⨳ This one is an offshoot of the Unspectacular Doors of St. Louis project.
⨳ There once was a door, but now, no more. You see windows blocked over all the time, usually on businesses in city neighborhoods that have or had seen better days. Even if the neighborhood is OK, at some point in time it just got too expensive and annoying to keep replacing glass and suffering breaking and entering, robbery, etc. So the windows get bricked over. They count in this project, too.
⨳ But filled-in doors seem different to me. It’s like the building’s use somehow changed and the door just isn’t necessary or desirable anymore. In its place a mismatched scar is left — occasionally looking like some sort of half-assed optical illusion. How Buildings Learn is one of my favorite books — check it out if you haven’t.
⨳ Walking the dog in the morning you get pretty familiar with the neighborhood sidewalks. You notice all the footprints (human, dog, other) and bike tire tracks left in what used to be fresh concrete. Everyone’s got somewhere to go.
⨳ I like this one.
⨳ Variation #1, The Found 50: You find the basic shapes of the 50 United States around you. In the top row above we have Utah, Illinois and Massachusetts.
⨳ Variation #2, Grafifti: Same concept, but you limit yourself to finding the state outlines in painted-over graffiti. In the bottom row above we have a less perfect Massachusetts, and a pretty decent Pennsylvania and Arkansas.
⨳ No need to be too strict about it — but it’s got to be somewhat close. Requires the same loose but discerning eye as Rock Shaped Like Shoes.
⨳ I will finish this one day.
⨳ If you wanted to, you could get yourself a whole new outfit by picking clothes up off the street.
⨳ If you wanted.
⨳ Or, it could be cool to take a photo of each item and arrange them in a layout that placed them in approximately the correct location if you were to be wearing them. Much cleaner that way.
⨳ Rust often is the harsh version of nature conquering man’s creations. Moss is a softer, gentler variation.
⨳ Sure, rust and moss occurred way before — and do occur far from — the things that man has made, but it’s always interesting and beautiful to me when moss takes over.
⨳ I think diptychs of rust and moss would be pretty cool.
⨳ Most businesses keep the front of their premises pretty clean. But you can just as easily see the back of their property by walking into the alley.
⨳ And it usually looks quite different.
⨳ Pay attention enough and you’ll see spilled paint everywhere (kind of like discarded chairs, but accidental).
⨳ A city worker, contractor or a regular folk have some painting to do, but they forget one important thing: Securing the lid or paint bucket. They drive off, it falls into the street or alley and spills. And leaves a trail.
⨳ And maybe a project.
⨳ Yeah, so this one’s definitely questionable.
⨳ You’re walking along, or riding your bike, and suddenly there’s meat in the street. It might be a tossed chicken leg but more likely it’s a dead bird. Or squirrel. Or rabbit. Or cat. Or worse…
⨳ Anyway. The idea is that you stop and take a picture of said meat when met in said street. And it’s like a project.
⨳ Or not.