The central ideas in Jeremy's article Egypt, Transformation, and the Signs of the Planetary Culture continue to resonate for me. When I saw this TED talk with the artist JR, I couldn't help but think about this idea of an emerging world culture. JR's art and global actions in this video seems to speak to a deepening global-centered moral sensibility, at least in JR anyway. I was also intrigued, especially in light of discussions in the comment thread of Jeremy's piece, by the simultaneous interaction of the global and the local in JR's work. In one sense there's a powerful focus on seeing people in all their specificity, in their unique expression of humanity in all its radiant diversity. But at the same time, by embarking on this global art project and bringing to life all the peoples and faces, JR reveals an underlying universal humanity in them all. There's no question that JR is a courageous and original artist, and I was moved by his talk. I plan on taking up his TED Prize wish, but am still mulling over what image I'd like to send to him. If any of our fellow readers takes up his TED Prize challenge, please send in your photos of the final pasted copy and we'll post em here at Beams. JR's website for his TED wish project is found at www.insideoutproject.net.
