Light At The End

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Light At The End ~

Light At The End, originally uploaded by Paris Set Me Free.

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In a long boring tunnel at Gare du Nord is a wall with a mural painted on it. Rolling hills? No. A leafy vista? No. Happy laughing people? No. What we are presented with in this long boring tunnel is a mural of passengers with bags hurrying for their train, a little boy trailing behind being scolded by his dad.

Why? What reason could there be for simply adding to the already numerous hustling and bustling stressed commuters even if only symbolically? To make us feel less alone? To give us the sensation that there are others even more rushed than we are, if we have time to take in this curious image? I don't know, but it seems a bit strange.

I mean, we don't paint the walls of theatres with pictures of people sitting in a theatre, do we? Or paint the walls in the street with pictures of busy shoppers struggling with shopping. Or the walls of museums with pictures of people in museums. Or the walls of law courts with images of trails in progress.

Not that I don't like it. I do. And I particularly like anything which makes me think and question, always questioning, that's me.

I'll be at Orly airport later on today picking up my little son off the plane from Spain (in the rain, judging by today's weather...). And believe you me, the walls of any long boring corridors I may come across will be receiving some serious scrutiny, I can tell you.

We're so used to seeing all sorts of ads plastered all over the place, it's quite a novelty to actually be presented with something without the principle aim of getting us to part with our money for some dumb reason or other, maybe that's what's thrown me.

Which leaves me with one thought in my head; if I were given the job of decorating these walls in any way I saw fit, what would I do? Probably something abstract, colourful, playful, possibly playing with words, certainly shapes, probably squares and maybe trianges and circles too, all my favourites. Would it be better than what we see above? No, not better, just different, as it would have to be. Better or worse is subjective, and almost meaningless in the long run.

Someone paid about $120 million I think it was the other day, for a pastel version of 'The Scream' by Munch. $120 million. For a piece of paper with some sketchy colours on it. A record. Madness. Obscenity. A bargain. Millions of lives saved by simple vaccinations. Whatever way you look at it it's all just points of view, and all valid in their way in the end. Gotta rush, give me a hand with this bag, will you?

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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