I like to see a city once the sun fades, revealing a beauty masked by the light of day. Dark edges and shabby corners come alive; illuminated by street-lights, moonlight, and the shadows they cast.
Darkness awakens people of the night. Alleys become the canvas for street artists; applying works of art to moonlit surfaces, knowing full well that they will only last for a blink of an eye. Where I live the graffiti squad will have them whitewashed the next day – and it doesn’t matter because it was wonderful while it lasted.
.Darkness transforms the ordinary, it allows us to view our surroundings in a different light. Things we pass by every day without so much as a sideways glance, busy hubs evacuated by darkness, even the street we live on – now works of art. Ponder a city at night; this is the place it’s heart beats, the place to understand what it is.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15574096@N00/
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WoW! A beautiful poem.
I saw your recent post about the sale of Henry Moore sculpture in London’s Tower Hamlet. Sad story eh? Your comments about Moore’s Knife Two Piece in Vancouver made me smile:) That sculpture is my favorite thing about Vancouver. The last time I visited it there was a large group of Chinese folk doing Tai Chi exercises nearby. I love the look and feel of Moore’s cold bronzes. FYI there is a link on my blog that shows locations of Moore’s various sculptures around the world…
I laughed when getting around to your home page – the unmistakeable photo of QE Park was peeking at me. ( As if I had to tell you the location of a Henry Moore ) Thanks for pointing out your link.
Yes, the beauty of a city after dark. Very compelling photos and words.