the incorruptible medium

I've just finished reading a great book called 'King Leopold's Ghost' by Adam Hochschild. It's all about the Congo in the late 1800s and early 1900s and the terrible happenings between the natives and the colonialists. If you are anything like me and enjoy having a good old rant about whether colonialism is good or bad, this is a wonderful read for you. Or, if you are just simply interested in men with strange facial hair I suppose this will be tantalizing for you as well.
While reading this book I came across a wonderful quote (above) and I had to share it. It is taken from a piece of work that Mark Twain wrote during this time called King Leopold's Soliloquy, an imaginary monologue by Leopold II of Belgium. After all the terrible things dug up by reformers trying to stop the vicious cycle of colonialism and slave labour that King Leopold and his associates had buried so well comes the inevitable and gruesome truth that a photograph always reveals, as well as conquering the test of time.

ALSO:
This is a tribute to Cuba after reading about an exhibition that is on in New York at the International Center of Photography which runs until January 9th 2011, fittingly called 'Cuba in Revolution'. A look into the golden days of the 1950s and 60s in Cuba when the overthrowing of a dictatorship government was of utmost importance and urgency, 30 photojournalists with 180 photographs look into this time to bring the viewer what we all know so well; photography, the incorruptible medium.
If, by any chance, you find yourself in New York sometime between now and January 9th do yourself a favour and do these three things:
- Know that you are a lucky fish to be in New York,
- visit this exhibition,
- and tell me how it was in FULL detail and bring me back a postcard!

To know more about this exhibition click here.

J.

PS. I passed my Learners!