Posts Tagged ‘Pickman’
especial region
Walking over rivers, that’s me.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Recent occasion found me with several appointments in rapid succession, one of which carried me to the shining city of Manhattan. Having accomplished the pedantry which this obligation required a bit quicker than anticipated, a longer interval of time became available to me than originally planned, and it was decided to walk to my next appointment instead of using the subway. Off to Brooklyn went I, a scuttling over the venerable Manhattan Bridge.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
There’s a visceral sense of menace to the pedestrian walkway on this bridge, unlike the other east river spans- you feel isolated and quite far from the ever watchful NYPD up here. The graffito covered cement confirms the availability of time and opportunity, and were there Nosferatu operating in the megalopolis, this surely would make an excellent hunting ground (in the evenings at least).
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The views of lower Manhattan, specifically that ancient section called Chinatown, are quite breathtaking from up here. Breathtaking in the sense that amongst the buildings closest to the bridge, one can observe a relict stock of 19th and 20th century buildings whose only commonality is that they were thrown against the sky in as inexpensive a manner as possible.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’m always fascinated while observing these open and undraped windows visible only from the bridge. Questions arise in me, such as “if your window is so incredibly wide open to all of NY, wouldn’t you hang a curtain?”. Its weird though, peering in through the window of something that might accurately be described as a tenement window, like seeing a sociological ghost.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
There’s the longest possible history in this Manhattan neighborhood, which sits nearby the fabled five points at the edge of the so called Bloody Sixth Ward. There’s a series of apartments in New York City which I always wonder about, these that run alongside the Manhattan Bridge on the Chinatown side are amongst them, which I think must be the most onerous rentals available. Who lives here, with the subway and a possibly vampire infested pedestrian walkway right outside their window? What path has life carried the lessee to the wrong side of this window?
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Brutal reality is best defined by the sweeping movements of a ticking clock, however, and despite having had a surprisingly long interval open up that allowed me the caprice of walking to Brooklyn- it was time to lean into it and get moving. Flatbush Avenue was awaiting, as was a meeting at the fabled Juniors, and it was time to kick my heels and get to DUMBO and infinite Brooklyn.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
convulsively against
They really like the sterile and antiseptic these days, huh?
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Wandering about Queens, the shot above was captured at the Court Square station at the foot of the Citigroup Megalith incidentally, one always wonders what it is that the architects of modernity are trying to tell us to think. It’s actually where the “art part” of the building trade comes in to play, wherein an arrangement of blocking shapes and the massing of form accomplishes the delivery of an idea or impression upon the viewer. Get it wrong, you can literally drive a population crazy- just ask anyone who lives in a city project what budget driven homogeneity (and strict adherence to the crypto fascist theories of LeCorbusier) does to your head when it’s expressed in mortar and brick.
This spot at Court Square tells one such as myself that I’m trapped in a sinister exultation of all that might go wrong in America, and that an escape from this cylindrical construct of sapphire glass and shrouded steel should be immediately and expeditiously sought. Maybe that’s what they wanted, to help move people out of the subway as quickly as possible?
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Some places in Queens, its obvious what the builders and designers intended, despite the post modernity and broad strokes of obtuse symbolism. Of course the Unisphere at Flushing Meadow Corona Park’s (the former Worlds Fair) is a unique sort of thing in a unique sort of place, but were it some Darth Vaderesque conglomeration of steel and bluish green glass with a 53 story tall building looming, would it encourage that same feeling of dread and entrapped menace?
Your humble narrator is largely ignorant about the fashions and caprices enjoyed by the modern architect, all I can tell you is I know what attracts my eye and gravitate toward those forms which do not impart unto me a sense of being imprisoned or surveilled.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Every era has its genius, its witty play, its fancy. Somebody is always trying to throw a curve ball at prevailing style. The 1960’s JFK structure above is a great example of form, function, and whimsy (and admittedly, asbestos contamination) in which you actually are being surveilled- but you don’t really mind it that much. Weird how it contrasts with the modern world, and even weirder that it suggests a long gone and hope ridden era – which was the 1960’s?
Can’t tell you what the ideal is, but it sure ain’t the walls of mirror glass which fly up toward the sky, for me at least.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
refractive power
Adrift on seasonal ennui, that’s me.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
T’is not a kind month, December.
Memories of childhood disappointment and debasements, diminished expectations, and dire existential crises are those anniversaries celebrated concurrently with December by one such as myself. Nevertheless, despite the short intervals of daylight, and lowered frequencies of natural ambience, your humble narrator stumbles forth to record the audient void of Queens.
Mainly, I’m looking for rusty stuff like the sign above, which is increasingly hard to find in Long Island City.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Occasion carried me to Hunters Point recently, and specifically that section of the ancient Dutch village which I refer to as Tower Town. Observed, extant, was an installation of some of that “green infrastructure” that area wags and the municipal princeps have been discussing and presenting to the general public as a prophylactic measure against the return of Hurricane Sandy to the Metropolitan area.
It was a tree pit, stoutly fortified against canine degradations, which hosted a plethora of ornamental cabbages.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I noticed cabbage in a Manhattan tree pit recently, and when I saw this installation of leafy plants one began to wonder if ornamental cabbage was “a thing.” My pal Gil over at the Smiling Hogshead Ranch, and the folks at Brooklyn Grange, tell me that we should be growing food everywhere we possibly can, literally every nook and cranny that light and water can reach. But ornamental cabbages? Why not try growing some kale or carrots, here in Tower Town?
I jest, of course, as in city wide aggregate the thousands of tree pits will add up to a significant acreage and offer a not insignificant amount of storm water someplace to go other than into the combined sewer system.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Project Firebox 100
An ongoing catalog of New York’s endangered Fireboxes.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The scarlet still stands in Hunters Point, although the neighborhood is unrecognizable.
Pepsi is long gone, as are National Sugar, the LIRR Power House, and the Daily News- but a noble firebox still stands at the ready. Here, in the capital of “wiping away the old New York” and “changing the skyline forever,” there is at least a single pole star of continuity. Rock on firebox, rock on.
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moist verdure
A life well lived is a series of dull events.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My annual pilgrimage to the MTA Holiday Nostalgia “Shoppers Special” Subway event carried me to Queens Plaza one recent Sunday. It’s a fun and wholesome thing to do.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Luckily, I have more than just a few acquaintances and friends who also enact this yearly journey, wherein legacy subway cars are run on the M line in a circuit between Queens Plaza and 2nd avenue in Manhattan.
It’s always nice to see someone you know.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The weird thing, for me, is that it involves willingly heading down into the rat infested tunnels- an activity which normally fills me with a malign dread.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
These are all retired subway cars, once typical, that represent various eras of design. At the time of their original deployment, each of these legacy units were state of the art.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The legacy cars performed well, although they are quite rickety in comparison to modern subways units. There was a brief interval wherein a door got stuck in the open position, but the MTA guys sorted that out in no time.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
An odd mix of folks were observed onboard. Some were ordinary commuters and customers of the M line, while many were hardcore rail fans. More than one photographer was spotted shooting models in period dress.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The rail guys, they’re mostly guys, are the quiet ones on the train who watch every little detail and are listening to the machine. These cats can tell you the part number for individual screws on these trains, and you ignore their knowledge at your own peril. Foamers indeed.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This show will be running every Sunday on the M line in December, operating between Manhattan’s 2nd Avenue and Queens Plaza. Check out the MTA Holiday Train page for schedule info.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
