Miami's Welcome Mat -- The Pink Pussycat's Lewd Neon Humor

Club Pink Pussycat always welcomes me to Miami.  Whenever I take the bus from the airport, I am cheered -- truly happy -- to see the colors and broad humor of this strip club (see photo to left, with the bus windows appropriately steamed).  I, too, like the eponymous pink feline sitting in a most improbably (for a cat) position.  

During the day, the building loses the lurid benefit of neon.  The Pink Pussycat, however, holds its own.  It is bright and colorful in the strong South Florida sun.    

I have been visiting the city for years, and still take pictures of this place if I have my camera handy.  I must be easily amused by the non-subtle humor of this place. 

The Importance of Being Foolish -- Public Performances as Low-Cost Therapy

I mean this with no disrespect to the performers involved:  Being foolish in public is a public service.  Last week I went to the Parlour, a bar in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood.  Part of the entertainment was performances by two women, Rocco Granite and Saucy Cocteau (top and bottom photos, respectively).  Rocco's performance was in the vein of drag, with over-the-top emotion.  Ms. Cocteau's was a combination exercise video/strip-tease.  In every case, I knew I was witnessing something special.

 
Part of the beauty of communal life is the catharsis of the ridiculous.  Unlike watching comedy privately, you are invited to share in being foolish as well.  What a relief!  For this, I thank Rocco Granite, Saucy Cocteau, their fellow performers and the bars and nightclubs that host them.

Coffee Art

If life is powered by sugar, sex, and coffee, these images may be close to pornographic.  

(The photos are of various coffee drinks.  Specifically, they are mochas and, probably, one latte, seen around Chicago.  The top mocha is from Uncommon Ground.  The others are likely from Intelligentsia).

Andrew Makes a Collar -- Fun Fur and a Key Chain for Winter Warmth

A few weeks ago I purchased some white “fun” (i.e. synthetic) fur.  It has come in handy in the recent Chicago cold.  As a cyclist, I frequently wear a neck gator, effectively just the collar portion of a turtle neck shirt.

I decided to make a collar from this fabric, sewing it into a tube and connecting it at one point.  Not wanting to undermine the fabric, I used a broken key chain to reinforce the connection. The key chain is a gift from a cousin, a fan of Crvena Zvezda, or Red Star, one of Serbia's premier soccer teams.

This brings up a recurring question:  What should one do with broken souvenirs?  I have a collection of small objects that no longer function as they were intended.  They end up out of sight, no longer providing the source of inspiration that a souvenir can.  In this case, I was able to incorporate it into something else of use, something fun that reminds me of my cousin and Belgrade.

The "fur", the Communist origin of the soccer club's logo, and its shape give the collar a Dr. Zhivago look.  It is a shade more feminine than I would like, but it is warm and starts conversations.

Vibrant and Vibrating Art -- New Installation by BJ Krivanek at the Brown Line's Chicago Avenue Station

On a recent wintery day, leaving the Brown Line at Chicago Avenue, I was greeted by the sight at left (view of the east platform).  My first reaction was that I was looking at a remarkably colorful and dynamic advertisement.  Then I thought it had something to do with Christmas or the upcoming Chinese new year, due to the vibrant red and image on the left panel, which reads like half of an inverted double-happiness character (see middle photo).  

I realized it was an art installation.  By BJ Krivanek, Reflections>Expressions is part of a cooperative effort between the city of Chicago and the Chicago Transit Authority to add art to stations (see http://www.chicago-l.org/stations/chicago.html and http://www.krivanek-breaux.com/index.html).  In addition to the commercial and Chinese associations, this installation refers to music (treble and bass clefs), math (plus and sum signs, for example), money, and language.  This last subject appears to be a (re)new(ed) theme in current art (see http://andrewvesselinovitch.blogspot.com/2010/11/todd-palmers-dna-art.html).

