The View From Our Windows

[Brendan]

The wicked witch of the South, killed when a wheelchair ramp fell on her.

[Moos]

*wells up*

That really is beautiful, *Bob*. I don't know what to say. As a metaphor for our times... this cynical critic who thought she'd seen it all is quite overcome. The dying greenery struggling to breathe above the concrete. The way the shoes seem to be huddling together, lost, abandoned. Their soft roundness in stark contrast to the sharp lines of pavement and ramp. The artist has wisely chosen not to include the almost-clich?d dog turd as a focal point, but its absence hovers in the atmosphere. The suggestion that - maybe - the ramp leads to something - what? We are left wondering. Is there hope? Why are the shoes pointing away from the ramp? So much to say in such a simple image.

[*Bob*]

How about this one?

[Moos]

Well, that's just pretentious shite.

[Santerme]

brum Wrote:

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> Do you live in a tree-house in a park, Santerme?

Funnily enough I am only a thirty minute drive from Monkey World!!!!

[steveo]

No it's not the Serengeti

[*Bob*]

Gatwick Aiport, April '08

[LegalEagle-ish]

Your taste in shoes leaves a lot to be desired, *Bob*!

[brum]

Santerme - Life is full of quirky coincidences ;-)

[brum]

Moos Wrote:

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> *wells up*

>

> That really is beautiful, *Bob*. I don't know

> what to say. As a metaphor for our times... this

> cynical critic who thought she'd seen it all is

> quite overcome. The dying greenery struggling to

> breathe above the concrete. The way the shoes

> seem to be huddling together, lost, abandoned.

> Their soft roundness in stark contrast to the

> sharp lines of pavement and ramp. The artist has

> wisely chosen not to include the almost-clich?d

> dog turd as a focal point, but its absence hovers

> in the atmosphere. The suggestion that - maybe -

> the ramp leads to something - what? We are left

> wondering. Is there hope? Why are the shoes

> pointing away from the ramp? So much to say in

> such a simple image.

A sublime description if I may say, Moos. Although you didn't mention what could be the most poignant metaphor of all: the two vacant footprints set in the concrete ramp... does this mean the shoes were displaced from their original position? if so, why? How? Was it through choice??

[sanity girl]

Right now there is a bird of prey (sorry, not sure what kind, will try and take a photo) sitting outside my office window, scaring off the pigeons and crows. It's brought in occasionally for pest control

[brum]

It must be one of those 'Community' birds. Does it wear a blue cap?

[*Bob*]

The Heaver Estate, Balham...

[Moos]

brum Wrote:

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...Although you didn't mention what could be the most poignant metaphor of all: the two vacant footprints set in the concrete ramp... does this mean the shoes were displaced from their original position? if so, why? How? Was it through choice??

brum, wow, thank you very much for your contribution... truly the art and the viewer interfacing in the most profound manner imaginable. For me you have become part of Bob's vision! But back to your point - so much rich detail.. I have been gazing in wonder since Bob posted and yet somehow that passed me by. The footprints are so tender, so uncertain - like many of us, they lack definite direction. So often we leap away from the constraints of our lives (here so movingly symbolised by the shoes), but cannot find a guiding path and wander away, trapped by our own myriads of choices. There's just more and more the more we look, isn't there?

Much though I hesitate to sully the purity of the artist's integrity, I feel convinced he could make a tidy packet selling posters of the image to students and other open-minded seekers after knowledge. Have you considered selling the rights to the series, *Bob*?

[brum]

I say I say I say, why did the shoe cross the road?

Because it wanted to get on the foot path.

[*Bob*]

Moos Wrote:

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Have you considered selling the rights

> to the series, *Bob*?

I'm two short for my annual calendar for family and friends.

[????]

Sell that one you did of the tennis player scratching her ar*se *bob*...I'm sure there's money in that.

[brum]

Here's one for your calendar, bob. Copyright rules apply. It's called: The Gate Escape....

[daizie]

if only you all knew how significant these shoe postings are to me personally.. this forum throws up far to many coincidencies for me to ignore, there must be a higher power at work

[Moos]

Daizie! They're not your shoes, are they?

[jimmy two times]

Yes she's a kind of downmarket cinderella. Bring it round to her house and get her to try it on.

[*Bob*]

brum Wrote:

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> Here's one for your calendar, bob. Copyright rules

> apply. It's called: The Gate Escape....

You're not allowed to stage shoe pics, Brum. That's against the rules.

[brum]

Damn it Bob, how did you know it was staged??!

[brum]

daizie Wrote:

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> if only you all knew how significant these shoe

> postings are to me personally.. this forum throws

> up far to many coincidencies for me to ignore,

> there must be a higher power at work

Can you explain? How very intriguing.....

[*Bob*]

brum Wrote:

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> Damn it Bob, how did you know it was staged??!

I'm an expert.. when it comes to abandoned shoes..