A Mass of Dust

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“A mass of dust, world’s momentary slave, Is man, in state of our old Adam made, Soon born to die, soon flourishing to fade.”
(Barnabe Barne – English poet, 1569—1609)

This is a close-up of one of those four men who were emptying plaster bags from a truck in my street in Varanasi (Benaras).
It was very dusty, although they reminded me “butoh” dancers performing with white-body makeup.
This japanese contemporary dance came after the second world war and among several things the choreography is a remembrance of the suffering of Hiroshima’s atomic bomb.
It raises the question of how is it still possible to dance after such a thing and in some ways it is easy to compare this concept of art to those workers living in dust.

The Dust of Daily Life

“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”
(Pablo Picasso – Spanish Painter, 1881-1973)

This is a close-up of one of those four men who were emptying plaster bags from a truck in my street in Varanasi (Benaras).
It was very dusty, although they reminded me “butoh” dancers performing with white-body makeup.
This japanese contemporary dance came after the second world war and among several things the choreography is a remembrance of the suffering of Hiroshima’s atomic bomb.
It raises the question of how is it still possible to dance after such a thing and in some ways it is easy to compare this concept of art to those workers living in dust.

With Our Own Dust

“Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust, like diamonds we are cut with our own dust.”
(John Webster – English Writer and Playwright, 1580-1632)

This will be the last picture which belongs to the series shot in my street in Varanasi (Benaras) while four men were emptying plaster bags from a truck.
I might upload more in this set later.
Those poor guys have to work with dust all day and no one seems to care about the danger on their lungs.
This is why they kept on reminding me “butoh” dancers performing with white-body make-up in a choreography showing the suffering of Hiroshima’s atomic bomb.
Of course it is easy to compare this concept of art to those workers living in dust.
My attempt was to show a kind of beauty among what I find a painful condition in order to attract the attention on those men’s fate.

Thank you again for all your mails and comments on this set.

Dust of the Dust

“What if a demon were to creep after you one night, in your loneliest loneliness, and say, ‘This life which you live must be lived by you once again and innumerable times more; and every pain and joy and thought and sigh must come again to you, all in the same sequence.
The eternal hourglass will again and again be turned and you with it, dust of the dust!’ Would you throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse that demon?
Or would you answer, ‘Never have I heard anything more divine’?”
(Friedrich Nietzsche – German Philosopher, 1844-1900.)

This is another picture from the series shot in my street in Varanasi (Benaras) while four men were emptying plaster bags from a truck.
It was very dusty, although they reminded me “butoh” dancers performing with white-body makeup.
This japanese contemporary dance came after the second world war and among several things the choreography is a remembrance of the suffering of Hiroshima’s atomic bomb.
It raises the question of how is it still possible to dance after such a thing and in some ways it is easy to compare this concept of art to those workers living in dust.

Like Dust, I’ll Rise

“You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.”
(Maya Angelou quotes – American Poet, b.1928)

This picture belongs to the series shot in my street in Varanasi (Benaras) while four men were emptying plaster bags from a truck.
It was very dusty, although they reminded me “butoh” dancers performing with white-body makeup.
This japanese contemporary dance came after the second world war and among several things the choreography is a remembrance of the suffering of Hiroshima’s atomic bomb.
It raises the question of how is it still possible to dance after such a thing and in some ways it is easy to compare this concept of art to those workers living in dust.

Fear in a Handful of Dust

 

“And I will show you something different from either your shadow at morning striding behind you or your shadow at evening rising to meet you; I will show you fear in a handful of dust.”
(T.S. Eliot – American born English Playwright and Poet , 1888-1965)

This picture belongs to the series shot in my street in Varanasi (Benaras) while four men were emptying plaster bags from a truck.
It was very dusty, although they reminded me “butoh” dancers performing with white-body makeup.
This japanese contemporary dance came after the second world war and among several things the choreography is a remembrance of the suffering of Hiroshima’s atomic bomb.
It raises the question of how is it still possible to dance after such a thing and in some ways it is easy to compare this concept of art to those workers living in dust.

Thank you all for your many comments on this set of pictures.

All We Are Is Dust In The Wind

 

“I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment’s gone 

All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity 

Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind…”

(“Dust In The Wind”, Kansas – Lyrics by Kerry Livgren)

 

This picture belongs to the series shot in my street in Varanasi (Benaras) while four men were emptying plaster bags from a truck.

It was very dusty, although they reminded me “butoh” dancers performing with white-body makeup.

This japonese contemporary dance came after the second world war and among several things the choreography is a remembrance of the suffering of Hiroshima’s atomic bomb.

It rises the question of how is it still possible to dance after such a thing and in some ways it is easy to compare this concept of art to those workers living in dust.

 

Messengers of The Gods

 

“Dancers are the messengers of the gods. ” 
(Martha Graham – American dancer and choreographer, 1894-1991)

This series of pictures was shot last afternoon in my street in Varanasi (Benaras).
Men were emptying plaster bags from a truck.
I was in rush but I sopped and took several pictures, my enchanted mind decided that the truck would become a theatre stage while those workers happened to be “butoh” dancers performing.

With Painstaking Excellence

 

“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”
(Martin Luther King, Jr. – American Baptist Minister and Civil-Rights Leader. 1929-1968)

This is one more picture from the serie shot last afternoon in my street in Varanasi (Benaras).
Men were emptying plaster bags from a truck and they were reminding me “butoh” dancers.

Destruction in Construction

 

“For me, it is as though at every moment the actual world had completely lost its actuality. 
As though there was nothing there; as though there were no foundations for anything or as though it escaped us. 
Only one thing, however, is vividly present: the constant tearing of the veil of appearances; the constant destruction of everything in construction. 
Nothing holds together, everything falls apart.”
(Eugene Ionesco – French dramatist, 1909-1994)

This afternoon nearby the house in Varanasi (Benaras), those men were emptying a truck.
They seemed to be out of this world and they reminded me Butoh dancers “performing” in white-body makeup with slow hyper-controlled motion.