Justified positivism

Lux Photo Gallery's Lars Boering called.
He is showing now an exhibition of the sequences in his beautiful gallery in Amsterdam and is the centre and magician of the many activities that surrounds this show.

Lars explained that a person from a well known national radio program had called.
He wanted to do a live interview with the successful artist.

Of course this was possible.
An interview on the radio may result in more people coming to see the show.
Sharing the vision and the message of the images.
Hence, an artist must be professional and not shy and be available for contacts with the press.

Fortunately the interview could take place by phone.
A journey to the radio studio that is far from from the city of Amsterdam takes much time and effort that is needed for already booked activities.

The producer of the radio program made a test call in the late afternoon and asked to be stand by at 8 pm.
At this time was a meeting about how to use in an effective way the internet.
Just before 8 pm the meeting was left and in front of the building, in the warm weather and in the quiet street, the iPhone was in the hand waiting for the oil drum band to start playing.

And indeed, just after 8 pm the phone rang and suddenly questions were asked and answers were given that could be heard by thousands of people.
While quietly walking up and down in the street.

Most part of the interview was about the book that soon will be published of the photo project "The most beautiful people in the world".

Two things excited the journalist.
First of all the fact that the book will be distributed worldwide for free.
Anybody anywhere can go to the website and order a free copy to have it send to the home.
This flabbergasted the journalist.
How can this be?
Who is paying for this?
The answer is very simple: a small part of the edition of this book will be produced as a "De Luxe"-edition and sold to collectors and fans.
This pays for the whole book effort.

But then the second reason for the excitement of the journalist.
The persons that are documented for the photo project "The most beautiful people in the world" have something beautiful, happy and positive to say.
Will that not make the audience cynical, the journalist asked.
That it will be perceived as a forced message of positivism?
That it is too subjective and too optimistic?
Painting the world community as a happy one while this is not true?

Many journalists try to get good and interesting answers by provoking.
By putting the issue in an extreme opposite way as is intended.
Or to label it in a very negative way so that a defense is expected.

Rule one for the interviewee is to remain calm.
Not to get aggravated, irritated or angry.
To remain wise, composed and calm.
To take the question as an opportunity to explain what it is all really about.

People are so used to see violence, trouble and negativity in newspapers, magazines, on the radio and on TV.
They have therefore become conditioned by the media to believe that the world is one big disaster.
But it is not.
Of course there are wars, accidents and natural disasters.
But those are exceptions.
In most parts of the world life is peaceful and happy and normal.
If that is reported, one cannot say this is cynicism.
Or a false demonstration of unjustified positivism.
It is the major part of our reality.

The journalist ended by saying he believed that "The most beautiful people in the world" was a wonderful project.
And it is.


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To hear the interview:
http://avonden.radio6.nl/2010/06/23/woensdag-23-juni-2e-uur/





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