August 6th, 2011, 6 to 9 pm, Pere Marquette Park, Milwaukee, WI: Peace Action Wisconsin held it’s annual Lanterns for Peace event along the shores of the Milwaukee River in rememberence of the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagaski on August 9, 1945. So very beautiful, solemn, peaceful, sadly under-attended, and not covered by any media.
Before the canoeists could complete setting all the lanterns afloat two party barges felt compelled to dock in the event area. The partying, noisy drunks appeared oblivious to the solemn event taking place before them. Loud verbal nonsense drowned out the beautiful, subtle sound of the Kalimba (Thumb Piano); and turned the space and time into an apt metaphor for the current state of global communication about the social issues of war and peace; violence; the economic collapse; and income disparity; et al. As it occurred I could not bring myself to photograph the offensive and ugly side; I kept it out of my view finder; though I now feel I should have attempted to document their insensitivity. Oh well.
(click photograph for larger view)
Leica M8, 28 mm Summicron Asph and 50 mm Summilux Asph