Apr

When Does a Journey Begin?

by Joyce McGreevy on April 12, 2016

Stone steps in Malta become a symbol of travel anticipation, curiosity, and other clues to why we travel. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Does a journey begin as we move toward our destination, or when we first imagine being there?
© Joyce McGreevy

Our Answers Hold Clues
to Why We Travel

Your office resembles an archaeological dig. In your inbox, emails line up like stalled planes on a runway. Meanwhile, status meetings about The Project keep you scrambling to fit in actual work.

But you’re smiling. Why? Because soon, you’ll be traveling for pleasure.

As a result, your brain has upgraded to Frequent Flyer, briefly but repeatedly transporting you to your destination—although you’ve never been there.

It’s travel anticipation. As scientists have reported, looking forward to a vacation can boost one’s happiness for up to eight weeks.

For entrepreneur and Ted Talk speaker Jen Rubio, travel anticipation is a barrier to the journey. The construct of a place in our heads may keep us from experiencing a place in the moment.

When does a journey begin?

An aerial approach to Maui inspires travel anticipation, a part of why we travel. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Does a journey begin en route?
© Joyce McGreevy

A journey begins with a nature walk in Maui, a popular source of travel anticipation. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Or when we welcome each other?
[Both images: Maui] © Joyce McGreevy

Flying Forward into the Past

For some of us, it begins with the irrational joy of waking in pre-dawn darkness—we who normally need bulldozers, caffeine, and marching-band music to pry us from bed. Ah, but today we’re traveling!

Now it’s off to the airport. As a pilot’s daughter, I’m an anomaly: I still love to fly.

The former TWA flight center at JFK was a hub of travel anticipation, its terminal an artistic answer to the question of why we travel.

The TWA flight center at JFK was a sculptural tribute to flight. The life
journey of the architect ended a year before the terminal opened in 1962.

How I loved Trans World Airlines’ old terminal at JFK. Even the architect’s name, Eero Saarinen, evoked the elegance of flight. Time was, that terminal felt like an extension of home, so familiar were its contours, colors, even certain smudges and scuffmarks.

The clock at the former TWA terminal at New York's JFK is a poignant reminder of travel anticipation and when a journey begins or ends.

In a pre-digital age, this clock at the TWA terminal marked a journey’s beginning or end.

Years after Dad died, the mere sight of a flight crew was comforting. He cherished flight, was an early advocate for female pilots, made friendships across cultures, and respected passengers. Hundreds of thousands slumbered in safety as he carried them across continents and oceans.

Aero (Not So) Dynamic

For others, airports are to journeys what meetings are to productivity—a drag.

“I just want to be there,” says a man in the seat ahead of me as we wait (and wait) for our plane to be de-iced. It’s late at night and we’re still on the tarmac.

Around him, passengers grimace in agreement. Conversations begin, and just like that the air of impatience lifts.

Even that brief camaraderie is a beginning of sorts. For all the tropes about passengers clamping on headphones and studiously ignoring each other, moments of dialogue, courtesy, or acknowledgment remind us that, when we travel, our sense of community travels with us.

The Art of Presence

Some travelers possess rare patience. Like the parents I encounter in a slow-moving security line. Their unwavering calm, as they soothe a fussing infant and keep a three-year-old boy engaged, is a thing of beauty.

At Union Station in Los Angeles, CA, travel anticipation meets patience as passengers wait for a train journey to begin. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Traveling is also about waiting.
© Joyce McGreevy

In this impersonal setting, they find details of interest and craft them into endearing commentaries.

“Why yes,” says Young Dad nodding at the Prohibited Materials sign, “That shape does look like a dinosaur.”

Young Mom displays a text message. “Grandma says she’s too excited to see us!”

Mild concern passes over the toddler’s face. Smoothing the air with his hands, he says, “Tell Grandma to just be ooo-kaaay.”

By the time we reach the conveyor belts, 35 minutes later, I’m feeling surprisingly okay, too.

“We get to take off our shoes?” says the little boy. “Yay!”

