The Arc/k Project is here to invite, encourage, teach, and even coordinate people across the planet to get involved, simply by taking a photo. The use of a digital camera or even smartphone can play a crucial part in saving endangered cultural assets around the world.

We are students of history and as postmodern people approaching an uncertain future we accept that it is our responsibility not to hide our collective metaphorical heads in the sand and hope things “just get better.” We take the long view of history: we believe that without learning history’s lessons we most certainly are doomed to repeat its worst mistakes and humanity’s darkest failures.

We are technologists. We see that for every negative generated by our civilization’s uses of technology, we must also pursue solutions made possible by even more advanced technologies and innovations in the sciences. We are a technical species now, and, like it or not, there’s no going back.

We are imaging professionals who have, as part of our daily work, access to tools which are most often used to generate alternative realities in film, television and other visual arts. But usually these tools are used only for commercial narrative projects and making pretty pictures. But we have other, grander goals in mind for these tools and capabilities. We are dedicated to making the techniques and technologies of “reality sampling” work towards the preservation of history.

The intersection of these three axes provides a unique perspective on our age and a mandate to do what we can. You, too, may be at the intersection of these axes. Ask yourself if you’re not just like us in this.