President Obama’s remarks at the recent Correspondents’s dinner in Washington made fun of himself, democrats and republicans. One hilarious remark concerned Rep Boehner from Ohio and his perpetual tan. He referred to him as a man of color except it was not a color seen in the natural world. Rep. Boehner was gracious about the remark and admitted he did like to be outside.
If the melting ice caps have already transformed the “outside” in Ohio to the Caribbean then I totally buy his explanation.
But, the natural world remark made me think of anxiety and how it distorts reality as well. All striations of experience are affected and the colors you do see are glimpses, fleeting and coded threats of permanence.
©Pat Coakley 2009
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gorgeously rich photograph. i have been watching the History Channel presentation “Life after People” or something like that, and it shows what would happen 2, 5, 10, 20, 30 years after if people ceased to exist and noone was there to continue repairing things. according to these future baddreamists, it would not take long at all for the ‘natural world’ to take over and infiltrate all of the existing structure, causing major discombobulation after depopulation. but hey waitaminute, aren’t we also part of the natural world? i love the phrase ‘coded threats of permanence’
Although I try to avoid “me too” comments, I’m totally with Tipota on this.
Great photo and we ARE a part of nature.
The only thing that gets in the way of many of us realising we are a part of nature is our own mental architecture. If we see a bird’s nest or an ant hill we tend to think of them as a part of nature. The constructs of mankind are also just as “natural” as a spider’s web. We humans are as much a part of nature as any bug or bird, it’s just that our constructions are more elaborate.
Boehner’s tan is not dissimilar to an insect’s camouflage or a bower bird’s nest decoration. It’s just a “natural” expression of a desire to be attractive which of course is part of the whole mating thing that allegedly the flowers and the bees are also into.
I’ve looked at this one a few times fleetingly, but never saw the train … until now. Very cool.
It probably still makes people’s houses shake when it rolls by unnoticed though.
I hope you’ll sleep tonight, Ross. Wink.
A deep brooding image, Pat. Those glimpses of green and blue and the camouflage of the train, as though you can see right through it, all bring a surprise, too.
Yes, Don, camouflage is a good word!
I would like a copy of this photo! It’s fantastic and I have a train lover in my midst. How can I get a copy Pat?
S. Le, I remember that you’ve said you have a train lover in your midst. I am in the process of putting some of my stuff up at etsy.com a site for all sorts of artists. It is not up yet but when it is, I’ll let you know and I’ll include this photo.
I’m a train lover, too, as you can tell!
Yes! Please tell me when it’s for sale. I wants it precious! (Lord of the Rings reference. Can’t help it, sorry.)
Ok, S. Le. I hope to do some work on this whole esty thing this weekend. I’ll let you know.