Building our Destruction

(2019-2020)

With this series, I create photographs using only cement and steel to visualize an important paradox: the human quest for continual progress contradicting and hindering our need for a reasonable, sustainable environment.

Ten percent of all climate changing greenhouse gases are a result of manufacturing processes by the cement and steel industries. This unfortunate situation underscores an example of a paradox of progress: that building critical infrastructure for improving thriving societies accelerates a changing climate that can threaten cities, towns and the advances of societies.

These photographs bring attention to the specific concrete/steel production issue, and as we understand more about infrastructure and environmental tradeoffs, enable us to reflect on whether we are truly making progress.

© Copyright - Howard Lewis 2023