In 1516, probably inspired by The Republic of Plato, Thomas More coined the term “Utopia” to describe an idealistic society in which common principles are shared, But what is the sense Utopia today? There are diverse realities around the world, which have translated abstract intellectual thoughts into experiences. A new desire for “somewhere else” necessarily leads to an innovative re-definition of nature and the role of utopia. In a visual journey to define visually what is the meaning of utopia today I explored from Singapore and India through Europe and US until Vancouver Island, the world of so-called realized utopias: artistic communities, social, spiritual, hippie, anarchist, where the residents experience and imagine alternative ways of living with the aim of reaching their happiness and sharing their experiences to build a better world.
[u·to·pi:·a]
by Carlo Bevilacqua
In 1516 Sir Thomas More coined the term “Utopia†to describe an idealistic society in which common principles are shared, people live by farming simply for survival and not for commerce and private properties and money are abolished.
Thomas More created the neologism from ancient Greek by combining the words ou-topos (nowhere land) and eu-topas (happy place). More was most probably inspired by The Republic of Plato written in the IV century BC, in order to build a hypothesis of an ideal city, aimed at guaranteeing “a better life in a better societyâ€.
2016 celebrates the 500th anniversary of Utopia the Thomas More's inspirational text written in 1516, but what is the meaning of utopia today?
The American artist Steve Lambert offers inspiration for new reflections. “The reason we imagine utopias is to provide a point on the compass that orients us on our travels. Without utopia, we’re lost – we are traveling without direction, guessing and hoping that we are moving forward. The purpose of utopia is not a destination, it is to give us a specific direction so we can progressâ€.
There are diverse realities around the world, which have translated abstract intellectual thoughts into experiences.
A new desire for “somewhere else†necessarily leads to an innovative re-definition of nature and the role of utopia.
In a visual journey to define visually what is the meaning of utopia today [u·to·pi:a] explores the world of so-called realized utopias: artistic communities, social, spiritual, hippie, anarchist, where the residents experience and imagine alternative ways of living with the aim of reaching their happiness and sharing their experiences to build a better world,
A photographic journey, from Singapore and India through Europe and US until Vancouver Island, to figure out how close they got the original idea of their own utopia and how evolved and managed to survive to the pressure of our dominant culture.