The world around us is full of constant motion, beauty, and chaos. People lost in thought in a cafe window, children chasing shadows across a sidewalk, a commuter smiling at a private joke — these moments envelop our day to day lives. But what makes these simple moments so special, are the complex people experiencing them. Normal human beings who go about their existence, sometimes not truly recognizing the spice and flavor they add to the environments around them. My name is Samuel Mangum an art consultant at Gallery MAR. I’ve been given an opportunity to write and share my vision. My observation, if you will, concerning the art which surrounds us. In this case, the people we see every day.

 

 

Apart from assisting in the collection of works of artwork from our esteemed gallery, like you, I have a life and an experience. One that I’ve been capturing in the form of photography. Seeing the world we live in through a lens has always been a beautiful way to romanticize life, immortalizing a fleeting emotion, freezing its contents forever giving meaning to its innocence.

An essential dimension for me when capturing a moment, is diving into the true definition ‘sonder’. Coined by John Koenig for his project The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, the word ‘SONDER’ describes the awareness that everyone you see has an inner life and story that you will never know. It’s the realization that every random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own, filled with their own ambitions, routines, and worries.

 

Street photography for me is, at it’s heart an exploration of this ‘sonder’ which I find to be so fascinating — an exploration of everyday life — an art from built on observation, timing, and a willingness to embrace the unpredictable. The candid nature of the art form, has been one of the greatest avenues to connecting with the human spirit. A single frame can hint at a larger world: tired posture of a worker at dawn, a shared laugh between friends, or the reflective stillness of someone waiting for a train.

Sonder encourages us to look deeper and to observe with empathy. it reminds us that the value of an image isn’t only in it’s composition or timing, but in the humanity it reveals. When we feel sonder, we begin to see it as a living tapestry of intersecting lives — each moment fleeting, each person significant, even if we never learn their names.

 

Next time you step out your door, do your best to walk with a sense of the reality we all face–the hard truths to fight, and the gentle touch of understanding we all deserve. “Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.”
― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Understanding the people around us, and what we provide for each other, is one of the most important lessons I’ve been constantly learning. We would have nothing in this world if it weren’t for strangers making things happen.

 

Tags: Art Travels, Film photography, People, Street Photography
Posted in Art Insights, Uncategorized