Oh, I see: A journey begins in perspective.

The Light that Illuminates the Road

Appreciating any given moment of a journey is a theme of artist Randall Von Bloomberg. One spring day, I discover his art in a hallway that connects Terminals 7 and 8 at LAX.

I’m noticing the scroll-like curve of the wall, unaware of what awaits. But even before I reach the point where the paintings begin, the exhibition title catches my attention.

Tathata.

According to Von Bloomberg, “Tathata is a Sanskrit word that expresses the profound awareness and appreciation of reality within each single moment of life. Tathata is often revealed in the seemingly mundane, such as observing the sun illuminating an asphalt road, or noticing the blowing wind along a grassy parkway.”

Randall Von Bloomberg's "Freeway Off-Ramp" (oil on canvas) suggests that a journey begins at any given moment, with or without travel anticipation. Image © Randall Von Bloomberg

Randall Von Bloomberg’s “Freeway Off-Ramp” (oil on canvas)
renders a moment of stillness in a setting made for speed.
© Randall Von Bloomberg

For him, an airport terminal “is a perfect place for this exhibition because it is such an in-between space.” His paintings invite travelers to experience the interconnectivity of time, humanity, and nature.

What Journey?

David Bowie once said, “The truth is, there is no journey. We are arriving and departing all at the same time.” Yet those innumerable moments hold clues to why we travel.

A moment when you are asked directions in a country not your own—and you know the way. When you dream in another language. When you forget to take a photo, because you are so absorbed in seeing.

A moment when you depart from travel anticipation, and arrive wherever you are.

A suitcase in a guest room in Louisville, KY evokes the moment when a journey begins or ends. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Home? Or home-from-home?
© Joyce McGreevy

Experience Randall Von Bloomberg’s artwork, including his online nature walk, produced with musician Patrick Schulz.

Listen to Jen Rubio’s thought-provoking Ted Talk, “The Anticipation of Travel,” here.

Historic photos of the TWA flight center at JFK are from the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Balthazar Korab Archive at the Library of Congress.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy 2 Comments

Art of Travel

Mar

The Sociable Solo Traveler

by Joyce McGreevy on March 22, 2016

A volunteer greeter and visitors in Brisbane, Australia, reflect the art of solo travel at its most sociable. Image © Brisbane Marketing

Did you know that you have friends in Australia? Thanks to volunteers like the Brisbane Greeters, visitors can count on a warm welcome in cities around the world.
© Brisbane Marketing

The Singular Art of Solo Travel Connections

“But don’t you hate being all alone?” That question—intoned with tragicomic emphasis—is one that solo travelers hear a lot. In fact, when it comes to the art of travel, soloists have plenty of company.

According to a recent study, solo travel has more than doubled among first-time travelers since 2013. Half are Millennials, while Boomers who’d rather pack and roam than pine at home make up another 18 percent. That’s a two-percentage point increase from 2013, and it’s expected to soar like a hypersonic jet over the next several years.

In "Triste," Raffaele Faccioli's art of travel portrays a sad and lonely traveler, reflecting some people's sad view of solo travelers.

Vintage art of travel can reflect a sad stereotype of the solo traveler.

From “Me Time” to “We Time”

One obvious benefit of traveling solo is the freedom. It’s you who decides whether to spend all day at the British Museum, memorizing every pot and placard, or to laze about reading Keats at Hampstead Heath.

Straight up tired of the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Had an eyeful of the Eiffel? There’s no one to shame you for detouring to a comic-book convention or following your nose to the nearest patisserie for, um, research purposes.

But there’s another, surprising benefit to solo travel—it offers excellent opportunities for socializing. You just have to know where to look.

Places to Go, People to See

Consider the popularity of London Cultureseekers with solo travelers.

Three times a week, individuals ranging in age from 20 to 80 chip in a few quid to visit museums, art galleries, stately homes, and more. There are plays, concerts, history talks, and guided walks, often to venues as little known to non-locals as they are marvelous to explore.

