We were taking a short walk and taking pictures for the first phase of our project: mapping paths accessible for everyone. All of a sudden there it was! Better still, a shape that reminded me of him: Moby Dick, the white whale.
It was indeed a bit amazing to see such a shape along a path for pedestrians and it was amazing to find out a boat along a lonely track. Actually it shouldn’t be so strange, we were walking along a path close to Sile river, but it was unexpected.
By mapping our world we have found so many unexpected things in the past months. Unexpected relationships between Nature and human beings. What can you see in this picture? Look at it carefully, we have been told that most people see “ivy”
What is it? Plastic trying to destroy natural environment or Nature claiming for its place back? For us the second one. What is our relationship with Nature, is it a Mother or a Stepmother? Honestly we do not have any answer, it is a contrasting and contrasted relationship and as long as we proceed with our activities we have more questions than answers
In the areas of earthquake (Central Italy) where we have seen the effects of destruction it could be easy to say “Nature as stepmother” but it is not so obvious, Nature in that area is so beautiful and imposing that the only possible way for reconstruction is a new environment friendly pact between humans and Mother Nature.
We have been successful so far in our attempt of integrating culture and environmental education, culture and technology for mapping our world, driving, walking for finding out the “unexpected”. However, the most successful aspect is our changing perspective in the way we see the world. We keep on mapping and telling stories, stay tuned.
For more details on “Nature”: Enchanted Nature. Dialogo tra arte e scienza. Esempi di umana resilienza
For more details on mapping: Da Mountain View ai monti italiani
I Quaderni will be translated into English shortly
For more details on Enchanted Nature. Pictures by Carla Bordini Bellandi