There is a need for mankind to impose order on the chaos of the universe, and for that, man invented science and mythology. Everything's a mystery, you see, and as you sit around the prehistoric campfire and the sparks go glimmering away in the darkness, the prospect of magic seems very real. It works upon the imagination. Lights! Camera! Action!
It is said that dreams are random images upon which our subconscious imposes order and story. In that case, mythology and the neverending fascination with archetype is a way of imposing order on the entropy of everyday life. This is why there are basic themes that run through literature, art, music and storytelling. All however, are limited in the reach, in their ability to absorb the audience.
Until this century, that is. The invention of the motion picture created a new kind of mythological art, one that envelops an audience and combines all elements of classic art and storytelling, and, more importantly, does so in a way that reaches everyone, absolutely everyone. Filmmaking is the first artform with universal appeal. The play of light and sound on the theater screen might as well be a celluloid ribbon of magic.
Burl Burlingame
"Everyday Life" is a photo feature that examines the
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