.mary ellen mark.

it's a strange country we live in, eh? where equality and rights are preached from every platform possible, yet where it is ignored just the same. it's the "in" thing to be tolerant to those different than ourselves. but is it all just a passing fad?

don't get me wrong. i love the freedom of this country. that of speech. and of religion. but it seems like no matter how hard we try, hypocracy still gets the best of us.

i experienced a taste of that today and feel the need to share.

an absolutely amazing photographer (and equally amazing human being) mary ellen mark, came and spoke at my school today. mary ellen mark is known for her large body of portraits that share with the viewer a piece of the soul of, not the artist, but of the subject.

mary has the gift of capturing the weak, tired, poor and meek of the world and asks us to look into their faces. not for sympathy. but for knowledge. we cannot understand who someone is until we've seen where they've been. and she shows us unabashedly. unashamedly.








she told of a very recent experience in Iceland...though it may be better if she tells the story...

In the summer of 2005, I was asked to produce five photographic portfolios for the Morgunbladid Newspaper. One of the projects I requested to photograph was a school for disabled children in Reykjavik. The newspaper arranged for me to spend a day at Öskjuhlíðarskóli. It was an unforgettable day. I immediately fell in love with the children as I followed them through their daily activities, which included a swimming class. It was in that swimming class that I met one young boy that especially won my heart. This boy walked with the aid of a walker with unimaginable effort and was fearless in the water. He used precious few words but had a strong presence. I took many photographs of him swimming. On the bus ride back to school, he sat in front of me and kept leaning around his seat to make sure I was still there. His name: Alexander.

That afternoon, my friend Inga took me to the showroom of an Icelandic fashion designer, Steinunn Sigurd. When we were introduced she asked what I was doing in Iceland. I told her about my day at Öskjuhlíðarskóli and how impressed I was with the school and children. I told her I had made a special friend in a boy called Alexander. Steinunn smiled proudly and said, “Alexander is my son.” It was fate....

....I returned to Iceland in August of 2006 and was given complete access to two schools and a day care center for disabled children in Reykjavik. The Öskjuhlíðarskóli is mostly for higher functioning children. Safamýrarskóli is for more severely affected children. The Lyngás Day Care Center cares for the full spectrum of disability. The children I photographed ranged from mildly disabled, both physically and mentally, to profoundly disabled.

Rather than an experience of despair, the seven weeks I spent with these extraordinary children was one of enlightenment and hope. I quickly discovered that within each child, even those who seemed totally disconnected, there is always a personality and a relationship to be made. I was moved by the children’s inner-strength and was also touched by the devotion of the teachers, caretakers, and families. I hope my photographs convey the strength of these children as well as my great respect for them.

During the seven weeks that we spent in Iceland (over three separate trips), my husband Martin Bell, made a film, “Alexander”, focusing on Alexander and his relationship with his parents (Steinunn & Palli), grandparents (Edda & Siggi), friends, teachers, and even his dog; Rocky. Martin’s film also visits Öskjuhlíðarskóli, Safamýrarskóli, and Lyngás. The film shows how the teachers and caretakers make a strong connection with the higher functioning disabled children as well as with children who on the surface seem unreachable.

there was a screening of the movie in Iceland, along with the gallery showing of mary ellen's photographs of the children. mary ellen explained the joy in watching the children gravitate toward their own photographs. the squeals of recognition and the joy and delight expressed through the most innocent and pure expression.







we were privileged to see a screening of the movie today. it was lovely. honest and raw. indescribable.

it was easy to see why she fell in love with alexander and how easy it is to fall in love with each of the children of the Öskjuhlíðarskóli and the Safamýrarskóli. Steinunn did not sugar coat life with a disabled child, nor did she request sympathy. she simply told the truth and it was amazing.

so why did i start the blog ranting of hypocracy? well, mary ellen explained to us the difficulty that she and martin have experienced in trying to share the film and photographs with an american audience. they've been told many times that people don't want to look at handicapped people...least of all, handicapped children.

it blows my mind that for all of our talk of tolerance, we wouldn't want to share in the lives of this lovely family and these beautiful children because they are different from us or because their story might make us uncomfortable.

i doubt this blog will change anything. but i was just speechless when i found this out. if i can share a little piece of what i saw today, i hope that would make just a small difference.