Thoughts on David Akiba’s “Sightlines” Exhibit
Photographer David Akiba‘s exhibit “Sightlines” is displayed in Hollister at Babson College from March 28th to May 25.
By Nicole Fischer: Usually, when thinking about a photograph that captures your attention and gets you thinking, you think about a visually exciting photo…one that is full of life. The “Sightlines” exhibit by David Akiba allowed me to realize that a photo doesn’t have to be of something extravagant. Instead, Akiba’s photographs of seemingly unimportant and basic places are displayed across the wall so that the viewer can live in the moments of solitude. The black and white images of airports, bridges, pathways, and waterways made me want to stop next time I walk through the city of Boston and appreciate the places that are always ignored. These places catch us when we are most vulnerable to being ignorant of our surroundings, trying to rush somewhere and looking at our cell phone for directions instead of thinking about the landscape of our surroundings.
David Akiba and a guest to the exhibit with Akiba’s photography in the background
In my opinion, Akiba’s “Sightlines” exhibit is one that needs to be examined thoroughly, because each picture has more meaning than we might originally see; each viewpoint is striking in its own way. And most travelers, especially those who pass through the city and these places each day, fail to think twice about what these places are and what they have been looking at. I believe that having each photograph in black and white print makes us realize how even though the city may seem bland, filled with colorless buildings and sidewalks, there is an experience of peacefulness we can achieve when passing through.
Nicole S. Fischer, Class of 2016 at Babson College