to a higher,spiritual call."The grid's mythic power" Krauss asserts "is that it makes us able to think that we are dealing with materialism (or sometimes science or logic) while at the same time it provides us with a release into belief (or illusion,or fiction)".
Hello Flickr! New work!!
Series: The "Good Life" Photo #1
Title: Shopping Spree
Models: Jade, Amy, Tim
Before I get into this photo, I'd like to back up to my Footprints series which (for those who don't know) is a series that focuses on major ecological issues. When it came to consumerism I found myself stuck in trying to sum it up into one photograph. I felt it had to be it's own mini series and thus The "Good Life" was born....
Consumerism. It is defined as “a social and economic order and ideology that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts”.
The result is a shift towards materialism, disconnection and competition that leaves us confused about what we need and what we think we need. Big business and marketing strategies know exactly how to feed into our instant gratification and more is more culture.
This is environmentally unsustainable. It would be impossible to look at reducing environmental pollution without looking at reducing consumerism.
It’s a simple question to ask yourself, “Do I need this or do I want this?”
The “Good Life” is a short series that poses that exact question through a juxtaposition of “simple and happy” to “excessive and miserable”. What do you consider the “good life” to be?
To help with this series I asked for help from the people I felt have a uniquely strong, respectful, intricate and protective tie to the land, First Nations. They not only have a connection of love and spirituality to the land but also a great sense of responsibility to protect it for future generations. We have a very powerful message to learn from these communities.
Thank you to my models and especially Jade Willoughby who not only took time out of her busy modelling schedule to be a part of this but collaborated with me and gave me guidance to what was appropriate in conveying my message. Thank you Jade!
You can find me on instagram now at www.instagram.com/robinmacmillan
This is the workshop where the windchimes are finished and the machines used in the finishing process.
I first visited Cosanti in 1968. There was nothing around it in this part of Paradise Valley and it was still being built. Things sure have changed. Paolo Soleri would probably be appalled by what grew up around his vision that is the compete antithesis of his vision.
I live about 2 miles north of here, but I had never made time to photograph it. I made time.
www.arcosanti.org/cosanti-foundation/
Founded in 1965, The Cosanti Foundation is an Arizona-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Our mission is to inspire a reimagined urbanism that builds resilient and equitable communities sustainably integrated with the natural world.
Our vision is a world of equitable communities which improve earth/life balance and do better with less.
We pursue this mission and vision at our two flagship locations, Cosanti (in Paradise Valley near Phoenix) and Arcosanti (near Mayer in central Arizona), as well as with projects, programs, and partnerships that hundreds of thousands of people have participated in over the last 57 years.
The word “cosanti” is a combination of the Italians words “cosa” (meaning “things”) and “anti” (meaning “against” or “before”). It signifies The Cosanti Foundation’s commitment to a way of living, working, and building that is oriented away from consumption and materialism, and is respectful of our planet’s natural rhythms and resources. Through ongoing experimentation with and application of the principles of arcology (a combination of the words architecture and ecology), we seek to demonstrate a kind of construction and community that offers an alternative to sprawl development and a solution to modern social and environmental crises.
The Cosanti Foundation also owns and operates the for-profit Cosanti Originals, where we make our world-famous bronze and ceramic windbells and other artisan items.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Soleri
Paolo Soleri (21 June 1919 – 9 April 2013)[1] was an Italian-born American architect. He established the educational Cosanti Foundation and Arcosanti. Soleri was a lecturer in the College of Architecture at Arizona State University and a National Design Award recipient in 2006. He coined the concept of 'arcology' – a synthesis of architecture and ecology as the philosophy of democratic society.[2] He died at home of natural causes on 9 April 2013 at the age of 93.[3]
Soleri authored several books, including The Bridge Between Matter & Spirit is Matter Becoming Spirit and Arcology – City In the Image of Man.[4]
Soleri was born in Turin, Italy, Europe. He was awarded his "laurea" (master's degree) in architecture from the Politecnico di Torino in 1946. He visited the United States in December 1946 and spent a year and a half in fellowship with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West in Arizona, and at Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin. During this time, he gained international recognition for a bridge design that was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art.[5]
Paolo and Colly Soleri made a lifelong commitment to research and experimentation in urban planning. They established the Cosanti Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational non-profit foundation. Soleri's philosophy and works were strongly influenced by the Jesuit paleontologist and philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.[citation needed]
DSC04130-HDR acd
2019 nov 19
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Jenna 2.8/ 50mm via extension tube
Portrait of a Sadhu in Varanasi.
