The Toronto Star’s ‘Airsick’

The first time I saw ‘Airsick’ I couldn’t breathe. And maybe, yes, it is because the air quality of our world is steadily declining (along with the length of winter and amount of varied species) but really, I think it’s because I was truly in awe.

The latest multi-media production by The Toronto Star and work of art by photographer Lucas Oleniuk, ‘Airsick’ is the compilation and animation of 20,000 still images shot over a period of 20 days in Canada.

Its message: the world desperately needs to change its ways if we are to prevent any further destruction of the planet- of our home.

Touching on sources of carbon emissions, harmful human behaviors and the ‘industrial devolution’ that are poisoning Earth, this project truly represents new media. It is similar to many of the projects featured on MediaStorm.org in that photographers now collaborate with musicians, Web designers and journalists to produces more interactive, varied forms of information.

‘Airsick’ packs so much force because of the powerful music – an original composition created for the piece – and because included in the span of images are quotes from scientists, presidents and those fighting for the health of the earth.

The most powerful comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson, whose quote ‘Thank God man cannot fly, and lay waste to the air,’ is panned over scenes of airports and planes crossing the sky.

I felt more passion to change my ways and save the world because of this four-minute long newspaper project than I ever did after watching the hour-and-40-minute long ‘An Inconvenient Truth.’

Published on January 30, 2008 at 12:00 pm