I was just served a great big helping of poignancy from photographer Chris Jordan. His latest work, “Midway,†captures the actual contents of dead albatross chicks’ stomachs, found on the Midway Atoll (near the middle of the North Pacific ocean). Thousands of these birds die every year from starvation, but also from choking and toxicity from the pollution that their mothers’, thinking it looks like food, bring back for them. As the artist’s message explains, not one piece of plastic in these photos was changed, moved or altered in any way, so as to document this situation as accurately as possible. While the images are certainly tragic and difficult to take in, one must admit that there is also a beauty captured in these photographs.
The artist interprets the way we, as a society, consume as a kind of “mob mentality;†we’re all taking and devouring so much in the world in such an unsustainable way, but because there are so many of us no single person can be held accountable. Jordan’s personal stance and goal for creating these pieces are best explained in his statement about the work:
“As an American consumer myself, I am in no position to finger wag; but I do know that when we reflect on a difficult question in the absence of an answer, our attention can turn inward, and in that space may exist the possibility of some evolution of thought or action. So my hope is that these photographs can serve as portals to a kind of cultural self-inquiry. It may not be the most comfortable terrain, but I have heard it said that in risking self-awareness, at least we know that we are awake.â€
It has assuredly made me question my personal consumption habits, as well as feel remorse for having ever absentmindedly littered near the ocean.
For more thoughts, feelings, and ideas from Meg visit her blog at Flabbermasthead
6 Comments
This is one of the more moving pieces you guys have posted on W&B so far. It’s disturbing to see the effect we as a culture have on the animals around us. If we can all just be a little more mindful about what we do with our materials the world will be such a better place.
Midway – The Last Meal is poignant and beautiful. Sorrow and tragedy, oddly, are as beautiful as joy and comedy.
Whenever or wherever “no one single person can be held accountable,” then we are all accountable. We must all contribute to solve the problem.
One unifying characteristic of people living in monetized, market-based economies is that no one wants to pay taxes. The most effective and efficient to influence behavior is through taxation. Tax goods and behaviors that are demonstrably harmful, reduce or cancel taxes on goods or behaviors that benefit the whole. In addition to a steadily rising tax on carbon fuels and nuclear fuel for fission reactions, a rising tax on long-lived plastics could encourage people to find less disruptive, less dangerous, renewable, resources for the production of energy, products and packaging. In exchange, taxes on middle range incomes could be reduced and tax credits for households and companies that invest in ecologically sound technologies and products could be increased until the global economy is redirected toward sustainability.
Follow the albatross to a safe haven from the storm at sea.
Wonderful wonderful post. W&B is killin it!!
meg be killing it.
Amazing amazing piece by Meg Barankin. Thank you for relating such a distressing yet REAL issue for us. I will pass this along to my friends.
Awesome post. We all need to be more aware of this earth we live on and take care of it.