PxP = Philly
Witold Rybczynski, prize-winning author and critic, leads a fascinating discussion and panel on GenEd’s Spring 2012 symposium, Place x Promise = Philadelphia.
Beauty By Decay
Originally posted by Sean O’Brien
A rusted fire-hydrant, broken statue, and eroded row home entrance-way are simple displays of the subtle beauty that can be found throughout the decaying streets of Philadelphia. The character and charm of these old city streets is something I have come to know as unique to the timeless neighborhoods in which they reside.
Fatal Attraction
Originally posted by Grace Dickinson
“The best part about being with him is waking up to him everyday. If not, I’ll hunt him down and kill him. Fatal Attraction. True love don’t die.”
Cheryl Byrd and John Simmon have been together for 11 years. Every Wednesday, they come to Faith Chapel of Philadelphia to receive free food distributed as part of the church’s food-aid program.
Witness her beauty beneath
Originally posted by Wajeeha Choudhary
From behind the walls, the earth creeps, brandishing weapons of beauty in unlikely ways. She sends a warning; beware the solid roof and concrete walls, for the force of nature lurks in every form – a hidden gem slowly revealed. No city is complete without its roots, however deep we may bury them – the earth will show her true colors. Come Philadelphia, let us embrace earth, reminds us of her soft and humbling power in this concrete jungle. Witness her beauty beneath.
A Beautiful Accident
Originally posted by Claire Lamsback
Emerald and amber
Gather together
Translucent
Fragments of a whole
Now jagged jewels
Accidental geometry
Homage to Ancient Rome
Mosaic
Aurora borealis -
In the headlights
Humble masterpiece
By the sewage drain
Divine Loraine: A Haiku Series
Originally posted by Rose Kohles
i. (1892)
industrial growth,
and symbolic abundance.
what decadence here!
ii. (1948)
oh holy lorraine!
now modest on the inside,
but functioning still.
iii. (2011)
graffitied and grey,
a shell of your former selves:
you’re urban decay.
The Subtle Characteristics of Philadelphia
Originally posted by Ian Brunell
“A Beautiful Night Went Gritty”
Sights like this seemingly always add a nice layer of “grit” and character to the city of Philadelphia. Such intriguing sights leave explanation up to the minds of passersby, giving the people of the city a beautiful, collective, subconscious appreciation for the bizarre sights that give our city character.
“Subtle Humor”
The grit of a protest brings out the beauty of humor and sarcasm in some.
“Grits for Breakfast”
A praying mantis consumes the insides of a bumble bee outside my friend’s Philadelphia home. Oftentimes we forget that in such a gritty, concrete environment, the beauty and persistence of nature still exists. Throughout such a fast-paced city, overlooking small details proves more than easy – especially small details in nature.
