In the early 1900s, French Banker and Philanthropist, Albert Kahn, sought out to immortalize the planet through media. In the span of two decades, his team of photographers collected thousands of photographs and film. This project became known as the Archives de la Planete.
Kahn’s ambitious project served as a way for him to understand humanity, as well as to educate future generations. His obsession with the study and reproduction of reality paved the way for photojournalism, predicting the importance of media for the public.
Why is it then that this man, who was so ahead of his time, isn’t a household name?
When you first enter this exhibit, you are met with a wall of photographs. If you look closely, you will find everything from portraits and landscapes, to buildings and church windows. Each photo gives a glimpse into rich and diverse cultures. Each photo is so powerful that you can’t help but be overcome with a sense of nostalgia for a time you had never even known.
The exhibit made me reflect on how media has shaped our society, and how society is now being shaped by the media. Have we strayed away from capturing life in a faithful way?
After the Archives of the Planet exhibit, I walked around the garden. While I was there, I met a group of fifteen-year-old girls who were visiting the exhibit for the first time as well. I was curious to see if maybe in France, Kahn is more well-known or even taught about in school. Surprisingly, these girls had never heard of him either.
“We found this place through Tik Tok because we were looking for museums,” one of the young girls said. “We had never heard of Albert Kahn before, but it’s a beautiful place! We have never seen anything like this before.”
I was reminded of one of my favorite videographers, Nelson Sullivan. He is an artist who I stumbled upon by mere coincidence, but I would say is one of the most important videographers of our time. He was the first to tackle on the popular vlogging approach of turning the camera to yourself and narrating your day to it. He captured life in New York in the 1980’s – one of the most fascinating times for the city! What made him unique was that his approach to video making was so raw and authentic. Like Kahn, he immortalized life through media.
Today, we are so obsessed with being entertained that we can’t appreciate life for its subtle nuances. It’s hard to appreciate the mundane aspects of life when the media these days is so sensationalized. All we seem to care about these days is the latest gossip or scandal. Years from now, what will we have to show for these last two decades? Will there be museums filled with archival footage from TMZ and E! News?
As a video artist, Albert Kahn made me realize the importance of what I do. Collecting footage of moments we find beautiful or inspiring can serve to help future generations get a sense of what life was like for us. It made me hope that one day, my work sparks wonder in others, like Kahn’s work has done for so many.