London's British Museum with antiquities reflects the art of solo travel and exploration. Image © Joyce McGreevy

The British Museum is inviting whether you prefer
to mingle or to go single .
© Joyce McGreevy

Members hail from around the world and on any given day most are meeting for the first time, thanks to organizer Robert Coleman. He’s the chap with the clipboard who greets you at the day’s designated gathering spot.

Newcomers typically start off by staying as close to Robert as timorous baby goslings to a gander. Soon they realize it’s safe to wade in and make introductions.

“The group is very friendly,” says Robert. “After events, we always head to a local pub or cafe to chat.”

An Essex man who moved to London, he went searching for a group that shared his passion for the city. When he couldn’t find one, he started his own. That was ten years ago. Today, membership of London Cultureseekers tops 21,000.

Robert Coleman and other London Cultureseekers meet Charles Spencer, the <br/> 9th Earl Spencer, at Althorp, a moment that captures the art of solo travel surprise and sociability. Image © Robert Coleman/ London Cultureseekers

Solo travel can be royally sociable. At Althorp, Robert Coleman (3rd from left) and friends
meet the 9th Earl Spencer (center), brother of the late Princess Diana.
© Robert Coleman/ London Cultureseekers

Global Meet and Greets

Oh, I see: solo travel can be a way to engage more fully with others. Suppose, however, you’ve landed in a city where you don’t know a soul?

Solo travelers from Switzerland, Spain, Germany, and Slovakia meet in Vienna, Austria through a volunteer greeter network that reflects the art of solo travel today. Image @ Vienna Greeters

Take walks, make friends. In Vienna, Austria, volunteer greeter Ulli (in red) welcomes
visitors from Switzerland, Spain, Germany, and Slovakia.
©Vienna Greeters

Say hello to a local. From Adelaide to Zagreb, more than 100 cities now offer official greeter programs. These are free public services that match visitors with city-savvy residents.

For instance, Chicago Greeter has 200 volunteers and can customize a visit for you based on your language, choice of neighborhood, and interest. The key to this and other global city groups is to book several days in advance.

Volunteers for Chicago Greeter help a newcomer get oriented, a reflection of the art of solo travel hospitality. Image © Chicago Greeter

Connect with community worldwide. In Chicago, greeters help newcomers navigate
public transportation for 25 neighborhoods, each with its own character, culture, and history.
© Chicago Greeter

Food for Thought, in Thoughtful Company

Now let’s talk solo sustenance. Taking cooking classes and joining dining groups are other ways to make friends across cultures.

Worried that gastronomical sprees mean astronomical fees? Inexpensive alternatives abound. Some classes and groups, like many posted on MeetUp, are volunteer run. Search by city and country, for everything from Copenhagen Vegans to the Singapore Supper Society.

At other international organizations, like Culinary Backstreets, costs are moderate. The focus is on “holding back globalized sameness” and giving travelers a sense of authentic culture and traditions.

Students at Cookistan, a culinary school in Istanbul, Turkey, celebrate the art of solo travel by sharing a meal they have prepared together. Image © Cookistan

There’s always room at the table for a sociable solo traveler, such as in Cookistan,
a Turkish culinary school for locals and visitors.
© Cookistan

Take Istanbul, where guides are required by law to complete a rigorous training process of several years. There, Ayşin Ekinci—guide, chef, and owner of Cookistan—offers classes that are budget-friendly and richly rewarding.

Starting with a history lesson on foot, Ayşin introduces you to traditional food producers in Kurtuluş, a Greek, Turkish, Kurdish, Jewish neighborhood. Then it’s back to Ayşin’s home, where you’re guided through the cooking of local dishes. Meanwhile, you’re getting acquainted with locals and visitors.

From Solo to Global: The Ultimate Travel Connection

It’s been said that we travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. Likewise, those who travel the world alone soon discover that none of us need feel alone in the world. In the art of travel—including solo travel—each of us can contribute to making a more inclusive global portrait.

