My collage for LMAC 142 was inspired by current events.
There has been a bit of sabre rattling lately, but this time the sabres have nuclear tips. How often in the past has sabre rattling led to open conflict? Too often. And, too often, people underestimate the possibility that this will lead to open warfare.
Radiation
Radiation is part of our natural environment, but as a manufactured entity, as a tool of humans, it's relatively new. The metaphor of Pandora's Box has been used in many contexts, but perhaps harnessing the power of the atom is the most apt. Finally, with this technology, humans gained control of a power that could wipe them and most other living things off the face of the earth.
Main Gate of the "Los Alamos Project", Where the Atomic Bomb Was Developed
Credit: U.S. Army. Public domain. The mission to develop an atomic bomb was called the Manhattan Project.
At the dawn of nuclear weaponry the apocalyptic power of this development was suspected by one of its developers, Edward Teller. Before the first test of the atom bomb at Los Alamos New Mexico, Teller wondered if the bomb would ignite earth's atmosphere and if the ensuing fire would engulf the planet and obliterate all life.
Atomic Bombs Dropped by the U. S. on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in WWII
Credit: ShanekPPs. Used under CC 4.0 license. The bombs were given nicknames by the people who deployed them: Fat Man and Little Boy. The bomb known as Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima first, August 6, 1945. Three days later Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki. It is impossible to know the exact casualty count, because of the long-term consequences of the bomb, but here is one estimate of immediate casualties: Hiroshima: 135,000, Nagasaki: 64,000.
A few of Teller's colleagues took his fear of incinerating the earth seriously, but the group continued to develop the bomb anyway. After successfully building an atomic bomb, Teller went on to create even more powerful bombs. The most powerful ever tested by the U. S. was detonated on March 1, 1954. The Bikini Atoll was chosen as a test site. According to the National Cancer Benefits Center:
Radioactive fallout traveled some 125 miles east of Bikini Atoll, reaching Rongelap, another atoll in the Marshall Islands. People living on Rongelap quickly displayed signs of radiation exposure, and Bravo is known for creating one of the most significant instances of radioactive contamination in U.S. history.
Castle Bravo Test of Thermonuclear Weapon, March 1, 1954
U. S. Army. Public
Today, as we contemplate the threat that someone might use nuclear weapons, we cannot comfort ourselves with the thought that this is unthinkable. We cannot naively believe that the prospect of mutually assured destruction is a deterrent. We need, instead, to put ourselves in the perspective of Teller and his colleagues. For some people, nothing is unthinkable.
My collage this week (I do not compete in the contest) is stark. That's how I feel about annihilation of the planet. Still, I thought the starkness might be too severe. So I tried adding a bit here and there.
In this picture, for example, I added gulls. Thank you @redheadpei: Seagull from the LIL Gallery.
Here is a picture with a lizard added. Thank you @muelli: Iguana, from the Lil Gallery
I tried adding the lizard, and birds.
But for me, the starkness of the image in my lead picture says it all. That is the anguished cry I 'hear' as humanity and life on earth is extinguished.
I started with shaka's spectacular template photo
I desaturated it a bit and added a mountain from Pixabay
Mountain The Double A
I adapted a desert photo to be the sandy beach on which the mountain rested.
Sand Pexels
I incorporated three gargoyles into the mountain's rock face:
Gargoyle LunarSeaArt
Gargoyle RAQUELINA
Gargoyle Illuvis
Then I found an image of a detonated atomic bomb (Bomb Oscar ovalos). This became the backdrop.
Once I knew what I wanted to do, it was just a matter of expressing what I wanted the collage to say.
Anyone who reads this blog may see that making a collage can be more than arranging different elements in a picture. For me, it is a way of expressing myself, a way of communicating ideas. I am not an artist (obviously) and yet LMAC allows me to use art as a vehicle. Stop by on Thursdays when @shaka publishes a new photo and the contest begins again. Join in the fun. It is addictive.
LIL, from which I borrowed @muelli's lizard and @redheadpei's gull, is an outgrowth of LMAC. Members of the Hive community contribute pictures to the Gallery, where they will be in the public domain and may be borrowed by anyone. Check out the rules here.
I wish all my readers (and everyone) a peaceful, productive day.
I am not too sure about what to think from your collage... Maybe just "brrr..."... In any guess, this leaves me kind of speechless.
PS: I visited Los Alamos when I was a teenager. I however don't remember much of it... That's a shame :(
"Brrr" and speechless are perfect. It certainly isn't beautiful.
That's how I feel. After I made the picture I thought of two artistic works that might have influenced me: the Pieta and Guernica. But that wasn't conscious.