Sadhus in India are ascetic holy men who renounce worldly possessions and dedicate their lives to spiritual practice and meditation. They often wander from place to place, relying on alms for sustenance. Typically adorned in saffron robes, with ash smeared on their bodies, and long, matted hair, sadhus are revered for their spiritual wisdom and detachment from materialism. Many reside in temples, caves, or forests, seeking enlightenment through austerity, yoga, and contemplation. They play a significant role in Hindu culture, especially during religious festivals and pilgrimages, symbolizing the quest for liberation and self-realization.
Sunday-morning (10-08-25) in the sun
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"Please feel free to use my images any way you like.I do not feel the need to "own" them. It is only a picture.
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>>To be seen in Flickr-group "Creative Composition" and others<<
"No PERFECT CAMERA? No PERFECT GEAR?....do not let materialism kill your creativity. Show the whole world your creativity through your photos and let us change the way others see things."
Year: 2004 Have you ever had your partners complete best interests at heart, even before yours? Has your partner made you feel the power in your self without having to coach or mold you to their specifications. Have you found the balance with conversation and silence in each others presence? Do you see the perfections in their imperfections? Does time change when your in each others orbit? Have you found that person that gives you strength even when they're not around. Has this person given you tunnel vision to infinity and beyond? Does materialism define your commitment? I wonder does everyone get the chance to meet their soulmate? Ether early or late in life. People make relationships seem so easy. I would never want to waste someone's time knowing your keeping them from finding ecstasy. God bless the people who have what people might not have ever seen or will see.
Some people live more in six days then some do in a lifetime. Purpose and love should be one ultimate goal. Not for society but for self and truth. You meet people that can change your life forever, and give you growth. I will never forget the person that watered my seed and given me purpose on a spiritual level. I remember your consistency. I remember your balance and I remember your scent. Your truth was my was my faith and your faith was my religion. The experience of your existence helped me reach my highest level. Not everyone will or understand a true love language, only understood by us. I thank you for those days even if was short. Maybe time will show me that experience again. If not, let this be my testimony. Dont let truth go. Love without expectations.
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Mr. Pinnochio, 2019–2022, Cortenstahl, 36 lebensgroße Figuren, Pinnochio: Höhe 600 cm von LIU Ruowang(China)
HIER auf der NordArt
Den Pinocchio in der Mitte umkreisen ewig ahnungslose Zeitgenossen. Herkömmliche Rollen von Manipulator und
Manipulierten werden vertauscht. Seelenlose "Menschen" haben die Kontrolle über das seelenlose "Ding" verloren. Niemand entzieht sich dem seltsamen Kreislauf aus Kontrolle und Beeinflussung durch "Dinge" in einer materialistischen
Welt, deren Mammon Geld heißt.
Mr. Pinnochio, 2019–2022, corten steel, 36 life-size figures, Pinnochio: height 600 cm (236 inches) from
LIU Ruowang(China)
Here in Germany NordArt exhibition
With Pinocchio's character at
the centre and a group of contemporaries marching unaware in the endless circle, the manipulator and manipulated reverse their conventional roles. The soulless "people" have lost control over the soulless "thing". It is becoming impossible to jump out of the strange circle of control and manipulation by "things" in modern society where materialism and money worship prevail.
Hel en Verdoemenis/ Stout/
Alcoholpercentage:
10%
Smaakpalet:
Stevig, chocola, koffie
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>>To be seen in Flickr-group "Creative Composition" and others<<
"No PERFECT CAMERA? No PERFECT GEAR?....do not let materialism kill your creativity. Show the whole world your creativity through your photos and let us change the way others see things."
