What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1432826
organization's efforts happening right here in Northwest Arkansas. "The way the world is now, everything has shrunk. The world is a much smaller place. On a plane, you can get from Kabul, [Afghanistan] to Little Rock, Arkansas, in probably three flights; you could probably do it within a day," McCurry says to illustrate his rejection of the idea that even somewhere like Northwest Arkansas may seem too far removed from a humanitarian crisis in the Middle East to pay attention. "The world's so interconnected in every possible way that I think we have to try and help other people help the planet. I think you can't say, 'Well, global warming doesn't really interest me or affect me,' or, 'I'm just one small, little person and that doesn't really affect me.' Well, if everybody has that attitude, we might as well just give up now. "And I would say," McCurry goes on, "is that not the Christian message, to help people in need? I know the answer to that question. But I guess if you really think of yourself as a Christian, or a Muslim, or a Buddhist, on and on and on, this is the right thing to do. It's the right thing to do." The conversation will be moderated by Canopy NWA's Khalid Ahmadzai and will also look back over McCurry's impressive body of work, spanning more than four decades. "We hope to leave guests with an understanding of how art can bring awareness of social issues, spark dialogue and facilitate change," reveals Moira Anderson, associate director of public programs for Crystal Bridges. "In addition to the lecture, we also plan to partner with Canopy NWA to present a series of gallery talks focused on art and social issues, portraiture and representation, that will extend our dialogue on the topics covered in the lecture." "I think you photograph, you write a poem, you write a book, you compose a song — I think you do it because you have that sort of creative urge. You do it because you sort of have to, and then you let the chips fall where they may," McCurry muses. "I mean somebody could absolutely say, 'Well, ["Afghan Girl"] is the only picture people know of you.' And I would say, 'Well, so? What do you want me to say?'" he posits with a laugh before adding: "But I do think, and I know, from people who have drawn inspiration from it, people have volunteered to go work in the refugee camps. So I think that's the real benefit of the picture — the fact that this young girl full of dignity and fortitude and perseverance, holding her head up high, despite she's poor and a refugee and an orphan, that she was able to persevere." Seeing the events, and horrors, McCurry has lived through up close — the middle of a civil war, walking through a 100,000-person refugee camp, the "epic catastrophe" of the Gulf War, unimaginable poverty — it sometimes feels like witnessing the dark side of humanity, he admits. But as someone who aims to create work that "communicates and tells stories and highlights life on the planet," McCurry found a sweet spot at the intersection of art, compassion, education and documenting the narrative of history, and he made his career there. "For photography to be able to say, 'This was the way we were at one time,' I think that's really informed [my approach]. It's just so fascinating to look [at] how people managed to live their lives. Maybe you can read it in a book, but I think looking at a photograph and reading it in a book are two different things. So I think photography really adds to our human story." 8 SHOWS THIS WEEK! Broadway Supporters: Bob & Becky Alexander Friends of Broadway Broadway Series Sponsor: Media Support: Additional support provided by Cynthia Coughlin and Billie Jo Starr STEP INSIDE A WORLD OF PURE IMAGINATION! BEST AVAILABILITY THUR AT 1:30PM Show Sponsor: 4 WHAT'S UP! NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2021 Words Continued From Page 3 COVER STORY