© Richard Allenby-Pratt - Emirates Railway, Western Region, UAE

Three days ago, Richard Allenby-Pratt presented his latest series "consumption" at Slidefest, where I also presented my Deira Polaroids series. He presented a series of photos "exploring the developed and undeveloped landscapes of the UAE" and questioning "how are decisions as consumers impact upon the environment".

During his presentation Allenby-Pratt narrated each photo with his words and thoughts, a reflection on sustainable life (or lack of) in the UAE. It wasn't preachy, but it certainly gave us something to think about.

The photos feel lonely with a longing to find something better. I really loved looking at them and asked Richard if I can share his photos and words here. He very kindly said yes. This is a small selection of what was presented at Slidefest. I really do hope the whole series gets exhibited, so that we can enjoy and appreciate them in large prints they way they're intended to be shown.

consumption by Richard Allenby-Pratt

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The UAE is 42 years old. Prior to the formation of the federation the ancient landscape of this region had only really changed on a geological timescale; a timescale so vast that the human mind cannot even begin to perceive it. And yet, in one human generation, we have altered or in some way touched, almost every square kilometer. Why are we doing this?

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We like to use cheap disposable water bottles so we don't have to bother carrying and refilling a reusable bottle.

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We eat 2000 calories a day more than we need and then we work it off on an electric powered machine.

We think it's normal to create a bag of waste packaging for every meal we eat.

We think because everyone else drives a gas-guzzling 4x4 that we need to, even though the one time we took it off road we got stuck.

We think an electric and water bill equivalent to 10% of our salary is normal because we like to sleep with a duvet over us even when it's 35 degrees outside.

We think it’s normal to pay the same for a litre of water or petrol.

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We illuminate the night so that it more closely resembles the day, with which we are more comfortable.

We like our gardens, parks and golf courses to be covered in perfect green grass and edged with pretty flowers, even though we live in a desert.

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We don't mind being the victims of corporate policies of built-in obsolescence because we live for new products.

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We can only be functional and contributing members of this society if we are consuming as much as everyone else.

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We willingly welcome corporations into our lives so they can target and manipulate us.

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We happily embrace the subliminal messages of the fashion and cosmetics industries that tell us that, by nature, we are ugly.

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We consider property as an investment product rather than housing because we hope to make money without doing any work.

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We only see the world around us in terms of potential gain for ourselves.

We seek to stockpile affluence and teach our kids to make it their goal too.

We think that the only route to our future security is perpetual growth, because we think that this world has infinite space and infinite resources.

And we marvel at the creations of man and ignore the creations of nature.

You can follow Richard Allenby-Pratts ‘consumption’ project and read the commentaries here.

www.allenby-pratt.com
www.greenprophet.com/tag/richard-allenby-pratt