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"This is Why I Bought A Camera " - Flickr-group and I agree
"Please feel free to use my images any way you like.I do not feel the need to "own" them. It is only a picture.
Since I do not believe in the concept of copyright all my work can be downloaded and used free at will without any prior consent."<<
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>>To be seen in Flickr-group "Creative Composition" and others<<
"No PERFECT CAMERA? No PERFECT GEAR?....do not let materialism kill your creativity. Show the whole world your creativity through your photos and let us change the way others see things."
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Black Lives Matter march to commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King. King's words and actions continue to inspire us in our struggle for justice, equality and humanity. In his words:
"We are perhaps the only nation which tried as a matter of national policy to wipe out its indigenous population. Moreover, we elevated that tragic experience into a noble crusade. Indeed, even today we have not permitted ourselves to reject or to feel remorse for this shameful episode. Our literature, our films, our drama, our folklore all exalt it...It was upon this massive base of racism that the prejudice toward the nonwhite was readily built, and found rapid growth. This long-standing racist ideology has corrupted and diminished our democratic ideals. It is this tangled web of prejudice from which many Americans now seek to liberate themselves, without realizing how deeply it has been woven into their consciousness."
"We are now experiencing the coming to the surface of a triple prong sickness that has been lurking within our body politic from its very beginning. That is the sickness of racism, excessive materialism and militarism." -
'So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? …Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists."
"A riot is the language of the unheard.”
“I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.”
"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
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"Please feel free to use my images any way you like.I do not feel the need to "own" them. It is only a picture.
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>>To be seen in Flickr-group "Creative Composition" and others<<
"No PERFECT CAMERA? No PERFECT GEAR?....do not let materialism kill your creativity. Show the whole world your creativity through your photos and let us change the way others see things."
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2019 july 26
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/50mm via extension tube
2019 oct 30
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Jenna 2.8/ 50mm via extension tube
2019 oct 14
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Jenna 2.8/ 50mm via extension tube
Im actually really proud of this picture. But it reinforces my hatred of germs because i got sick right after this! All my pictures come from concepts i have i just don't share them. But i want to share this one, so its basically about materialism. Most everyone is focused on items in life like cellphones, computers, cars, money. Basically everything that is shinny. And these things DEFINE us. Its ridiculousness how much power items like cars and cellphones hold in society. So this is showing coming down from that, a place where i want to be in one day. That's basically it!
2019 oct 5
abstract optical materialism paintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/50mm
The lotus is one of the most well-known symbols of Buddhism. The lotus flower is one of the "Eight Auspicious Symbols" in the religion, and is one of the most important images in the faith. The roots of a lotus flower extend into the mud and the stem grows up through the water and the flower blossoms above the surface.
In Buddhist theought, this pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment.
Man needs music, literature, and painting – all that make up art to compensate for the rudeness and materialism of life.
2019 july 31
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/50mm via extension tube
Stedelijk Museum; Studio Drift; Coded Nature
Materialism; Bicycle; 2018
All the materials needed to build a bicycle.
cleaned my office for the first time in three years and i can finally walk across the floor again. now if only somebody would call me.
2019 sept 14
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/50mm via extension tube
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"Please feel free to use my images any way you like.I do not feel the need to "own" them. It is only a picture.
-------------------------
>>To be seen in Flickr-group "Creative Composition" and others<<
"No PERFECT CAMERA? No PERFECT GEAR?....do not let materialism kill your creativity. Show the whole world your creativity through your photos and let us change the way others see things."
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Year 2002: Chemistry is like a diamond in the rough, it can't be forced or wanted, it's meant to be. I do believe that stars align for purpose and flow. Not everyone's for everyone, and not everything is for truth. You live for purpose and consistency to achieve the higher level, not to compete but for your own sense of peace. Not everyone cant feel your language and soul but the ones that do live forever in your spirit. Life is short so let the ones that love you Essence live with you. Stop worshipping celebrities and see the celebrities that walk with you daily.