A volunteer Brisbane Greeter and U.S. visitors to the Brisbane Museum, Australia, reflect the art of solo travel at its most sociable. Image © Brisbane Marketing

A volunteer greeter welcomes U.S. visitors to the Museum of Brisbane, Australia.
©Brisbane Marketing

Wherever you’re going, find a volunteer greeter to welcome you here.

Learn more about London Cultureseekers, Culinary Backstreets, and Cookistan.

The 18th century portrait of a lone traveler is by Raffaele Faccioli (1845-1916) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Discuss solo travel ideas and destinations by joining the Solo Travel Society here.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy 4 Comments

Art of Travel/Worldwide Sites

Mar

The Underwater Museums of Jason deCaires Taylor

by Eva Boynton on March 14, 2016

A woman snorkeling in the underwater museum of Jason deCaires Taylor that shows innovations of artist and ocean. (image © Jason deClaire Taylor).

Enter a world of blue, where sculptures function as art and habitat.
© Jason deCaires Taylor

Experience the Creative Partnership of Artist and Ocean

Under the blue line of the ocean’s surface is a world alive with movement. The environment is itself in constant motion; sunlight ripples across the scales of fish, while coral reef plants sway with the push and pull of the currents.

Often this world is forgotten by us land-dwellers, but not by sculptor and naturalist Jason deCaires Taylor. He has created, in the world’s first underwater museums, the perfect exhibit space for his larger-than-life sculptures.

His are museums that need no curator. The ocean does that job, constantly updating the exhibit and transforming the sculptures into a functioning artificial reef. Perhaps it is this partnership between artist and ocean that is the true innovation.

Sculpture in the underwater museum by Jason deCaires Taylor, showing innovations by artist and ocean. (Image © Jason deCaire's Taylor)

An Eye for New Terrain, A Voice for the Ocean’s Future

What makes a great art exhibit? Emotive lighting, hints of wonder, astonishment, awe, or a powerful backdrop? Taylor’s chosen space has them all.

Taylor constructed underwater museums first near Grenada and then off the coast of Cancún, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Later he moved to more underwater locations around the world from Indonesia to the Oslo Fjord in Norway. Taylor explains why he loves to work in the aquatic gallery space:

Being underwater is a deeply personal, liberating, and otherworld experience. Like many interactions with the natural world, submersion is both humbling and life-affirming.

A sculpture of a woman with coral growing from her sides in the underwater museum by Jason deCaires Taylor, showing innovations of artist and ocean. (image © Jason deCaires Taylor)

Reclamation, accentuated by dramatic lighting, purple Gorgonian sea fans, and a blue backdrop, reclaims the ocean as a precious place.
© Jason deClaires Taylor

Through his passion for diving, Taylor acquired an understanding of the sea’s territory, seeing it as a place to be revered and respected. Travelers who visit his museums sense, through his art installations, this feeling of deep respect for the oceans.

The sculptures, themselves, give voice to messages about the environment.

Sculptures of young people holding hands in a circle in the underwater museum off the coast of Grenada, an innovation by Jason deCaires Taylor. (image © Jason deCaires Taylor)

Vicissitudes, off the coast of Grenada, symbolizes the cycle of life and how we
are all affected by the circumstance of our surroundings.
© Jason deCaires Taylor

Sculptures of bankers with their heads in the sand in the underwater museum of Jason deCaires Taylor, showing innovations by artist and ocean. (image © Jason deCaires Taylor).

The Bankers, submerged near Cancún, communicates denial and resistance to environmental
crises caused by over-fishing, dredging, and careless tourism.
© Jason deCaires Taylor

Taylor’s underwater museums, however, are more than a message. They show that humans can, in turn, have a positive impact on nature.

Art that Takes Action

Although coral reefs inhabit only 1% of the ocean’s vastness, a quarter to a third of all marine species call them home. Coral reefs are fleeting and fragile, too. Coral and sea sponges can be swept away by a hurricane or a snorkeler’s careless hand. They are often over-visited and over-fished.

With this in mind, Taylor constructs his sculptures in a way that preserves and extends coral reefs.

