Tom Wool, a world of “One”
© Tom Wool
It is common for societies and ethnic groups to think of themselves as a superior culture when compared to other communities. No matter how advanced or undeveloped the society is, seeing others as “more barbarian” makes for a self-serving attitude of thinking that the law of the world should be dictated by only one culture.
This attitude is a recipe for disaster, leading to conflicts, confrontations and genocide. Consider the attitude of the U.S.A government today for an example of self-proclaimed superiority. Of course one should ask if military power and money is what should define a superior culture. Or read the book “A problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide” to understand why communities kill each other and human life does not appear to hold the same value when it affects individuals from different cultures. Fortunately, even with the current status of the world, it seems that societies now are less violent than in the past (see the excellent talk of Steven Pinker at TED here).
Photography is a great vehicle to convey the commonalities of human societies and individuals. The understanding that we are indeed “One”, and that our small differences are a cause for richness not conflict, is the best tool to paralyze the tendency to think otherwise, to stop genocide and violence. It is in this context that the work of photographer Tom Wool, with his project One, comes into place. One, is a series of 160 photographs of a cross section of indigenous, ethnic and cultural groups across the world.
It is about the idea that we are unique and at the same time we are “One”!
How inspiring is that!
