Coexist... Or Else!

“Coexist” mainly juxtaposes a city park neighbored by a gravel pit. Over several years, I’ve added more to Coexist: similar urban gravel pits and other man-made mounds in suburban neighborhoods. Since many folk find gravel and similar piles unattractive, this study dramatically illustrates the transformative aspect of my long-term, light-painting, multiseries work, “Vibrant Night,” and its core concept of “cognitive reframing,” inspired by my background in psychology. Overall, as in Burtynsky’s work there may be irony between beauty and the risks-vs-benefits of what is depicted. But here, my aim is mainly psychological: providing a visual metaphor that “seeing things in a different light” (so to speak!) can best address mental adversity: not to deny what’s troubling, but seeking a balanced view or ways to make the best of it. I also hope that, with increased wisdom and foresight, a healthy and aesthetic environment can sustainably coexist with our truly necessary needs. That is one way to live life “in balance.” For if we fail to find a wise synthesis from dialectic alternatives, I fear that apocalyptic times will come. Indeed, I concurrently offer another “Vibrant Night” subseries (“What Have You Done To The Earth!”) which presents a metaphor of that.