No memories, no ways

In 1979, with the help of the book publisher Nicholas Callaway, a campervan was bought and the first journey in the USA was made.
The purpose was to make sequences and carefully the maps had been studied to find adequate and inspiring locations.
They were found, like the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado.
But also the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover in Utah.

The Bonneville Salt Flats are spectacular.
A thick layer of salt on an immense flat surface surrounded by mountains.
And this usually in brilliant sunlight.
A great place to perform conceptual photography.

The Bonneville Salt Flats are the most well known for the speed records that are set on that location.
In summer, speed-devils come there and on a special racetrack they try to go as fast as possible.
Sometimes with rockets on wheels.



In 1979 it was already almost winter when the Bonneville Salt Flats were visited.
No racing was going on.
It was not too hot.
No rain.
Cloudless skies.
Perfect time and situation to make sequences and many were created.
As can be seen in the upcoming book “Sequences: the ultimate selection” that will be published November 2009.
Examples:





Now, in 2009, thirty years later, life had the pioneering photographer go to Salt Lake City to have the Motosat satellite disk fixed.
And why not also visit the relative nearby Bonneville Salt Flats afterwards?

This happened yesterday.
And most peculiar, nothing was remembered of the period working on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1979.
It is completely gone.

Usually going back to a location where one has been before, brings back memories.
The actual place wakes up dormant memories deep in the brains.

But this time: nothing.

There was also another brilliant phenomenon yesterday re-visiting the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Over the last days it has been raining in Utah.
Very exceptional.


This has changed the Bonneville Salt Flats into a white mud pool.
There is an asphalt road leading into the Bonneville Salt Flats, but at its end deeper travelling onto the flats was impossible.
Any car would sink into the mud.











This was experienced as something very symbolic and fantastic.
In 1979 it had been possible to enter the Bonneville Salt Flats, stay there some time and create many sequences.
In 2009 the Bonneville Salt Flats were inaccessible.
Of course.
The work was done.
What has been done there stands by itself.
It cannot and must not be challenged.
Life and destiny said:

don’t even go there, buddy!






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