Home today with the beginnings of a cold, I finished a book called “The Age of the Unthinkable,” by Joshua Cooper Ramo. It dealt with complexity, old ways of thinking, and the absolutely improbable declaration that contending with, and managing our world today must fall first (and possibly permanently) into the hands of revolutionary individuals. It advocated distribution of power, resilience as opposed to dominance, and the imperative to create a world in which individual creativity on a global scale is not only permitted, it is essential. Most importantly, I thought, it talked about how our world is dependent on our relationships, not on our objectives. I was particularly intrigued by Ramo’s allusions to Chinese philosophy and culture as a model through which we might be able to revolutionize our own ways of seeing and thinking. I have been exploring similar paths in my work. I too am wondering if we took the time to focus on our environment instead of our objective, we might see or understand more. What are the layers of experience and relationships that give rise to our respective identities, knowledge and beliefs? How does our cultural disposition to act hinder or help our relationships? In short, I am looking at the layers and the currents of my experience as more important than what I think I know. This photo of “To Understand….” is my most recent attempt to express these ideas.