Los Alamos: interesting trip for a teenager.
Thanks for stopping by and for commenting, @lemouth. Let's hope things take a turn for the better in the world.
The collage should make us thinking, and with this respect this is a success. At least it made me thinking. You mentioned an interesting connection to the Pieta (that I didn't see when I was visiting Vatican) and Guernica (which I saw in Madrid a while ago, during my first trip with my wife (who was not my wife at that time)). Now I see it too (I didn't when I looked at the collage earlier today).
I am still speechless...
I love your response to the picture.
Still very verbose, isn't it? ;)
😇😇
Excellent theme A.G.. it reminds me of the weeping and gashing of teeth. Your collage gives a grim reveal of the current situation of destruction within the planet with the violent storms brought on by climate change. It’s like an atomic bomb dropped again.
Thanks for including my images of the birds. They do give a glimmer of hope to mankind.
There are still folks on the Island without power. I’m so happy to have it back! The cleanup is still going on and will be for awhile with all the upturned trees and damage they left.
Have a pleasant week my friend. Take care and be well. 💕
That is the feeling I had when I made it. The word 'angustia' was in my mind. I don't know why, but with my limited Spanish that's what I thought of.
You are right about earth, and the storms. We are a planet in distress. Maybe next week I'll have a more cheerful message :)
I'm so happy about your power, and about the fact that your little friends (who travel your backyard highway) survived.
Thanks for stopping by, dear @redheadpei
Stark, but that’s what we need to understand about this reality. Earlier today North Korea sent a missile over Japan, it landed (harmfully) in the sea off the country’s coast. Ukraine might be winning, have you heard? It’s impossible to imagine what mad, mad Putin might do in response. Your collage is topical,ultra relevant and oh, so current. ☕️💕💕🥰💕💕🥰🥰💕☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️
Thank you, my friend. Art is speech without words. This says, I hope, what many in the world feel. While I have no art skills, sometimes it seems possible to 'talk' through pictures. We are all spectators, perhaps standing by and watching our planet (and ourselves) be destroyed.
I appreciate your comment.
Thanks for the coffee...drinking my first cup😆
A bit scary what our world is turning into because of curious minds. What's even scarier is that it is in humanities nature to be curious.
Your collage is a truly wonderful one, the gargoyles on the mountain look like they are screaming for the impending doom of the bomb blast.
The fact that the faces are pasted on the mountain yet there are no sounds heard could be how Nature cries for us to stop but we don't listen.
Nevertheless it's a great collage🤗❤️
Thank you very much!
Thank you for noticing that. As @lemouth said in his comment: "I'm speechless". That is where contemplation of such calamity leaves me. That's why I couldn't add anything to the picture.
I'm so glad you're thinking about it. That's all I wanted when I made it. 😇
I see😂, well thanks for making it. It's a lovely piece🤗
Sometimes I wonder if a person has value at this time. You see Russia and North Korea testing their missiles, and this creates an imbalance on land and at sea. While there are people suffering from poverty. Beautiful emotional natural picture، I like it
Thank you very much for that comment. Reminds us of our powerlessness in the face of potential calamity.
I appreciate very much that the collage affected you. Thank you.
what a creativity this is!! Fabulous one!
Thank you very much. I appreciate that high praise. Thanks for stopping by, @rikoy
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I like the bright light from your collage photo. Nuclear events will remain weak in front of the sunrise of nature.
How beautiful to live on island in the middle of the sea and see the sky while sunset. Simple living away from political problems has no price.
Beautiful and simple poster🌹
Excellent post you share on this topic and accompanied by a nice collage of images, also very creative. Nuclear weapons have always made me question the intelligence of the human being, as it is the only species in the world that creates something to destroy itself, while other life forms seek the opposite, in short, they seek to survive and maintain the perpetuation of their species. The devastating effects of these weapons seem to come from hell itself, I also find it absurd that current politicians are more inclined to push the red button than to eliminate these types of bombs. I hope that the current tension does not reach the use of this type of weapons, but unfortunately it is still one of the tools of deterrence used by some countries to avoid being attacked and to intimidate others. I liked your post @agmoore, these issues always give a lot to think about. regards!
A powerful thought. Very sad and sobering.
I think of religious traditions: every one I think of deals with forces of good and evil. It's a tacit recognition of the conflict at the core of human nature. It's recognition that we can and do destroy, not only others but ourselves.
You work with the other side of nature, the part that tries to see the relationship and cooperation between all life forms. Besides the fact that I learn a great deal from your blogs, this is the best reason to read them. They always make be feel better for being part of the scheme of life.
Thank you very much for reading and for your comment.