5/5/99 = Have you ever had your partners complete best interests at heart, even before yours? Has your partner made you feel the power in your self without having to coach or mold you to their specifications. Have you found the balance with conversation and silence in each other’s presence? Do you see the perfections in their imperfections? Does time change when your in each others orbit? Have you found that person that gives you strength even when they're not around. Has this person given you tunnel vision to infinity and beyond? Does materialism define your commitment? I wonder does everyone get the chance to meet their soulmate? Ether early or late in life. People make relationships seem so easy. I would never want to waste someone's time knowing you’re keeping them from finding ecstasy. God bless the people who have what people might not have ever seen or will see.
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2019 july 13
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/50mm via extension tube
2019 july 20
abstract optical materialism paintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/50mm
While studying photography in Pathshala, I developed new technical and aesthetic skills at an academic level and gained a fresh perspective on seeing the world around me. However, I still felt that something was missing. That missing piece was the ability to articulate aesthetics through language and to experience aesthetics with the basis of life itself.
During this time, I developed a deep desire to understand philosophy. Within a few months, I decided to pursue academic studies in philosophy. There were two main reasons behind this decision: first, to gain knowledge of philosophy, and second, to reshape my photographic view point through a philosophical angle—essentially, to integrate aesthetics with philosophy.
As I delved into this complex subject, I found myself particularly influenced by three philosophical ideologies: the philosophy of Nihilism, Engels and Marx’s materialism, and Gautama Buddha’s theory of Functionalism. These perspectives began shaping my understanding of life, humanity, society, and aesthetics. My way of seeing the world started to transform.
Nihilism and materialist philosophy argue that humans are not a special species. According to Buddha, life itself is full of suffering. Since humans are not inherently special and life has no predetermined purpose, people often experience restlessness. My photographs reflect this idea through landscapes, where excessive negative space in the frame symbolizes despair, purposelessness, and solitude in human life. Most people live under the illusion that they are unique compared to the surroundings. This belief prevents them from feeling truly connected to nature.
Lalon once said, "He and Lalon exist together, yet they are separated by infinite distance." Even though humans exist within nature, they somehow remain detached from it. In my frames, vast negative spaces with tiny human figures symbolize this very detachment. Here, nature is immense, and humans are small—serving as a reminder that humanity is not any superior to nature.
The mist in my photographs enhances the minimalist effect, further detaching people from their surroundings. The presence of human-made structures in the background represents our ongoing struggle to prove our superiority. However, the blurred, barely visible architecture behind the fog reflects the failure of this pursuit. Humanity is trapped in this endless contradiction, deepening its existential despair. Meanwhile, the fog thickens, and the distance between humans and nature continues to grow.
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"Although strong emergence is logically possible, it is uncomfortably like magic. How does an irreducible but supervenient downward causal power arise, since by definition it cannot be due to the aggregation of the micro-level potentialities? Such causal powers would be quite unlike anything within our scientific ken. This not only indicates how they will discomfort reasonable forms of materialism. Their mysteriousness will only heighten the traditional worry that emergence entails illegitimately getting something from nothing." (Bedau 1997)
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Source: Emergence || "Central Relatedness" or "RedPixel" or "Tat Tvam Asi" or "Αα" ||
La pièce met en scène la lutte entre les deux figures animales emblématiques du monde boursier, l'ours et le taureau. Les formes opposées des deux animaux, que l'artiste a construits à partir de sections métalliques ressemblant à des schémas boursiers, représentent la lutte du monde matériel. Les deux figures animales ne sont pas statiques, mais prêtes à sauter du sol et à bondir l'une sur l'autre. Ce n'est qu'un instant, mais aussi un mouvement infini. L'humanité a lutté pour survivre aussi longtemps qu'elle a existé sur Terre, et c'est ce que les premières œuvres d'art, les peintures rupestres et les sculptures totémiques - auxquelles les œuvres de Szőke font allusion - cherchent à capturer. Dans les peintures rupestres, nos ancêtres préhistoriques représentent des figures animales ou humaines du monde matériel, sautant ou nageant généralement dans les airs, pour évoquer une existence d'un autre monde, en rupture avec le monde réel. Ces figures ont peut-être fait partie d'anciens rituels, de mystères, des premières évocations éternelles de la survie humaine, de la lutte. Ce conflit dure depuis que nos ancêtres étaient des cueilleurs et des chasseurs, mais ce n'est pas une chose du passé, mais un éternel présent à chaque époque de l'humanité. Dans notre monde d'aujourd'hui, nous faisons toujours partie de ce conflit permanent pour la survie, entre nos besoins et la satisfaction de nos besoins. Nous sommes toujours confrontés à d'énormes défis et ce n'est pas plus facile pour nous aujourd'hui qu'il y a 40 000 ans. Dans notre civilisation, la bourse a une force motrice similaire à celle de la chasse, la lutte pour l'existence matérielle et le gain matériel. Besoin et accomplissement.
