The Reminders project cover image/photograph copyright Abir Abdullah and published here with his permission and The Reminders Project.
Often it’ my colleagues who fan the flames of inspiration within. Their acts of dedication, perspiration, and commitment render me speechless.
Such was my experience, when I viewed the images on Climate Refugee’s by photographer Abir Abdullah. Stunning and quiet his images reminds me of our humanness and of our collective agreement in this era called “Global Warming.” With all the facts and figures surrounding “Global Warming” I find that it sometimes makes the issue a little too painful to the ear and the urgency growing a little deeper under the skin. Then, the strong speaking quietude of his photographs brings the point further home and meeting no resistance… such is the power of the still image.
“Nature has never made it easy to live in Bangladesh. Since childhood, I lived with my family right beside a riverbank. We swam in the river, we played and we even relied on the river for transportation. In short, our life had its highs and lows with that of the river. Sometimes, our house flooded during the full moon and we feared being washed away or left floating in the river. Thus we grew up with the river and flooding was very much a part of us. In 1988, I witnessed the biggest flood of the country, one of the largest in Bangladesh history, though I was not a photographer at the time. Since then, I have witnessed the three major floods of the last decade as a photographer and I have seen the stories of the displaced people who eventually lost their homes. Many today live in other lands, and many have been forced to migrate to the cities seeking better prospects. Consequently, the capital fills up with more people every day.”
The Paradox of Our Times“Is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempersWider freeways, but narrower viewpoints
We spend more, but we have less
We have bigger houses, but smaller families
More conveniences, but less time
We have more degrees, but less sense
More knowledge, but less judgment
More experts, but more problems
More medicines, but less wellness
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often
We have learnt how to make a living, but not a life
We have added years to life, but not life to years
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back
But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour
We have conquered outer space, but not inner space
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted our soul
We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice
We’ve higher incomes, but lower morals
We’ve become long on quantity but short on quality
These are the times of tall men, and short character
Steep profits, and shallow relationships
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare
More leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition
These are the days of two incomes, but more divorces
Of fancier houses, but broken homes
It is a time when there is much in the show window
And nothing in the stockroom
A time when technology can bring this letter to you
And a time when you can choose
Either to make a difference…. or just hit, delete.”
– His Holiness the Dalai Lama
copyright Ana Elisa Fuentes
Quote provided by Abir Abdullah
To view more of Abir’s images, please go here
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Reminder project design by Youme
AnaElisa 