It has been said that the night belongs to lovers. I suppose “said” is a subtle term – wailed as a raw and sexual anthem is perhaps more appropriate. Being the diurnal creatures that we are biologically meant to be, the nighttime has forever held an intoxicating allure for our more basic instincts. The mystique and danger of the dark is something that excites our primal senses but also ignites our fears. Empires (both corporate and historical) have been built on the glow of illuminated darkness; both our pockets and our natural resources pay dearly for the comfort and soothing safety of artificial light. We can create daytime without the Sun now, and, in many ways, we have so departed from our natural habits that we imagine ourselves as outgrowing the confines of our world. However, far beyond the small and busy lives we have created is a perspective few have seen.
Join Douglas Keeney for a unique look beyond the veil; join those who shed the skin of our Earth in search of that next frontier. Tomorrow, Wednesday, December 7th, Keeney will present his new book Lights of Mankind: The Earth at Night as Seen from Space, a breath-taking and humbling collection of photography depicting our planet from a star-crossed vantage point. Lights of Mankind is the first ever volume containing the collected images of planet Earth as seen at night from space. Written with the participation of six NASA astronauts – three of whom took most of the photographs presented – Lights of Mankind offers a remarkable look at the satellite we so casually call home. Visually engaging and displayed in a grand graphic narrative, Keeney’s collection portrays our convictions of night in a new light.
Visit the Library’s St. Matthews branch at 7pm for a free presentation with Keeney and the opportunity to explore the pages of his illuminating book.
For more information, visit the Lights of Mankind event page or call 574-1771
The St. Matthew’s branch is located at 3940 Grandview Avenue
Photo: Courtesy of Louisville Free Public Library website www.lfpl.org
