Saturday, February 11, 2006

Dharma Bums in the Land of the Bomb

I live in the midst of an impressive triangle. Albuquerque is highly militaristic (very pro-Bush). While Santa Fe embraces the teachings of Alan Watts and Jack Kerouac (conflicting students of Eastern Philosophy, but most don't notice). Finally, Los Alamos is essentially the "Land of the Bomb".

So how does a dharma bum find balance? Or is it the confliction that allows balance? Do we need the battle to deny the fight? Do artists in this unique high desert region have a duty to be documentarians of the battle between good, evil and the means to power. The means of power is apparent - "Land of the Bomb". Whether the protester or the government control the "concept of the bomb" is up for contention at ground zero - New Mexico. But that leaves the convictions of the other two groups. Which is good, which is evil and how do we decide? Now I said all that to say this.....

My thing (as I have said over and over again) is that I move to a new place and paint the social repercussions through symbols of the landscape. So what stories are up for grabs? Most recently, my own work has begun to blend the chaos of a nuclear desert with the history of multiple cultures struggling to reside despite political turmoil. What struggles are you working out? What are your tools? What documentary are you making?-DN

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