As Sarah and I started traveling around the city using NYC's extensive subway system we started taking pictures of the designs and tiling that are throughout the stations. I was reminded of something cultural writer Andy Crouch said at the "Transforming Culture" conference in April. Well, it was actually something he asked..."Why do we put paper on our walls or paint them in colors?" There seems to be no apparent need for us to do such things. Does it really advance our personal health to pick "Tangerine Orange" or "flocked" wallpapering (which Sarah really likes) to put on our walls?
Good questions. Stop and take a look at your walls. Are they all the same color? Do you have stuff hanging on them? Why?I think the designers of the NYC Subway system knew something about human experience...humans need beauty. You need beauty. Imagine if all our walls were the same color? We need to get away from what author Robert Barron called "our beige existence" (thank you Ian, for introing me to Mr Barron's work).
Maybe you need to paint a wall or find a wallpaper you like and use it? It isn't an accident that the Jerusalem to come will be paved in gold and adorned in gleaming precious stones.
3 comments:
yeah yeah, colors are nice - but take a look at that R in University. That's a nice R.
You don't like that "C" from the "Canal Street" stop. That's a strong "C".
My favorite subway art is the Prince R stop... I'm not going to tell you what it looks like... find it.
I have a friend that's been commissioned to do a station in queens!
Post a Comment