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 The images in this exhibit, and the experiences that
go with them would not have happened without Britta and her prior experience traveling
in South East Asia. We were in Bali for one month in September 1999. I departed from
SFO while Britta flew out of Paderborn, Germany. She arrived in Bali a day ahead
of me, securing our first home base and greeting me at the airport the following
day. My initial idea
for this project was to produce pleasing pictures that made people smile. I wanted
to photograph children - running around and playing - doing something natural, making
us laugh. We are exposed to so many bizarre and abrupt images through Postmodern
Art and through the media, I was determined to counter them by simply producing positive
ones.One of my inspirations for this project was my friend Adrian Griffin and her son Miles. So moved by her, I thought it essential to photograph both her and her son before he got too big. My experience working with her influenced my decision to photograph children of Bali.  While I was there, however, I was influenced even further
by what I saw happening all over Bali. It was evident that corporate interests were
dominating the economy and the people and environment were paying the price. It's
the same story with the oil companies as it is with the entertainment industry, the
tobacco industry, motorcycle manufactures, publishers etc., no social or environmental
conscience anywhere in sight. What I was looking at on Bali was more complex and interconnected. It was so much for me to take in, such a big picture, and I wanted to put it all together. Oppressive religions, greedy corporations, intertwined histories from centuries of imperial interference. Even Britta and I were part of the problem as tourists, causing inflation, our bodies using up resources to exist and to travel.  One day in Ubud,
an artist city in Bali, Britta and I went into an art gallery where a Japanese artist
had his work on display. He caught my eye with a sculptural piece standing on the
floor. It was an abstract representation of a television constructed out of wood
and glass. Two traditional Balinese wayang kulit shadow puppets were placed
in the back, between the TV screen and a candle. It was very elegant and when the
candle was lit, shadows cast by the puppets danced on the screen. It was a clever
mimicking of an indigenous art form and the statement was clear - Balinese culture
was being influenced in some way by television and popular culture. All at once I
saw Bali and the entire developing world as targets, new markets for US based companies
with one aim, profits via the proliferation of cultural values delivered through
the media. The battleground was vast, ranging from what we wear and eat, to where
we live, how we get around and what our desires will be.I stood in the art gallery amazed, the odd TV experience still lingering and reinforcing notions already developing in my brain. I looked down at the puppet TV piece, receiving its teaching like a gift, making me feel strong and assured with my own ideas. Even though I did not know the artist, I could feel his reverence and intent emanating from his work. From that day forward, simply photographing children wasn’t enough. I wanted to fundamentally change how people think about ownership, responsibility and the use of resources. Later that day in a restaurant, Britta and I talked of ways we could construct a TV to project some of the images we saw. With excitement and purpose we started shooting film and recording sounds we heard on Bali in a whole new way. The Seattle riots broke out shortly after I returned to America, which fueled my desire to learn more about world politics and how they affect people in developing countries. Kent Schneeveis 2001  |