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editorial

Pictures and Words. Pictures vs deplored what he saw as muddle
Words? creeping in, as our thinking and self-
expression floated in a rising tide of
Invited to the launch of a major art ever more abundant but ever more
exhibit (When We See Us) at the superficial images.
Basel Kunstmuseum’s Gegenwart, I
am at a loss for words before such an The American political analyst Patrick
abundance of extraordinary imagery. Lawrence, for his part, regularly
deplores an undeniable decline in
This is not the first time I have found public discourse, especially among the
myself wondering why, if a major point “political classes”, who rarely rise above
of focus since early adolescence has campaign slogans and platitudes. Not
been writing, it is so difficult to come surprisingly, they are strong on “photo
to terms with – and to convey to the opportunities” – the flood of images
reader – something of the wonder that that Forster deplored.
the imagery inspires.
To rise above the superficial, most
Since we live in an over-imaged images need good words. And words,
society, so to speak, we are easily to be good, must have context, the
(automatically?) drawn to imagery of syntax and structures that frame them
all sorts, and especially to displays of and give them nuance, subtlety and
this caliber. But this gravitational pull depth. This is where the challenge
diminishes fast when it comes to trying arises in an over-imaged society.
to render the experience into words.
The temptation is strong to forgo the In editing interviews for Diva, I
effort – unless it can be compressed have often noticed the interviewee
into a telegraph-style text, dispatched struggling to find the right words to
more often than not accompanied by answer a question. The effort, however
of an emoji or two or three. awkward it may seem, almost always
bears fruit, and the resulting clarity
Yet, whatever the hold of imagery on gives a glimpse into the person that
our lives and our thinking, it cannot enhances the portrait – in words!
replace the power of words, which – that the interview is creating.
remains great – if we only mobilize
it. For in recurring to words, we are Let us beware of being numbed by
forced to clarify our thinking. But the flux of images swirling around
that clarity of thought has long been us, especially when they threaten to
waning in our image-oriented world drown us. However shallow, they play
even as we have needed it more than a role in our societies and are not about
ever to make sense of at least some of to go away. But when they strike us
what we being exposed to. particularly, let us pause to reflect on
why they attract us, move us, fascinate
Already a hundred years ago, the us – then sharpen our reflections by
English novelist E.M. Forster, watching fashioning them into words.
the proliferation of photography, RJP

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