Earth from Above
Submitted by Nick Measures on June 11, 2008 - 7:49pm.
OK, there’s been plenty of promotional stuff about this exhibition both in BK and elsewhere around town but as someone who has personally visited I just want to add my support for what is a really cool project.
If you don’t know about it already (where have you been?) Earth from Above is a series of images taken by a French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The key thing is he has taken them all from various flying machines offering a unique birds eye view of the earth. As well as capturing the natural beauty of the planet it also clearly highlights man’s impact on the environment.
From images of melting glaciers in Argentina to disappearing mangrove swamps in France this can sometimes be as disturbing as it is stunning. In many ways it’s a pretty graphic case for the current concerns relating to rising food prices, water shortages and of course global warming-especially as each of the 120 aerial photographs comes with a related caption from various experts and UN agencies outlining the facts behind these issues.
Whilst that might sound a little depressing its really the gorgeous photos that make it worth a visit. This is actually the second time I’ve been having already seen it when it was touring London a few years back and even for you non-art lovers I would just say give it a go. People often complain that Bangkok doesn’t offer much in the way of cultural entertainment but this is definitely something that can appeal to more people. After all it’s free, easily accessible as its slap bang in front of CentralWorld and you can always recover with a spot of retail therapy if all that thinking gets too much.
.jpg "Escape Routes: Nov14, 2008")
