John Berger was able to see through the apparent to deeper, more meaningful truths. He did this as writer, philosopher, artist, and humanist. His words and ideas give me hope and direction.

An extraordinarily kind man, Berger’s writing seeks to understand through compassion those he writes about, whether it be Frida Kahlo’s art and pain, the despair that motivates a terrorist, or the hope of people in poverty.

In this hand drawn tribute, my calligraphic lines (from a photo by Jean Mohr) depict John’s face and become the containers for his words. I selected words from several of his essays that resonate with me.

Thank you, John, for helping me to see.