We were assigned a reading by Susan Sontag on the proliferation of images and talked about how exactly we started out taking photos, and then through the societal phases of viewing them as they went from rare to ubiquitous. A photo can show a lot and say a lot, but ultimately it’s a flat image and can’t possibly capture the sensations of actually being there; of the real thing. Almost every photo I’ve taken here will be a fab memory but will never be the same as walking on the shady street on a hot day, through an alley as the street lights twinkle on, or walk down the rue Berthelot with the scent of urine and garbage wafting around me. Especially the comforting is the gaze of the Basilica de Fourvier sitting at the top of the hill. It’s something I’ve hoped to capture numerous times because well, it’s such a beautiful sight. When I walk around I try to orient myself with the Basilica, and as many times as I’ve tried to take a photo of it I end up deleting it because it’s just impossible to truly tell the whole story in one shot. This is something I love to hate about travel, because it’s the best excuse to have to come back and visit, one day.

After such an amazing variety of art, spaces and places seen here in Lyon it’s only fitting to see such great work reflected right back through my peers. I was blown away by the creativity, the gaul (read: BALLS – I’m talking about you Karis!) and of course, the variety of our final projects on Tuesday. It’s so much more inspiring and powerful to see how much it has influenced my cohort as well and I’m so curious to see how people will integrate these experiences into their lives.

One of the pieces of art at the Biennial set a stage for a kitchen with pieces like plates, cups and saucers out with colored liquids and a white crystal beginning to form all over (either salt or something..) and I got so excited thinking about this process of change that it will go through, how the crystal will take over and take shape. Even though this process isn’t something we can see chemically change (or quite frankly even understand), we can watch it change physically. So I see this piece as a great metaphor for the time we’ve spent here, setting a stage for changes that we can’t see the detailed process of but we can see the changes of the pieces.

So long for now, Lyon. Hope to see you again soon.