A sculpture of a girl in a garden of coral in Jason deCaires Taylor's underwater museum, showing innovations by both artist and ocean. (Image © Jason deCaires Taylor)

He uses durable ph-neutral cement to form his artwork, texturing surfaces so that reef plants can attach. This encourages the expansion of the natural landscape, and results in living spaces for crustaceans and fish.

His underwater museums, then, serve as artificial reefs that relieve natural reefs from excessive tourism in destinations like Cancún, Mexico. When snorkelers and divers spend time visiting Taylor’s sculptures, the natural reefs have space and time to generate life.

Artist Jason deCaires Taylor scuba dives and plants coral in his sculptures in the underwater museum, showing innovations by artist and ocean. (image © Jason deCaires Taylor).

Taylor begins the rehabilitation process by planting coral in Man on Fire
near Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
© Jason deCaires Taylor

What started as “a small community” of sculptures off the coast of Cancún, grew into “an entire movement of people in defense of the sea.”

A school of fish swims around sculptures that have become an artificial reef in Jason deCaires Taylor's underwater museum, demonstrating the innovation of an underwater museum. (Image © Jason deClaires Taylor).

500 sculptures offer surfaces, nooks and crannies for marine life to develop.
Art and preservation go hand in hand in Silent Evolution.
© Jason deCaires Taylor

Through his sculptures, Taylor has provided an amazing gallery of art and a place for ocean life to flourish. Ocean and artist share the same goals: encouragement of life. They have a symbiotic relationship, benefiting one another with their artistic innovations.

Silent Innovation by the Sea

Without as much as a whisper, the ocean begins to change the sculptures. As nature flourishes, the artwork undergoes mind-blowing transformations. Taylor explains witnessing the change:

As soon as we submerge the sculptures, they are not ours anymore. . . . The sculptures—they belong to the sea. As new reefs form, a new world literally starts to evolve.

Two sculptures covered in plant growth in the underwater museum of Jason deCaires Taylor, showing innovation by both artist and ocean. (Image © Jason deCaires Taylor)

For Taylor, the innovation in his work really begins when nature takes over. The ocean paints with the most spectacular red algae, curving coral, and sponges.

A sculpture covered in sea sponges, coral, algae and a sea star in the underwater museum of Jason deCaires Taylor, showing innovations by both artist and ocean. (Image © Jason deCaires Taylor).

The transformation from studio to sea floor goes something like this:

A model's face, the sculpture of the model, and the sculpture transformed by the ocean after its installation in the underwater museum of Jason deCaires Taylor, showing innovation by both artist and ocean. (Image © Jason deCaires Taylor)

A recognizable figure becomes a sculpture and is then abstracted by sponges and algae.
Nature leaves her mark near Isla Mujeres, Cancún, Mexico.
© Jason deCaires Taylor

Jason deCaires Taylor’s work is a collaboration with the environment. Taylor lays down the foundation, and Nature forms positive mutations, achieving extraordinary appearances that only the ocean could conjure upon these man-made surfaces.

Oh, I See for Myself

I visited one of Taylor’s underwater museums off the coast of Cancún. As I swam from one sculpture to another, weaving around real reefs to visit the artificial ones, I saw first-hand how the sculptures change with time, how they become more a part of the sea with each passing day.

A view of the sculpture "Reclamation" in Jason deCaires Taylor's underwater, showing the innovations of both artist and ocean. (image © Eva Boynton).

I experienced the quiet underneath the ocean’s surface—a forgotten world that supports extraordinary life all the while. I became a part of Taylor’s artwork and mission, a traveler who entered his underwater museum out of curiosity and who left with a sense of responsibility to encourage life in Earth’s vast blue oceans.

—§—

Thank you, Jason, for your wonderful work and for sharing your photography. To see more images of Taylor’s work, check out his underwater sculptures. Dive deeper into Taylor’s underwater museum with this five minute video.

Comment on this post below.

Eva Boynton 6 Comments

Mexico/Nature Discovery/The World's Art & Design

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When Does a Journey Begin?