This is an astounding metaphor for our culture and the gravity of our situation as lifeforms on a planet we know next-to-nothing about:
enveloped by the inelegance of our current technology, with wires and all kinds of ugly schwack running up and down the walls surrounding and protecting him, Ed Lu is aboard the International Space Station. Technically, he IS out of our atmosphere and orbiting in space, though, he is only BARELY off-world. Consider the resources and history it took just to get him THIS far.
Meanwhile, he engages in this arguably “unproductive” act of pure beauty, playing a sonata written by a composer who’s been dead almost 200 years.
Ever so slowly but surely, this clip seems to make it all worth it:
My first test of 5D Mark II using 50mm/1.8 II lens.
Converted to 24p thanks to Philip Bloom’s (via Denver Riddle) excellent example. Compressed to mobile-friendly format here via MPEG Streamclip limited to 1400kbps with music by your’s truly.:
