Big Suds

A few years ago when Mrs. C and I visited Tibet, our plane landed outside Lhasa. Our group went to lunch at a little restaurant nearby. The first advertising sign I saw in the Tibetan countryside was for Budweiser. The picture of a beer can said "Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis MO USA." 

Not sure why I've posted few pictures of one of The Lou's most famous institutions. Maybe because I don't drink much beer (and when I do it's usually the main local microbrew, not the maxibrew). Maybe it's because the place isn't that photogenic except for this iconic sign. Management recently tore down the decades-old neon sign and replaced it with an energy-efficient LED version.

There are some bizarre decorative details scattered around. The beast below looks like a wolf in German garb, gnawing a bone with a stein of Bud at the ready. Does this say something about the taste of the designers and perhaps the taste of the beer?                     

Dream On

There is no national lottery in the U.S., unlike most of Europe. But 44 of our states have one, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. An American variation is that groups of states have joint lotteries, making the jackpots much higher. Powerball and Mega Millions are the big ones.

This sign tells us that the Powerball jackpot is up to $400 million. That creates frenzy and the amount can rise quickly. Of course, your chances of winning are less than the odds of being hit by lightning X dying in a commercial airplane crash X being thrown into an active volcano by malicious Mesoamerican priests. Plus they cheat here: if you win you don't get that amount of money. The $400 mil is the sum of annuity payments over 20 years. If you want all the money now you get much less. Plus it's taxable. Some people call lotteries a tax on the stupid.

The second sign is for a local hospital, actually a very good one. I find it appalling that American hospitals - and sometimes individual doctors - feel the need to advertise and are permitted to do so. Guess who pays the marketing costs in the end. Another aspect of American healthcare, the most screwed up in the industrialized world.       

All You Need Is Love

John Lennon said that all you need is love. Last Friday's post told us that love is the answer. Who better to personify love than Eros, Greek god of the same? Igor Mitoraj's Eros Bendato (Eros Bound) is probably the most popular sculpture in Citygarden. The plinth is a gently sloping circle with water trickling down the surface. It is hollow - you can climb inside through the neck and kids can peek out through the eyes. It looks like something natural - sort of.

But then you have to try to understand it.  Was Eros bandaged or were his eyes and mouth deliberately covered at another time? Is it about repression of vision and speech, injury or perhaps death of love? And what's with that notch in the neck? And why are the eyes empty? (Greek sculpture used plain spheres for eyes. The Romans introduced carved irises and pupils. This is neither.)

I'm just askin'.                             

The Long View

When I'm unmotivated and out of ideas Citygarden is always good for a few images. It's four years now since it opened and even has its own iPhone app.

Most of the sculptures challenge the viewer. None are pretty; all require thought. So what's with Erwin Wurm's Big Suit? Headless, ludicrous in pink, standing on a formal pedestal like a hero. Read it as you will but read it closely. Personally, I wonder if it is making fun of all the businessmen and women in the surrounding office towers. Headless, eyeless, pompous, attempting to gaze over downtown with no chance of vision.                      

We Service Your Petroleum

Some strong graphics from the same area as yesterday's pictures. I particularly like the glass block in the lower left.

Too much week and I'm working today. Must find time to shoot.                        

SIgnage

If love is the answer, what if the question? I've wondered about that since it's a common phrase. Why don't we do it in the road? Who let the dogs out? What is your quest? What is the airspeed velocity of a swallow? (African or European?) All mysteries solved by love, which, of course, will create more mysteries.

These images are from the Mississippi River flood wall north of the Arch. The graffiti-permitted section is to the south. The subject of the second picture is another mystery. The only major action the city has taken in that area was to clear out a large homeless encampment, a place that had become a dangerous refuge. It's good to know that this is a municipality that keeps its promises.                  

Thursday Arch Series / The Streakers Downtown

The World Naked Bike Ride started on South Grand and then headed northeast through Benton Park and Soulard. The cyclists whizzed by the Arch, then west on Washington and Lindell to the Central West End. Then a final turn southeast with the ride ending in The Grove.

The WNBR has been around in many cities since 2004, although there are several that have lapsed. St. Louis has been doing it since 2008 and it gets bigger every year. The last time I shot it was in 2009. It was much smaller and no one was literally naked. Way more people this year. It was only a small fraction of the crowd but there were a number of people sans vêtements. And here, in St. Louis. There really is an edge to this city. Can't imagine this event in Cincinnati. 

That's it for this series. Gotta get back on the streets.