Howard Faxon
Ocean Access Now Privatized – photo collage – © 2017 – Howard Faxon
There has been an increase in the privatization of public lands around the United Staes primarily for the mining industry, lumber companies, and hydraulic fracturing. Other things have also been happening on public lands such as the monetization of trees and wild horses by slaughter. In fact there is slaughter of wild horses taking place right now. The announcement contained the phrase “… before the end of the fiscal year.” Gee, do you think that money is involved? These kind of things have been happening with regularity but seem to be heating up to a near frenzy. So I started thinking about making some art prints to commemorate all this.
The beginning idea of the ‘Privatization Series’ was to take some of my photographs of the great outdoors and collage big rusty chains across the front of them. I thought I’d add some wildlife looking like they were observing the destruction of their homelands. I guess I wasn’t trying very hard to be subtle. This particular print is a reaction to yet another aspect of the privatization trend. I made this print in reaction to news stories about a fight by some counties in California to preserve public access to beaches. In these instances the culprits were private individuals challenging in court for the right to close access to beaches that had previously been accessible to the public.
(side note: The scene in this print is Seal Rock in San Francisco but it was meant to be general ocean. I’m revealing this because it’s famous.)
This is a digital collage combining elements from my personal photographs (taken by me). An essential part of my process is to find and photograph the elements needed to make the images. I rely on a history in printmaking and graphic arts to design and complete the final work.
Thanks so much for the information, in New Zealand all the waterways are belonging to the Queen of England, that makes them by law, the property of the public.
However, law or not, Maoris of some tribes have laid claim to beaches, and legal or not, belong to the Maori because Maoris police those beaches.
Some of know about certain beaches and stay clear of what we know Maoris lay claim and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
Wasn’t it Tesco that was putting horsemeat in its food over in Europe?
Oh, I don’t know. I know that here they go to Mexico for processing.
—— We socialize costs and privatize profits. I am unsure what to call that. It wasn’t covered in my democracy primer, this idea. Oh well.
Very interesting information. We also have some privatization problems in our country.
Worldwide it seems to be the way of things. I think it is widely recognized that the time for this stuff is over.
Privatization is more efficient and effective in some cases, but not in intelligence
Yes, this is a case where the intelligence of being efficient might be called into question. Cheers.
Very powerful piece.
Thank you Linda. For a minute I wondered, “too heavy handed?” Then I answered, “no, not really”
I surely did want to make the point visible.
heavy handed is seizing public lands for private profit