Running the Numbers

I was very intrigued and very disturbed by this exhibition by Chris Jordan. I applaud him for his work on this project which begs me to ask the question, "Is there anything I/we can do?!" or more appropriately, "What MUST I/we do about this irresponsible behaviour?!" What are you doing about it? If you're a Christian, let's not waste time trying to build the case by 'running the verses' on stewardship, creation and ethical responsibility - we shouldn't have to do that. It's all there. Know your Bible . . but more importantly, know your God. DO WHAT YOU CAN.

“Statistics can feel abstract and anesthetizing, making it difficult to connect with and make meaning of 3.6 million SUV sales in one year, for example, or 426,000 cell phones retired every day. This project visually examines these vast and bizarre measures of our society, in large intricately detailed prints assembled from thousands of smaller photographs.”

“My hope is that images representing these huge quantities in “Running The Numbers” might have a different effect than the raw numbers alone, such as we find daily in articles and books. Statistics can feel abstract and anesthetizing, making it difficult to connect with and make meaning of - 3.6 million SUV sales in one year, for example, or 426,000 cell phones retired every day, or fifteen million sheets of office paper used every five minutes”.

“The pervasiveness of our consumerism holds a seductive kind of mob mentality. Collectively we are committing a vast and unsustainable act of taking, but we each are anonymous and no one is in charge or accountable for the consequences. I fear that in this process we are doing irreparable harm to our planet and to our individual spirits.”

“As an American consumer myself, I am in no position to finger wag; but my hope is that these photographs can serve as portals to a kind of cultural self-inquiry.”

- Photographic artist, Chris Jordan

See the online exhibition here: 'Running the Numbers: An American Self-Portrait'