A most interesting element is the delta symbol, the two equilateral triangles that appear as parts of panels two and three (from the left) and four and five.  Delta is the mathematical symbol for change.  This installation supports the notion that change is part of, or comes from, interaction, both with each other and our environment.  The single deltas are literally formed of two panels, each of which, in turn, appears to be composed of six smaller panels.  The panels themselves appear to be made of sheet metal and move with the vibrations of the passing trains and, of course, the wind.  Kinetic and colorful, this installation lives one of its possible messages.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, when I wrote this post I knew nothing about this work.  Unfortunately, because I like to know the artist's (stated) intent and any back-story.  Fortunately, because I can rely on my eyes and knowledge.  Since I wrote it, Mr. Krivanek has provided me with a statement.  I was particularly amused by the following assumption, which would drive the fabrication of the piece:  

Commissioned as part of the first system-wide renovation of the CTA Brown Line in exactly 100 years, this public art program is expected to survive a similar period of institutional neglect. Its design and fabrication is decidedly low-tech---mechanical pivot points that will never be lubricated, mirror-polished color-anodized surfaces that shed rain and will never be cleaned....

View of West Installation

(Accidental) Humor as Effective Communication -- The Neon Virgin at the Colégio Notre Dame Ipanema

Sometimes humor is intentional. Sometimes it is accidental. I believe that the facade of the Colégio Notre Dame Ipanema, in Rio de Janeiro, falls into the latter category.

Neon is my favorite lighting source. It carries an unusual combination of associations -- age, tawdriness, and festivity. I usually think of it as a marker of some sort of commerce -- liquor stores, dance halls, and other activities presented as unwanted in Frank Capra's film "It's a Wonderful Life".

The high school's Virgin is wonderful, bathed in the light of her neon halo. She stands guard over the children at the main entrance and does so with a wink. The Virgin is both modest and eye-catching. She must do both, living in a community known world-wide for the beauty of its residents.

Humor as Effective Communication -- Animais São Amigos, Não Comida

Humor can be a more effective way to get a message across than straightforward text. The image to the left, an appeal for the preservation of animals in Rio de Janeiro, is excellent in many regards. The leopard is eye-catching. It is muscular and menacing. The text to the left, "animals are friends, not food", is both the punch line (Who is eating whom? Can we be cuddly friends?) and poignant. The cat needs our help, if not from literal consumption, then from our voracious destruction of its (and our) home.

Guatemala's Rich Public Places -- Tikal's Gran Plaza

The Gran Plaza in Tikal, Guatemala, is a space that is unusual in many regards. I will mention just two. The first is that it survives, or is revived, as a social space. Tikal is the ruin of a Mayan city that was effectively abandoned in the ninth century. The continuing, albeit limited, use of the Gran Plaza is very interesting. On Christmas day I saw many Guatemalan families (they appeared to be Mayan) picnicking or otherwise relaxing in the Gran Plaza (see the video of groups using this space, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBIz6-XhN5w). Jeff, the friend with whom I was traveling, approached the plaza at a different time that same day. He said that before he got to it, he could hear a hubbub coming from the Gran Plaza.

The second way in which it is unusual is physically. The proportions of the square are much different from what I would expect in a US or European city (which is mostly what I have experienced). The volume defined by the structures is more vertical.

The Gran Plaza is defined by two pyramid-shaped temples to the east and west and two complexes of smaller buildings to the north and south. The space between the temples' steps, the part closest to the other, is approximately 200 feet, as is the distance between the rises to the north and south (see the plan of the Gran Plaza, with the defined square highlighted in gray). The temples themselves had risen (there has been more or less loss of height over the last thousand years) almost 150 feet.

(Compare the heights and distances between structures with the Parque Central in Antigua, for example. The latter has four times the surface area of the Gran Plaza and is surrounded mostly by two-story buildings (see http://andrewvesselinovitch.blogspot.com/2010/12/guatemalas-rich-public-places-antiguas.html).)

The pyramids of Tikal are composed of three sections (see the first and last photos, of Temple I and Temple II, respectively). The base occupies the lowest part of the pyramid and is the largest section. The actual temple is a much smaller section that sits on top of the base. The top of the pyramid is the roofcomb, which is often taller than the temple.

The volume of the plaza may have an unusual cultural (if intentionally done) or poetic (if not) meaning. The base of Temple I is built in nine levels. According to Mayan scholar Mary Ellen Miller, this "probably refer(s) to the nine levels of the Mesoamerican underworld, where a king would descend to its nadir, only to rise up once again" (Maya Art and Architecture, p. 40). The arrangement of the structures around the Gran Plaza implies, in volume, an inverted base of a pyramid that is as tall as the others, but with a "platform" (the ground) much larger than any of them (see the east-west section through the Gran Plaza and the panoramic photo from the south).

