A week ago Me2 wrote a small blog post here on our week in plastic, reflecting back on what happened in the world around us and urging you to enjoy your Friday and share your creativity in the weekend with us. Just another Friday kicking off a weekend full of creativity and plastic fun ahead of us.
A weekend that was about to take a drastic turn overnight and shake up the world one more time with complete and utterly meaningless violence and it just got me. No creative shooting or whimsical adventures for me that weekend. No deep dive in my personal memories and inner child. Just extremely sad, angry and kind of helpless. We talked about it during our SiP hangout on Saturday (sorry folks, I most probably did not sound that positive and my usual self). Shelly reflected on the usage of violence in our work on Monday (a must read) and I wrote a slightly longer piece on Paris and why it got to me on my personal blog that same Sunday, and here we are, one Friday later.
Life must go on.
We should not give our hatred to those who inflicted this useless and meaningless violence upon us, just like Antoine Leiris shared with us on FB and social media platforms alike, yet we should not forget.
We should remember (and this is most probably not the plastic post you were expecting here on Stuck In Plastic this Friday).
We should remember what only happened a week ago in Paris, a day before in Beirut, and a month before in Egypt. We should remember the utterly meaningless violence and stand up for humanity and our next generations to come. We should remember and let it make us stronger. We should remember and make it part of us.
As I said (in my personal blog) last week:
“… I am sad, but at the same time resolved.
I cannot build a rocket to Mars or code a conscience into A.I. but I can speak up for our species in my work, in my photography.
Make sure I share the message of hope and inspiration.
Of building an intergalactic species that is known for its science and arts, just like the city of light. A species that believes in toys and imagination, in creativity and equality. I hope my great grand children will look back and still find some inspiration in our generation. I for sure will leave them my photography and hope it will inspire their children to look back at the past and smile on these whimsical great grandparents that took their toys to places to inspire creativity.
Paris, Beirut, Planet Earth, I Luv Ye … “
This Friday is not your classic #FF.
This Friday is in memory of all those innocent victims around the globe of the madness we sometimes find ourselves engulfed within, not just in Paris, Beirut or Egypt, but all around on our little blue marble, called Planet Earth.
Remember.
We can make a difference.
Boris
PS. Our #stuckinplastic_pcm feature will be back soon. It just did not feel right this special Friday …
PPS. If you did not yet ready the great post of Shelly on violence in toy photography go ahead and read it now. I believe we all should be aware of the difference and influence we can make on our next generations to come.
Stepping off of this rollercoaster called life and taking a break to remember.
Terrible things happened. The more I’m glad that throughout these dark days there is still hope to be found. Yes- let’s not give in to hate but let’s reach out our hands to those in need, to our friends and let us remember.