Introduction
Darkness, destruction, cataclysm; the visual narrative of Reckoning depicts tornadoes, floods, storms, fire, and melting glaciers, all of which are increasing in frequency as our climate warms. Deeper down, these scenes are also meant as a metaphor for a civilization in crisis.
In addition to these scenes of disaster are photographs that show decaying structures and dying trees, as well as some that provide the hope of shelter and protection against these threats. Those images portray the beauty of nature, however ominous, to introduce the idea that there are still places where one can remain safe in the face calamity. I feel an emotional need to make this work as an expression of my anxiety about worldwide political, cultural, and environmental shifts, and the way in which our society seems to be unraveling, slowly but steadily, as the bar of civility drops.
Many of us were raised with this idea that if you do bad things you will be punished. It’s a way of teaching us to follow the rules of society and comport ourselves with civility. Recently, though, I’ve wondered if there might be a critical mass of people who don’t believe this at all; who instead feel they can do whatever they want as long as it doesn’t affect them, regardless of the consequences their actions might have for others. The title Reckoning comes from the notion that, at some point, we will have to pay a price for what we have done.
