disruption

In April, when the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud paralysed air travel across Europe, it had an impact on people’s daily lives ranging from causing panic and stress in those who could not reach important places at important times, to those who simply had to stop and take time off from their hectic schedules. Which in some situations even led to re-assessment of life goals and achievements – what is it all for if something like this can end it so dramatically? The ash cloud did not end life as we know it but certainly, for 5 days, made us think, made us realise how mortal and vulnerable we truly are.

Now, 4 months later, the incident is all but forgotten, nay for those who are still to be refunded for cancelled travel arrangements. Not unlike the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Yes, BP has plugged it but what of the environmental impact, the cost to our ecosystem. Yesterday’s news.

These incidents change our lives, change our destiny, change everything but we can’t see it, the media tells us its no longer our primary concern, our lives return to how they were before. How far removed are we from our reality?

Just like this photo essay of where I was at the time of the ash cloud ‘disruption’. Black and white images of colourful moments, frozen instances of dynamic passages of time.