Time for reflection
Photo Rhonda Boocock
I return to the question: what is photography? There is a part of the exhibition that differs from the pictures under the collective title 'Stop! It's a thinking spot'. Now, there is no body part (feet, legs) connecting the picture to the photographer physically. The idea is to showcase pictures that can serve as reflections or depict places fitting for contemplation, for tranquillity.
Photo Jan Bernhardtz
The prominent Swedish photographer Georg Oddner (1923-2007) for sure contemplated extensively on photography as an art form. He said:
'Just as a drop of water is connected to the sea, a moment is connected to eternity. A picture is taken to observe and retain a piece of time. An instant to return to.’
It's a beautiful and profound observation. I think about how we are still able to view the very first photographs taken. The oldest surviving picture taken with a camera is said to be an image by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce from 1826.
Photo Jan Bernhardtz
Sometimes, I am dismayed by our digital age and the multitude of pictures that might get lost forever. If they only exist digitally, they run the risk of becoming part of what might be considered the epoch of digital darkness in the future. If preserved on paper or as negatives, their lifespan increases significantly. Perhaps this isn't important. I don't know.
There are about a dozen pictures in this part of our exhibition. One by mrurbano, and the rest are from two specially invited photographers:
Rhonda Boocock, Chattanooga, USA, contributed several pictures in collaboration with 591 Photography on the theme 'Places for Reflection’, so the idea is not new.
Jan Bernhardtz is one of the most important contemporary Swedish photographers. He has been living in Berlin for many years, depicting the city in his very unique way.
In some way, probably all good photographs deserve contemplation from the viewer's side. It could also be seen as a theme for our exhibition as a whole: a hope that photographs can impact our senses, beyond being simply beautiful or technically perfect. Photography exists to sharpen our senses but also to enrich our imagination and touch our hearts.
And remember: Photography is like chicken soup - it cures all ills. / mrurbano
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