The platform is where the temple rests. If the ground level of the Gran Plaza is the platform of an implied inverted base, the pyramid's "temple" would be underground. The trip to the underworld begins right here, under our feet.

For some of the background material for this post, I must thank two resources: Tikal: Guia de las Antiguas Ruinas Mayas (1971) by William R. Coe; and Maya Art and Architecture (1999), by Mary Ellen Miller.

Guatemala's Rich Public Places -- Antigua's Parque Central

Sunday afternoon, the day after Christmas, I saw Antigua's Parque Central in full-force. Hundreds of people were there in the hour before sunset, listening to music, eating food from vendors, and in general seeing and being seen (see a snippet of the crowd listening to a Spanish version of "Jingle Bells", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X7hry4dOtA). This was the Latin American square I had heard about and had not before seen. I returned a few times and the park was always busy (see a video of the park at night, with only Christmas lights for illumination, filled with conversation, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dMBcBmlU-I).

What made Parque Central so active? Certainly, Guatemalan society must be predisposed to public socializing. The square also has a number of fine design and programming elements that support its use as a communal living room.

William Whyte, in his observations of public spaces, proposed that a number of elements must be present for them to be successful. These include water, food, seating, and what he called "triangulation", or some sort of attraction that can create a bond between strangers. The Parque Central has these elements.

On Sunday afternoon the entire western edge of the park grounds was lined with food vendors. At other times, there were at least ice cream vendors. These latter would contribute to the aural environment of the square through their bells (see video of the park as seen from the cathedral porch, with the ambient sound of the vendors, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu3u_GW4ClY).

The seating in and around the square is abundant and, in one particular instance, ingenious. The Palacio del Ayuntamiento (city hall), at the east end of the north side of the square, is raised above the park and has a covered arcade in front of it. Both features are exploited for seating.

Within the arcade and against the wall of the building is an almost continuous stone bench. It provides a covered and shaded resting spot from which to watch the activities in the square. To reach the arcade from the street, there are a few steps. Unshaded, but closer to the action in the square, the stairs are also used for seating (see the last two photos).

The triangulation is a bit harder to measure and is, in part, cultural. What may pique one person's interest may be different from another's. On Sunday, in addition to the band and food, there were horse rides available and an itinerant clown. There is also the beauty and the activity of the cathedral, to the east of the park, city hall, and the attraction of the businesses on the north and west sides.

While this spot has been a public place since the founding of Antigua in the 16th century, until the 20th it had been a hardscape. Only in the last century did it acquire vegetation, the most recent incarnation of the park having been executed in the 1990s. The presence of trees for shade, at a minimum, makes the Parque Central a more welcoming place for recreation than it would have been without them.

Whatever its past, the Parque Central is now, though design, commercial use, and cultural attitude towards public recreation, a very successful place. Maybe we can emulate it to create good public places in the United States.

Some of the background information on the park I found in the following two publications: "Antigua Guatemala: The city and Its Heritage", by Elizabeth Bell, and "Antigua: Su Historia, Monumentos, Personajes, Sucedidos y Leyendas", by Rafael Alvarez Polanco.

Guatemala's Rich Public Places -- Bazares Navideños/Christmas Markets

Guatemala City's bazares navideños, or Christmas markets, are another example of how simple changes to public spaces can make them more sociable. As part of the Paseo de la Sexta project, a decision was made to move street vendors from Sixth Avenue (Avenida Sexta). Since street vendors are often not valued by authorities, I wondered -- Would they have a place where they could succeed and from which the broader community would benefit?

The design of the market and its location are very good. As in Paseo de la Sexta, simple and low-cost materials are well-used. The market is defined by banners and brightly-colored fabric suspended from scaffolding. The fabric makes some shade, can be seen from a distance, and becomes a "roof", defining the market space beneath it (see top photo and video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-5FaYvRl-U, of the market along 19th Street).

The market also straddles the city's new Transmetro bus station at Plaza Barrios (see bottom photo). Transmetro buses draw passengers because they run faster than traditional Guatemala City ones, in part because the stops are less frequent. This feature concentrates more passengers at fewer stops, giving the market the advantage of having a larger number of people in the vicinity. The station is also attractive and has a physical presence, unlike typical bus stops, giving the market an added legitimacy.

