Beauty and Wonder Will Always Defeat Fear

Sometimes, our darkest moments can help us discover a profound purpose.

Inspired by his parent’s example of gratitude and resilience, director and photographer Louie Schwartzberg wanted to make the world a better place and fight for social justice. He photographed a generation in turmoil and bore witness to an epochal shift in American values. Along the way, he found a more meaningful life.

Louie told this deeply personal story for the first time at TEDxKC, an independently organized TEDx event in Kansas City-sharing how he found a more meaningful life during a period of great uncertainty. His beautiful words of gratitude have transcend across borders.

The Power of Wonder & Awe

We stand at a similar crossroads today. Finding words of gratitude and visual imagery can help us find hope and transformation.

Visual images have a unique power. When we see something beautiful or striking, the experience triggers mirror neurons in our brains. These neurons convert our observations into understanding and knowledge, creating a lasting change.

Visual can capture great beauty, but also express the fullness of humanity and the human experience. Louie’s career began by documenting Vietnam War protests that changed the course of that conflict. In our own time, citizen journalists and photographers capture world-changing images unfolding around us.

Louie’s message of hope and courage is needed now, and the power of the image will be essential to our future. To learn what Louie explained during his TED Talk, click here for the full article.

Originally published at https://movingart.com on June 13, 2020.