For those of you not familiar with the ‘TED’ talks they stand for Technology, Education, Design. Their motto is ‘ideas worth spreading’ and it is the most wonderful powerhouse of information from creative and intelligent thinkers movers and shakers from around the world. It is my dream to attend a TED conference one day..but I digress…you can find out more about TED here.
JR's TED Prize Wish - to turn the world Inside Out with a global art project.
My latest inspiration is a delightful French photographic artist ‘JR’. 5:30 into the movie JR poses the question “Could art change the world?” He talks of his journey into the Israeli and Palestinian cities to launch his ‘Face-to-Face’ project.
Another gem at 9:00 minutes. “Face to face proved that what we thought was impossible, was possible.”
Imagine if we all carried that attitude. How many stuck stifled ideas would we get rid of? How many wonderful new exciting ideas could we bring into the world?
Can art change the world? I believe it is the job of art to provoke thought and provide impetus for your new ideas.
14:04 JR tells the story of a man who did not understand the project being told by another. After questioning it’s validity it was pointed out to him that the few hours he spent observing the art had not been spent worrying about what he would eat tomorrow….this is art.
16:45 he reveals their creative solution to not being able to post in India…white paper with sticky substance so that over the days as the dust gets blown around the photo reveals itself. Fabulous!
21:50 “Art is not supposed to change the world. To change practical things. But to change the perceptions, art can change the way we see the world. Art can create an energy…The fact that art cannot change things makes it a neutral place for exchanges and discussions. And then enables you to change the world.”
23:30 “What we see changes who we are.” JR implores us all with his wish to change the world by participating via insideoutproject.net