This photo by Chinese artist Hai Bo has been hanging in the Sackler Gallery lobby for several months now, and it stops me in my tracks every time I visit.
Titled “The Northern No. 29,” it shows the road the artist’s mother used to walk to and from school as a child, the only link to life outside her rural village in northeastern China.
In this back-to-school month, I’ve been thinking about how few American kids walk home from school these days, a freedom we took for granted in the 70s. It’s sad. Parents seem gripped by fear at the expense of their kids’ independence.
My nine-year-old niece convinced my sister to let her walk this year, but she’s in the minority among her peers.
The first week of school, she stopped off at a friend’s house–halfway home–to ask for a glass of water, like she was hiking the Annapurna Circuit.
In her mind, a journey worth savoring.
Perspectives: Hai Bo runs through February 27, 2011 at the Sackler Gallery.
It’s no wonder that photo can stop you in your tracks. It is beyond amazing. Thank you for sharing.