Les figures qui apparaissent au moment du mouvement sont constituées d'un système de milliers de colonnes métalliques monotones, verticales et rigides. Individuellement, les colonnes peuvent être minces, épaisses, courtes ou longues, mais ensemble, les nombreuses colonnes forment une unité super puissante. Leur coupe transversale et leur localisation dans un système de coordonnées imaginaire dessinent le fonctionnement du marché boursier dans les deux espaces étatiques opposés qui personnifient les processus de marché. La sculpture représente un moment figé de lutte continue dans lequel il n'y a pas de victoire éternelle. Le premier l'emporte, puis l'autre. Avec ses surfaces glacées, neutres et froides d'inox brut évoquant un ours des cavernes, la bête s'abat sur le taureau, référence au marché en déclin. Le taureau avec son corps rougeoyant - des sections d'acier oxydé faites sur mesure - est sur le point de charger son adversaire. Il est le processus des tendances montantes. Ensemble feu et eau, énergies destructrices et constructives, éléments naturels de la vie
Les deux bêtes métalliques sont nées du monde matériel, s'affrontant sur la terre mère. L'ajout du sol, le monde terrestre comme site de la lutte, a été conçu par Szőke spécialement pour cette exposition. La sculpture représente ainsi les principaux éléments de l'univers : le feu sous la forme du taureau, l'eau sous la forme de l'ours, l'air établit un lien entre les mondes terrestre (matériel) et céleste (spirituel) et l'élément terre, récepteur passif, est à la fois stable et sûr, maintenant les figures qui s'affrontent et les nourrissant. L'existence des quatre éléments principaux est la condition de la vie. L'artiste a été influencé par le travail d'Empledocle, qui, au 5ème siècle avant JC, dans sa Tetrasomia, ou La Doctrine des Quatre Eléments [Racines], a été le premier à dériver l'univers du mélange des quatre éléments, et est considéré comme un précurseur du matérialisme. Pour Empledocle, les 4 éléments proviennent de 4 dieux. En réfléchissant à cela, Szőke voit les totems de l'âge moderne dans les images de l'ours et du taureau, dont l'affrontement entre le monde spirituel et le monde matériel incarne les affrontements de l'existence elle-même.
The piece depicts the fight between the two animal figures emblematic of the stock market, the bear and the bull. The opposing shapes of the two animals, which the artist constructed from metal sections resembling stock market diagrams, represent the struggle of the material world. The two animal figures are not static, but ready to jump off the ground and pounce on each other. It is only a moment, but also an infinite movement. Humanity has struggled to survive for as long as it has existed on Earth, and that is what early artworks, cave paintings and totemic carvings – alluded to in Szőke's works – seek to capture. In cave paintings, our prehistoric ancestors depict animal or human figures from the material world, usually jumping or swimming through the air, to evoke an otherworldly existence, a break from the real world. These figures may have been part of ancient rituals, mysteries, the first eternal evocations of human survival, of struggle. This conflict has been going on since our ancestors were gatherers and hunters, but it is not a thing of the past, but an eternal present in every age of mankind. In our world today, we are still part of this constant conflict for survival, between our needs and the satisfaction of our needs. We still face enormous challenges and it is no easier for us today than it was 40,000 years ago. In our civilization, the stock market has a driving force similar to that of the hunt, the struggle for material existence and material gain. Need and Fulfillment.
