Like many of us I feel very depressed today, in the face of the atrocities of Paris. I have several friends living in Paris and two photographer friends were on a visit there this weekend on the occasion of Paris Photo, the international fine art photography fair, which has been closed today, under the order of the authorities. Everyone I know is fine. But the world is not, and while Paris saddens me, I am more disturbed that the world only seems to wake up if atrocities on this scale hit the West. What about Beirut and Baghdad, and what about Syria, Afghanistan, and all the other places where death tolls in this region happen every other week? Sometimes I do not like living in this world very much…

My heart goes out to all who are affected by it, whichever nationality, religion or ethnicity they belong to. We are all human beings. We all know fear and grief. And love and belief. That’s what unites us, not the marginal differences of our fears and beliefs. Nothing could be further from my mind than ignoring these horrific events, but I refuse to give in to the threats and the terrorists. We have to continue living our lives. And when I am publishing this post as a distraction, I do not mean that as a trivialization but as an antidote to the pain, a reminder that there is so much to enjoy in this world, together, across borders, ethnicities and religions.

This time last week we had such a moment, when people gathered, united in their admiration of an actor. At the time of writing this, it was exactly a week ago from the screening of UATSC in the Hyde Park Picture House. RA took to the stage of the cinema for a few introductory words together with Candida Brady and Fraser Kelly.

I was sitting in the front row of the balcony and took a few pictures from up there. They are grainy and discoloured (the light and lack thereof…) and there is neither much detail nor variation in them. But at least they complete the archive of photos from the event.

I have put them into the gallery below, for your perusal. Consider our dote the antidote to terror.

All pics © Guylty Pleasure 2015.

These are not the full loot, but you get the picture 😉

And maybe one of these days I will get that review written, too.

#Paris stay strong!