Looking Down

In the movie "The Shawshank Redemption" Andy Dufresne, a banker who had been wrongly convicted of murder takes the Warden's shoes to wear after his escape.  Elllis Boyd (Morgan Freeman) in his narration of the events comments:  "Seriously, how often do you really look at a man's shoes."   I think we are generally trained to look ahead and up, but how often do we really look down to appreciate what what we see?  When hiking uneven terrain we often look down so as to not trip.  Yet, in everyday urban life we may see the ground, but often fail to appreciate what it holds for us.

Me with TC

We go about our daily life and may see something interesting on the ground or the floor, and even if we notice it, it is but given little thought, since it, well, the ground or pavement.  What we may miss is art.  I recall the first time I visited the Great Hall at Saint John's and really thought of how neat the wood floor was, consisting of blocks of wood with the end grain side up.  A much larger chore of installation than use of wood planks.  I think my when I commented to my wife about the floor, she noted that both she and my son expected me to comment on the floor. They too noticed the floor, but I don't think it held the same fascination as it did for me.   Cathedrals have floors that are works of art, and so too do some areas of everyday life.

Minneapolis Manhole Cover

Last weekend, in a trip to Minneapolis we came across a few areas of public art.  Some of which were in the sidewalk.  Public art can be mundane or nondescript, it can excite the senses, it may be downright odd, creepy, or it can be controversial.  It may do one or more than one of these things to a particular viewer, but it is present to at least grab our attention for a brief, or longer moment.
The public art movement has been assisted by varied agencies, including the federal government which, for many years now, has allowed the use of what is called enhancement funds to make our national byways more appealing.  One can particularly see this on some newer bridges and overpasses.  The faux stone, and other enhancements some designer decided to use was to make the driving experience more pleasurable.  Madison has a logo on many of their newer overpasses.

Roman Manhole Cover, Gerash, Jordan (2013)
Probably dates from 63 BC to 130 AD

Perhaps being a city planner, I may tend to take notice of street furniture and public art more than others.  These furnishings and art work enhance and add interest to what we call the public realm, the street, sidewalks, terraces and front yards that are between building face to building face.  In an urban setting the enjoyment one gains from walking a street is to add to the urban experience.  In Minneapolis, things are different, the store fronts may be at the second, sky-walk level, rather than ground level, although some stores do both.

Sidewalk Art in Minneapolis

Outside Target Field, while on way to a Twins professional baseball game, there were some statues.  One statute was of TC, the bear who is the Twin's mascot.  Why they don't have two, or twin bears as the mascot is a good question, but there is only one bear.  I did stop, however, and had to have some fun by having a photograph taken with the TC statue. I was not the only adult getting a photo with a bear statute, I may have been the oldest, but not the only.  I wonder who gets photographed more, TC or the Mary Tyler Moore statute?  Funny, what a sitcom can do for a city, Minneapolis has MTM, and Milwaukee has the Fonz.  MTM recognizes the millennial, young professional nature of Minneapolis, and the Fonz foretold a story of working class America at the height of its manufacturing prowess. 

More Minneapolis Sidewalk Art

Walking to catch the bus I noticed art work embedded in the sidewalk, and on manhole (or for the gender neutral types:  maintenance hole covers.  Finding art on manhole covers is not new, it has been around since Roman times, when in Rome, they may have been emblazoned with SPQR (The Senate and People of Rome).  Many cities have their own standard form now often sporting their city logo.  A ground version of what Madison places on the bridge.  But, what is not generally seen is the art work embedded in the sidewalk.  This was not standard pavement changes of texture or color to add interest.  On our short trek to the bus stop I saw concrete sidewalk art in two locations.  Of course, I had to photograph this art work, which is stepped on, plowed, swept, and, being in an urban area, spat upon.  While I was getting photographs, the others in the group marched ahead oblivious to my interest, or more likely thinking I am a bit odd for taking photographs of a paved surface.  I don't think they found the sidewalk art as interesting as did I.  Would they have walked by Bert's sidewalk chalk art in Mary Poppins?  Or would Bert's use of colors have drawn them into a magical world with merry-go-rounds, and tea?

If you look down at the ground all the time
you can miss some pretty neat things, too

Being in an urban area, there are buses.  Having photographed one piece of sidewalk art, and hurried to catch up with my group when I stepped into the bus lane.  My wife said I was almost hit by the oncoming bus.   I say, I saw it stopping.  This little tidbit is only included to please my wife, since she knew a blog post was coming and she said, "when you write your blog don't forget to mention how you were almost hit by a bus after photographing a sidewalk."  I not only look to always please my wife, but to also obey.

2000 + year old Roman Road, Gerash, Jordan (2013)
The Romans knew something about the public realm

As one walks it may well do to pay attention to the little things.  You may find some artwork or store front that pleases, or you find unique.  You may come across something that will brighten your day.  Or, you may be enraged, but art work is not meant to always be antiseptic and appeal to the masses like TC, it can be weird, like the Nails' Tales art work near the UW Field House  and Camp Randall Stadium.  Or, you may come across some art work in the ground, at shoe level, where Ellis says few seem to look, or really appreciate what they see.  After all, we walk on the ground and know where we walk.