“The perceptions that the cardinal points have distinct qualities that can be called forth to shape the outcome of human effort has been common to societies throughout history. . .
“But for those humans who do see the sun rise from the darkened bed of the earth in the East as they arise from their own bed, and who can call that rising morning, dawning, ascending, arising, and for those who see the sun set in the opposite horizon, having had the sun as their companion throughout the labors of their day, we see the cooling sun return to its recline, then decline back into the dark folds of the earth just as they slip back into their own deserved sleep on the same earth – for these humans, the East matters, the West matters, so do the North and the South. The ubiquity of this sensibility in other civilizations should give us pause, as should its absence in our own.”
-Peter London, Drawing Closer to Nature: Making Art in Dialogue with the Natural World
(Sun setting over the Pacific ocean at the Oregon coast)
Come back tomorrow for our next Photo Party!
2 Responses
Thanks Wes, that was my favorite image from the quote.
These photos give the strong impression of “…back into the dark folds of the earth…”
Great combination of photo images and commentary by Peter London.
Thanks.
Wes