The figures that appear at the moment of movement are made up of a system of thousands of monotonous, vertical and rigid metal columns. Individually the columns can be thin, thick, short or long, but together the many columns form a super powerful unit. Their cross-section and location in an imaginary coordinate system outlines the functioning of the stock market in the two opposing state spaces that personify market processes. The sculpture represents a frozen moment of continuous struggle in which there is no eternal victory. The first wins, then the other. With its glazed, neutral and cold surfaces of raw stainless steel evoking a cave bear, the beast descends on the bull, a reference to the declining market. The bull with its glowing body - custom-made sections of oxidized steel - is about to charge its opponent. It is the process of rising trends. Together fire and water, destructive and constructive energies, natural elements of life
The two metallic beasts were born from the material world, clashing on mother earth. The addition of the ground, the terrestrial world as the site of the struggle, was designed by Szőke especially for this exhibition. The sculpture thus represents the main elements of the universe: fire in the form of the bull, water in the form of the bear, air establishes a link between the earthly (material) and celestial (spiritual) worlds and the earth element, a passive receiver, is both stable and sure, maintaining the figures which clash and nourishing them. The existence of the four main elements is the condition of life. The artist was influenced by the work of Empledocles, who in the 5th century BC, in his Tetrasomia, or The Doctrine of the Four Elements [Roots], was the first to derive the universe from the mixture of the four elements, and is considered a forerunner of materialism. For Empledocle, the 4 elements come from 4 gods. Reflecting on this, Szőke sees the totems of the modern age in the images of the bear and the bull, whose clash between the spiritual world and the material world embodies the clashes of existence itself.
2019 aug 13
abstract optical materialism paintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/50mm via extension tube
An endless source of frustration is the futile outcome of discussions or debates with strict creationists. That outcome is often the result of confusion over what, exactly, the discussion is about. The scientist is engrossed in clarifying theoretical logic or expounding on the evidence used to test some theory or other. At the same time, at the other end of the spectrum of debate, the creationist is attempting to point out the incompleteness of any scientific theory mistakenly believing that revealing such a weakness in a mechanistic theory would thereby prove a particu-lar theistic proposition
If you approach this scene from the western side of the seastacks, the place is packed with visitors clambering about on rocks, taking selfies, exploring caves and watching the puffins on the cliffs directly above them. The car park is packed with cars, SUV's and coaches regurgitating enormous numbers of people onto the black sands of Reynisfjara. It's a busy spot. You can escape the crowds by making for the secret beach directly in front of the sea stacks, where you can carelessly allow your tripod to fall over behind your back while searching for the remote cable in your camera bag, ending the life of a beloved 6 stop filter into the bargain. If you do go, keep an eye on the tide because I'd hate for you to get cut off.
If you approach this scene from above, it's a leg sapping but pleasing march up onto the cliffs which loom over the town of Vik to a place you'll share with a much smaller crowd, gazing over sea stacks and ant sized humans from a heady height with a dizzying vertical drop in front of you. In our case an extremely pretty lady, long blonde locks and half our age clad in running apparel came bounding past us effortlessly towards Vik sporting a dazzling smile which somehow made the journey uphill easier. Perhaps my next marathon needs to be in Iceland.
If you approach this scene from the east, you have the pleasure of a tolerably empty beach where you can gaze at the view without distraction. The sea stacks may be further away but a zoom lens soon remedies that, and if you happen to have parked a yellow VW campervan called Brian on the nearby dunes you can unfold a camping chair and brew a pot of coffee. It was the first time on a week long tour of the ring road that I felt like I was resting. We were supposed to be on holiday after all. The calm sea invited a super long exposure with a 10 stop filter. The coffee turned into two pots of coffee as we lingered.
