General information that helps to understand the role of cultural heritage and the four elements:

(1) Wind is “what you can’t paint”, argued Pliny senior in Roman times. Wind was not understood and could not be explained for a very long time. Therefore, in antiquity it was represented by images, mostly of goddesses, like the Greek goddess Flora (the goddess of flowers). In the 19th century electricity was introduced and replaced the light of candles. At the same time the phenomena related to wind (wind, breeze, storms, lightning, etc.) were understood and were not attributed to gods any more.

(2) Air is one of the four elements and is perceived as wind, breeze and storm, but also echo. Wind impacts and bends laundry, trees, roofs, etc. Wind is the movement of air caused by the uneven heating of the earth by the sun.

(3) What does wind do? It lifts papers, planes, but wind in itself cannot be seen. Leonardo de Vinci said that you cannot see the movement of air. Wind is what you cannot paint but you can feel it, and you can see storm and lightning. You can hear echoes, you can experience them because of their vibrations of air. Although they can be heard, echoes cannot be seen.
Modern representations of wind and its effects.
»Sauver la nature« (Engl. Rescuing nature), a photo by Gilbert Garcin. Gilbert Garcin Gallery Camera Obscura.

(4) Air/wind in cinema bends laundry, etc. Look at the photograph at the top of the review of “A Special Day”, with Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren. Can you describe your what is happening in this scene? How do you think the two characters are feeling?

(5) Watch Chantal Ackerman’s “No Home” movie trailer. At 0:29 and 1:11 there is footage of a windy landscape. If you are visually impaired, describe how you imagine the windy landscape. Why do you think it has been included?