9/11

“Twenty years ago the world changed.” Of course one could oppose that statement by saying the world has been changing every single day ever since its beginning, which is certainly the historical truth, but humanity as a whole witnessing a horrific and significant impact, in real time, realising the change, in real time, entering a collective psychological new era, in real time, was unprecedented till 11th September 2001.

On that day we all knew, in real time, that our youth’s dream of a peaceful, free and tolerant world was moving, in best case, away into the far-away future, and in worst case, would become a memory of the past.

Our collective fears came out to be true: terrorism in our cities and airports, wars on, or of, terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, hundreds of thousands refugees blocked or drowned at our borders, abandoned people who were promised a better future from this or that self-righteous power.

Where is our common altar to pray on a day like this? Who is our common god for healing? Maybe the only thing that can save us now is to look at and examine our bodies: “This is our hand, this is our leg, these are our eyes.” We must start from the nill of our common humanity. Not in a sentimental way, but in the way when you get lost and look for a point of recognition in the landscape, a mountain, a lake or a river where you can start walking from.

And that walking will be long.

Photo: Findings from the sanctuary of Asklepios in Ancient Corinth.

From the ongoing film photography project Endless archives of light.