After several days on the road surveying majestic emptiness, the mini metropolis of Vik, the southernmost village in Iceland with a population of not much more than 300 feels like an oasis. It has a delightful swimming pool complex which we visited twice, a shopping centre where you can buy a cooked meal at a not too extravagant price, and an outlet centre where you can temporarily forget your commitment to non-materialism and spend your hard owned Krona on a tee shirt which tells the world you've been to Iceland. It also has an attractive church which we failed to photograph, giving us the perfect excuse to return there. It's fair to say that I like Vik a lot. I like the sea stacks too.
The Future is in Your Hands Artist: May Summers-Perkins.
“The Future is in Your Hands” is a vibrant call to action, driven by a deep commitment to environmental education. Bridging generational gaps, it enlightens both children and adults on the urgent need to safeguard our planet. Drawing from literary explorations, charity shop volunteering, and observations of materialism, the artwork unfolds as a kaleidoscope of colour, symbolising the energy needed for positive change. Emphasising small, impactful steps against climate change, the design includes intriguing details, like bananas, urging contemplation on low-carbon choices. With the captivating aesthetics, the artwork prompts viewers to reflect on their role in shaping a sustainable future and engaging in meaningful conversation.
The Future is in Your Hands is sponsored by ABJ Minimix + Concrete2You + PicsUK our trail partners.
Over the summer of 2024, Southampton Hospitals Charity will be lighting up the South with a large-scale public art event that promises to captivate your senses and ignite your imagination.
There will be 40 8ft magnificent lighthouse sculptures on display through the streets and public spaces of Southampton and Cowes, each one a unique masterpiece designed by artists both local and well renowned, plus 40 mini lighthouses designed by local education groups, creating a family-friendly trail of discovery for visitors and residents to enjoy and explore.
The lighthouses will then be displayed together for a Farewell event in September 2024 which will be a chance to see all lighthouses gathered in one place, a truly unique sight. The sculptures will then go into auction to raise vital funds for Southampton Children’s Hospital.
2019 july 11
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/50mm via extension tube
2019 oct 12
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Jenna 2.8/ 50mm via extension tube
A woman rides an escalator in a Las Vegas hotel.
It is interesting to me how a crisis brings life into focus, elevating relationships, family, neighborhood, love and kindness, while diminishing glitz and glamor, materialism, and selfishness as we take stock of what is really important.
2019 sept 6
abstract optical materialism macropaintograph with household materials
Camera: Pentax K-50 16 Mpixel Digital SLR + Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/50mm via extension tube
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>>To be seen in Flickr-group "Creative Composition" and others<<
"No PERFECT CAMERA? No PERFECT GEAR?....do not let materialism kill your creativity. Show the whole world your creativity through your photos and let us change the way others see things."
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"Please feel free to use my images any way you like.I do not feel the need to "own" them. It is only a picture.
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>>To be seen in Flickr-group "Creative Composition" and others<<
"No PERFECT CAMERA? No PERFECT GEAR?....do not let materialism kill your creativity. Show the whole world your creativity through your photos and let us change the way others see things."
Mr. Pinnochio, 2019–2022, Cortenstahl, 36 lebensgroße Figuren, Pinnochio: Höhe 600 cm von LIU Ruowang(China)
Den Pinocchio in der Mitte umkreisen ewig ahnungslose Zeitgenossen. Herkömmliche Rollen von Manipulator und
Manipulierten werden vertauscht. Seelenlose "Menschen" haben die Kontrolle über das seelenlose "Ding" verloren. Niemand entzieht sich dem seltsamen Kreislauf aus Kontrolle und Beeinflussung durch "Dinge" in einer materialistischen
Welt, deren Mammon Geld heißt.
