Nov 1, 2008
Los Angeles, Ca
Home again. 10 planned days and then 1 extra due to a canceled flight in Argentina was really not what I expected at all. As I mentioned before, the markets here are not what I was secretly hoping for. I was able to get myself out of that frame of mind and not be disappointed by whatever expectation I may have. After all, I want “Wok the Dog” to be about how people really do interact with their food and for it to be a social-political examination at the very basic action that governs our lives.
Yet I must admit, the interesting thing about Argentina and their markets is from the point of economics. There are large European chains in BA, such as Carrefour but its the small businesses that really seems to be everywhere. It makes you wonder about the fate of these small business over the next 10 years as Argentina strives to become a first class nation. I do wonder about countries who strive for modernity and advancement – if one day, they will all become a version of America. Or is it possible to dream of a different way of being a first world country?
“Do androids dream of electric sheep?”
Then what is the purpose of this journey then you ask? I had left in hopes of new images for the series, or inspiration for a new series that I can began…I am not sure that I came home with either but I was able to really reconnect with an old friend in new ways. Relationship is about relating right? The time we invest in each other and in our relationship with one another. I think that sometimes we get too preoccupied with simply investing time in our significant others that we forget that we need to invest real time in our friends as well. An occasion dinner in which you catch up on event highlights is not always enough.
If nothing else, I got reconnect with one of my favorite person and we got to share new experiences together. Maybe this trip was about living and not about working.
Bellamie and I talked a lot of about being “damaged” in these past 10 days. My thought was always that there are of us who are and then there are those you who are not damaged. She begged a differ and believes that we are all damaged. What is the point then I ask? The challenge is in how we deal with our damage, our scar tissues and how we move on from that. In the light of this view, I suddenly understand why we live in a city full of work-a-hoilics. Its easier to work than to deal with our challenges, our wounds.
Perhaps that reason why the shooting was not great on this trip is so that I can live for a moment, deal with my damageness again (as it never goes away apparently) and invest real time in my relationship with my friend.
