ABC Wednesday 5: U is for...


... Up in the Air

The photographer Yann Arthus-Betrand spent many hours up in the air taking the amazing set of pictures which forms the Earth from the Air exhibition currently showing in Bath. I first came across these images in a Sunday supplement around a decade ago and was blown away. I found them even more impressive when they went on display in the middle of Bristol 5 years ago. There's 120 giant photographs on show and each one was taken from between 100 to 10,000 feet.

This street exhibition has been on tour for a number of years. It's aim is simple: to raise awareness of the issues facing this planet simply through the power of these images and their accompanying narrative. I gave up eating tiger prawns 5 years ago, simply by seeing the damage done to the places in Asia where they're farmed intensively. The city of Bath is using the exhibition to raise awareness of climate change and is aiming to get many people to pledge to make simple change(s) to their daily lives in order to tackle this problem head-on.

The exhibition is free, open 24/7 and can be found around the Abbey and the newly opened shopping centre until January 10th.

Do visit the ABC Wednesday blog for more in the way of U.

Comments

  1. Arabella Sock9 December 2009 at 09:16

    I love the Earth from the Air photos. We first saw the exhibition in Rejkyavik years ago when they were in a big square just outside our hotel. It was a real treat to just be able to wander outside and look at them and at the time we had never seen anything quite like them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carrie9 December 2009 at 12:10

    I LOVE his work, I have a print bought at one of those exhibitions, it was outside the Natural History Museum in London years ago. Such awe inspiring work. He's never been to BELFAST though :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. Helen9 December 2009 at 13:56

    I wish I could see them -- will look for them online -- and now you've got me wondering about tiger prawns...

    At Toronto's documentary film festival this past spring we saw The Cove, an eye-opening view of dolphin "fishing". I'll never look at a marine park the same way again.

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  4. Anonymous9 December 2009 at 15:10

    Simply amazing, VP, and what a good way to raise awareness. I love the photo of the guy taking a shot of another shot.

    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown9 December 2009 at 16:02

    I'm still in catchup mode (when am I not!) but had to say I too love these photos; very thought provoking. Thanks, VP, for your supportive comments on bloomingwriter...they mean a llot. I'm revamping how I deal with my blog and with reading others, because there are so many, and I don't like to miss stuff, and I love the sharing of knowledge in this common e-pool.
    Hope you and the kitties are doing well, and that it stops raining soon.

    ReplyDelete
  6. jabblog9 December 2009 at 17:01

    I love to see aerial photographs. The details are quite splendid and the viewer can get lost in them!

    ReplyDelete
  7. The bike shed9 December 2009 at 20:43

    Cool I'm going to go and look

    I do hope you are going to do a post about the lights (various places) in Chippenham - worst Xmas lights?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Tumblewords:9 December 2009 at 23:40

    Thanks for the info! I was unaware of this and am now touring the link! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Roger Owen Green10 December 2009 at 01:33

    looks very appealing

    ReplyDelete
  10. Angie10 December 2009 at 04:01

    I was knocked out by them when they were on display in Perth. Wonderful!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. VP16 December 2009 at 10:32

    Arabella - they do get around a fair bit. I just wish the website published a timetable of where they're going to be in the future.

    Carrie - I bet Belfast's on the list, but the exhibition stays for a few months at a time, so it's a bit slow getting around...

    Helen - the way they're farmed is very polluting and mangroves are being destroyed. Coastlines with mangroves still intact were far less devastated by that massive tsunami disaster. Food for thought?

    Frances - that's why I chose that one :)

    Jodi - I read lots of blogs too and in several different 'readers'. Must consolidate them into one method soon...

    jabblog - welcome! I did get lost in them despite the rain :)

    Mark - glad you're going to go. I'm still accumulating my Chippenham lights pictures...

    Tumblewords - enjoy your exploration :)

    Roger - it is!

    Angie - I'm so glad you got to see them too. It's a fantastic exhibition :)

    ReplyDelete

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