Mr. Pinnochio, 2019–2022, corten steel, 36 life-size figures, Pinnochio: height 600 cm (236 inches) from
LIU Ruowang(China)
With Pinocchio's character at
the centre and a group of contemporaries marching unaware in the endless circle, the manipulator and manipulated reverse their conventional roles. The soulless "people" have lost control over the soulless "thing". It is becoming impossible to jump out of the strange circle of control and manipulation by "things" in modern society where materialism and money worship prevail.
"Please feel free to use my images any way you like.I do not feel the need to "own" them. It is only a picture.
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>>To be seen in Flickr-group "Creative Composition" and others<<
"No PERFECT CAMERA? No PERFECT GEAR?....do not let materialism kill your creativity. Show the whole world your creativity through your photos and let us change the way others see things."
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2020 feb 9
One more stretch-framing completed for possible exhibition in Oxford a few months down the line ..... hopefully.
macropaintograph - 'sequence' (2012)
Homily ash wed021721
Recently, I was driving to St. Ann’s. It was early in the morning, and I noticed to my right a frozen pond with a flock of seagulls scattered across the pond. They were curled up, most standing on one leg…heads bent down. A cold winter wind was blowing, and the sky was gray, and the usual community birds seemed as frozen as the pond itself. How unusual! I am used to seeing these birds flying high in the sky…catching the wind to take them higher…always in a large group. Yes, that is my memory of them, a flock of seagulls reaching new heights, flying past my sight. Today is Ash Wednesday! What is our mood? How are we feeling? What is our reason for being here?
This Ash Wednesday seems different than others I have experienced. If it is different for me, I would assume it is different for you. Like the disengaged seagulls that I saw on that frozen pond, this year what we are living through seems very cold, grey, and frozen. The pandemic has certainly been the biggest single factor contributing to the heavy mood we are living through. Part of our daily routine maybe checking the latest numbers of those who have passed away from COVID-19, or the tally of those who now have the virus.
Traditionally, Ash Wednesday, has been a day for us to remember that we are dust and to the dust we shall return. On this Ash Wednesday however, it seems that we have been living this reminder every day for the last year. Who has not in the privacy of their own home, been praying for this pandemic darkness to pass over us? Who can let their works shine in the assembly, when those who do gather at church do so at their own risk?
Yes, this Ash Wednesday is different! We have a new appreciation for the “real world” we are living in. As Christians, maybe we have drawn closer to God. Maybe, for those who thought God was our crutch, or an outdated idea are now seeing that a foundation built on consumption, marketing and materialism can easily crumble. Maybe they now realize that life is fragile, here today gone tomorrow. Maybe in their world of isolation, they have a hunger for something they cannot put into words?
We will overcome this darkness because our hope was always focused on the one who has given us a foundation to build on. Where do we go as we emerge from our world of mask wearing and social distancing? Are we going to be kinder to our neighbor…will acts of kindness stand out more?
Lent has always been a time for us to do some deep soul searching…a time for us to reflect on our short comings…a time to give up something. Instead of giving up a vice, maybe it is a time to pick up a good habit. Maybe we could read a chapter from the Gospel of John or learn to pray a Rosary. Building a relationship with God should be our priority. If we say we have a relationship with God already, maybe we could take that relationship to a deeper level.
We would not be here if we were not looking for a deeper experience of God. Maybe we commit to praying daily in our quiet inner room as our Gospel reading tells us.
The one thing we do know, is that this pandemic will end sooner than later, however, this lent will probably be over sooner. Let these 40 days of lent be a time for us to reflect on what and how we would like to be different when it ends. If God is the source of our peace, and because we have a deeper relationship with Jesus, may we reflect the love that flows in us…flow out of us into a broken world. In our ordinary lives, we will be confronted with those who drive aggressively, say unkind things, put themselves first, cast an angry face, or simply treat us badly…let us meet them at this point with a smile, a word of encouragement, or less gas on the pedal.
When, I started this talk, I mentioned seagulls on ice! I know that they did not remain there! It is in their nature to take to the sky. Neither shall we remain in this humdrum state of uncertainty. Our faith also calls us out! We have the capacity to soar…and we will!
-rc