Thursday, December 15, 2011

My first post...

While eating sushi with on of my best guy friends from high school, we began talking about what it is I want to do when I move back home from Spain and he basically inspired me to start writing about my experiences abroad- whatever they may be- but write them down so they can be read. So here it goes...

It is crazy to think I have lived in Barcelona for over a year, but it definitely feels like home. I have met so many special people who are now a big part of my life and have had the opportunity to really get to know this amazing city. With its vast amount of museums, exhibits, bars, restaurants, and close towns nearby, there is always something new to see or do. Hence, I am never bored and always want to explore some new part of the city or try a new place to eat. In Barcelona it is easy to meet new people,  so there is always someone there to experience these new experiences.

Living in Barcelona, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to see World Press Photo 2011 at CCCB (Centre de Cultura Contemprania de Barcelona). This is a temporary exhibit that takes place every year in many different museums around the world. Since this exhibit began years ago, it usually has come to CCCB for about a month and this year I was lucky enough to know about it (thanks to a special Italian) and it was life changing. The images chosen are the best photos from the year before and are insanely powerful. There were 170 pictures that won and some of those were chosen for the exhibit. The themes of war, death, love, natural disasters, and health appear frequently. I could not stop talking or thinking about what I saw for at least two days after seeing the exhibit. The images are very intense and make you think about how delicate life can be, especially in other parts of the world. Under each photo there is a description of what is occurring, which creates a bigger impact, since one can read what is actually happening. Here is the website to the exhibit at CCCB: http://www.cccb.org/en/exposicio-world_press_photo_11-39444

Here is one picture from the exhibit. This women is Bibi Aisha who is 18 years old and is from Afghanistan and was complaining of violent treatment when she escaped from her husband and went to her family's house. The Taliban arrived one night, demanding Bibi have to face justice. Bibi’s brother-in-law held her down and her husband sliced off her ears and then cut off her nose. She was abandoned, but later rescued by aid workers and the American military. Bibi Aisha now lives in the US and has had reconstructive surgery.
@Jodi Bieber, South Africa, Institute for Artist Management/Goodman Gallery for Time magazine.