I was walking with my daughter along the bike paths on the Neponset river. The Neponset river was the river that the pilgrims sailed up for there second landing place in Milton , and a major salmon spawning ground and fishing place for the Neponset Indians Shortly after the mouth of the river became industrialized by Bakers chocolate factory and well the rest is history. In the 60's when the factory shut down and all of lower mills fell into disrepair, abandoned and well the village turned to shit .
Fast forward in this story and in history , they are now high end condo's. YOu know the kind with huge 3 story arched windows that were once let light into the factory floor now reflect the sun that glimmers off the river and the kind that light up at night and show off the wealth of their owners by showing everything and everyone inside. In this case rich retirees glanced up across 100 foot expanse of the river while finishing there meal to see the movement of my daughter riding her bike with her Papa Jogging after her. For the briefest of moment the consciousness of the other and a smile from us both connected to individuals and crossed any boundary that may make us different .
It was reminded of the warm happy feeling I had , when I was a kid , maybe 8 or so my family would drive to NH from Long Island , It was a 6 hour drive but it was, as one might expect, the first hour that was most exciting for me . The high light in this 8 year old's mind was going through the city before you got to Connecticut.
Connecticut well that was a long horrible part , But I digress and that can be saved for other incredibly gripping blog .
One of my favorite things was a drive past the city . It wasn't so much seeing Manhattan glitter in the distance that I liked, it was the tall buildings that we would pass while on the New England Through way (95n) as we drove past the Bronx and New Rochelle .
With chin on the window edge of the old station wagon, I would scan the tall buildings for signs of life . IN these memories It is dusk or night and lights were coming on , shades were being pulled and you could see the inside of the apartments , you would see a life , someone else's, life. Something about seeing someone pass in front of the window or at the sink or sitting at the table made me , smile . with in the same few minutes As we passed New Rochelle we would go through a tunnel and through the fenced opening on the left I would see a park as if in a strobe , glimpses of flowering trees and people walking and in all of these instances , I would instantly see some of the lives continue in there extra Ordinary ways, with a tv show or with their families and I would have a melancholy longing for knowing them . "Over there is better" is a phrase that comes up for me . I don't know if I made it up but, "This here is not good enough, Over there is better " . Maybe its a addicts thinking maybe its everyone's way of thinking I'm not sure but in this case , it is and was my way of thinking .
Fast forward back to just the other day , as two strangers energy touched I was reminded of those days and the lack of tribalism of them and us.
The other thing I thought of was , Those people in the apartments 45 years ago , were a snap shot of a moment , and an entire life continued for all of them. They loved and lost they grew and fell , they had disappointment and immense happiness . What other words can you cram into an entire life , they lived and grew up some grew old, some died , surrounded by loved ones or alone . Babies in mothers arms are now in there 40's. Men and women who made heads turned have matured, have faded and were loved or hated . A whole novel for each person in every building , every building .
Buried in the ground and through out history are millions and millions of those stories, people who had love and the gift of life.
So you ask WTF does this have to do with art , my art , fuck if I know but its a window , and I'm lighting the room so you can see inside and have a snap shot of this artist. LIke my art I am letting you see through a window I hope I am shining a light on the dark corners of the psyche that everyone has.
