Instead of continuing to have an intimate relationship with oil, we need to work on having a closer relationship with the renewable sources, such as solar power and wind power.  I know this is the same old debate that we hear constantly in the media, but I just have to reiterate what the media says.  Climate has been wonky for at least the past decade, thanks to our too-close relationship with oil.  Climate change has indeed caused losses of many precious things such as glaciers. Many artists around the world have been tackling the issue of climate change by creating works focusing on the subject. Denise Lira-Ratinoff addresses the issue by presenting striking photos of glaciers in Patagonia. Lira-Ratinoff, a photographer from Chile, produced a magnificent exhibition a couple years ago called “at first sight II” in Atlanta.  She photographed glaciers sculpted by the ocean and wind at the very southern tip of South America.  The theme of the project was based on time and memory as Lira-Ratinoff stated:

“at first sight” is based on a search to discover the senses through the emotions of a first glance.  It is a meeting of the senses produced by facing the unpredicted. We absorb the observation and the memory of the unpredicted becomes part of oneself.  Sometimes, we look without observing and neglect to see the world around us, and consequently we fail to see within ourselves.

However, I saw the intent of the project differently.  I saw it as a way for the viewers to appreciate these beautiful objects, glaciers, which could be gone forever one day due to the climate change. Along with the exhibit, she published only 300 copies of a book called 16:03:27. Once the 300th copy was sold, 16:03:27 was never seen again for sale.  The intent of this book project was to teach the viewers that we needed to take the time to appreciate what we were seeing at the moment and that once something is gone, it will never return again. I gained so much appreciation for what I was seeing at the moment of Lira-Ratinoff’s exhibit, and I felt that I wanted to see photographs of the beautiful scenery again and again.  I didn’t want them to go away forever because these glaciers were too precious. I realized the importance of need to be proactive about saving the beauty of the natural world. Take a moment to view these gorgeous photos by Lira-Ratinoff and think about which one is more important.  More money for the corporations or preserving the natural beauty of our planet?

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