Topics

Sep

Crossing Cultures To Tell A Story of Turmoil

by Meredith Mullins on September 9, 2019

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Environmental disaster in Ogoniland, Nigeria (2013)
© Philippe Chancel. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Melanie Rio Fluency.

The World Is Screaming

The power of an image can be far reaching. A story can be told—or a message delivered— in even a single photograph.

And when a space is filled with images that have a common theme, the story becomes exponentially compelling.

This is the impact of photographer Philippe Chancel’s series “Datazone”—photographs made in remote and diverse corners of the world to reveal realities that we don’t ordinarily see. The interwoven essence becomes increasingly clear. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 6 Comments

Afghanistan/Africa/Asia/Crossing Cultures/Greece/Haiti/India/South Africa/USA

Aug

Cultural Encounters with a Competitive Edge

by Meredith Mullins on August 12, 2019

Bullfrog who is part of one of the most bizarre competitions in the world and also a part of the cultural encounters of competitions around the world. (Image ©

Is this the celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras County?
© iStock/Stevelenzphoto

Five of the Most Fascinating Competitions in the World

Grab your frog, your worm, your spouse, your crying baby, your cheese-chasing outfit, your cherry pits, your cockroaches, and your mustache wax.

Let the games begin.

From Calaveras frog jumping, to British cheese chasing, to Japanese baby crying, to Finnish wife carrying, to Indian mustache competitions, it’s time for some competitive cultural encounters.

What is it that drives us to compete . . . besides that thrill of victory? And, more to the point, what is it that drives us to compete in competitions unique to our cultures? Read more...

Meredith Mullins 2 Comments

Cultural Encounters/England/Finland/India/Japan/USA

Mar

On the Road Again: The Art of Travel

by Meredith Mullins on March 25, 2019

Center of the Nation sign, a roadside sign that invites the art of travel. (Image © DMT.)

Discovering America: Roadside Signs and Attractions

What keeps you going isn’t some fine destination but just the road you’re on, and the fact that you know how to drive.
—Barbara Kingsolver

There are hundreds of quotes about the art of travel (and the art of living), especially words that suggest that the journey matters as much as the destination . . . often more.

This philosophy is right on target when exploring one of the cornerstones of American life—the road trip. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 4 Comments

Art of Travel/USA

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