At first these buildings were mere tacky eyesores on my horizon, until one day I finally looked at them, and I haven't taken my eyes off since. I find the colors, the ingenuity, and the unintentional creative expression fascinating.
To think that at one point, decades ago, every window and every balcony was exactly the same; and now, you couldn't make these balconies more different if you tried.
Each window tells a story, every family builds to suit their needs. It has the opposite effect on me from a pristine, perfectly uniform suburban highrise, which always leaves me feeling strangely anxious.
Even laundry can be a defining feature. The variety is endless, uniformity is nonexistent. Something about this feels so good to me, I find it beautiful and feel freed from my compulsive need for tidy edges and matching sides.
Amber, good job seeing beauty. I wonder what the locals think... I just recently started looking at my village through a fresher eye. I used to think most houses, streets looked terrible: flat, dusty little cubes. I should start taking pics and prove myself wrong :)
ReplyDeleteV- I only wish my photography could do it justice. We never did get around to taking that class . . . one day I will learn how to use all the features of my camera AND I'll get photoshop. That'll be a great day. I'm going to really enjoy taking pictures of your village. Let's hope I make it soon.
ReplyDeleteOk Am, you have inspired me to look for the beauty in the mundane, the order I the chaos, the uniformity in the individual expression. I still think the single wide trailer with the added on room with the tinfoil lined windows makes for lots of opportunity to find creative expression (even with the frozen lined laundry). However, I also agree with the untidy corners and out of respect have decided not to make my bed today.
ReplyDelete