Photojournalism Exhibit in Perpignan

Yesterday, we went to the nearby town of Perpignan to see the interntional photojournalism exhibit running there until September 12.

In my last blog entry, I quoted Anne, an art historian here in Collioure, who said that the best art is not always easy to look at. Well, that's exactly what yesterday's exhibit was like. There were some images that made me cringe and groan -- and by the time I left the exhibit hall, I couldn't say a word to anyone. I'll tell you a little now about some of those photos -- but you'll need courage even to keep reading.

There was a photo of a mom holding her son; the son, an American soldier, had lost one third of his brain during the war. The photo only showed the back of the young man's head. There was another photo of an Iranian protestor, bloody and battered. And there was a photo of a field of dead cows, killed during the Israel's most recent attack on the occupied territories.

Upsetting as those photos were, they shook me up... and not only in a bad way. They reminded me how important it is to document the truth and how it helps us as individuals and as members of society to communicate -- whether through words or images. After seeing the photos I told you about, I did the only thing I could do: I went right to a small cafe in Perpignan and got back to work on my new novel. Wherever you are, I hope you are also finding ways to express what matters most to you!