The answer to my questions is "yes".

Guatemala's Rich Public Places -- Paseo de La Sexta

A few days ago I arrived in Guatemala and have learned of some exceptional public places. The first example is Guatemala City's Paseo de la Sexta, a comfortable and vibrant street (see video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKA02WwkBz4). It seems this was achieved with relatively simple changes.

Avenida Sexta (Sixth Avenue) in the city's center, Zona 1, is its historic shopping street. Like cities in the United States, it seems to have had some of its energy drained through duplicative retail development at the periphery. The pedestrian in Zona 1 also suffers from narrow sidewalks and exposure to high-speed traffic.

Avenida Sexta, between 8th and 18th streets, now has a high-quality experience for the pedestrian. Finished this year (see bottom photo of the utility cover, dated 2010), the street has wider sidewalks than the rest in the neighborhood, seating, and public art. Perhaps to mark the Christmas season, white lights were strung overhead for the entire ten-block length (see middle photo). At regular intervals are banners explaining particular improvements around the city or points of interest (see top photo, introducing new Christmas markets). While there is a marked bus lane, Avenida Sexta was open only to pedestrians the times I was there.

The project's name, "Paseo", indicates that the changes to Avenida Sexta are an attempt make this street more sociable. The improvements are about walking, being seen, and interacting with fellow residents and visitors. This was one of the most vibrant places I saw in the capital. It was the most happy.

Make Chicago's Broadway More Social -- Remove Lanes and Add Landscaping, Seating, and Kiosks

The best practice today is to have urban streets with no more than three moving lanes (one for each direction of travel and a shared one for turning). The city of Chicago recently rebuilt sidewalks and reconfigured the roadway on a stretch of Broadway in Uptown. Instead of converting some of this overly wide right-of-way to more people-friendly uses, the street gained travel lanes.

Three lane streets are safer than those with more lanes and can carry about as many motor vehicles. Having more encourages constant lane switching, each maneuver an opportunity for a crash. In the new configuration on Broadway, there are as many as six moving lanes (see middle photo, looking north from Montrose Avenue).

Broadway could be Chicago's Lincoln Road (in Miami Beach) or Ramblas (in Barcelona). Limiting the travel lanes to three, one could create a wide median that would have room landscaping, places to sit, and kiosks for small businesses (see the top and bottom images of a proposal for the median at Broadway and Argyle Street). Let's make Broadway a living room, market place, and garden for Uptown.

No Longer "Live" from Art Basel Miami Beach -- The W Hotel Opens up the Ocean

The W Hotel and Residences (Costas Kondylis & Partners, 2008) is a very nice addition to the Miami Beach waterfront. It continues a long tradition of buildings with windows or balconies angled to capture more of an ocean view (which is to the right in this photo). A notable example of this type was the Americana Hotel (recently demolished) in Bal Harbour by Morris Lapidus. What would otherwise be a relatively simple glass box is made more three-dimensional with an overlaid pattern of extruded concrete rectangles.

The W replaces and improves upon an Holiday Inn (which had a charm of its own). The older hotel effectively blocked access to the ocean from 23 Street. While there was a path from Collins Avenue to the beachwalk, the building occupied most of the lot and gave the impression of impermeability. The siting of the W opens up 23 Street, at least visually, east of Collins (see diagram, below). This invites passers by to look for, and find, a way to the ocean. Very nice.

"Live" from Art Basel Miami Beach -- Isabella Rossellini's Straight-Shooting Films at the Wolfsonian

The Wolfsonian-FIU museum is showing Isabella Rossellini's "Green Porno" and "Seduce Me" films. They are wonderful. These short films are clear and humorous summaries of the mating behaviors of different animals (snakes, deer, spiders, etc.).

Visually, the films have spare backgrounds, Ms. Rossellini and perhaps another actor, and a few props. The props appear to be made of construction paper (see photo of a similar object on display at the Wolfsonian) and are both convincing and disarmingly simple in appearance.

In message, Ms. Rossellini makes no effort to have the animals' behavior conform to the myth that the universe consists of the heterosexual couple. The animals are what they are -- hermaphrodites, sex-changers, violent, or sensual. The humor is largely derived from this directness. For example, second-place combatant male deer copulate while a doe (Ms. Rossellini) waits for her turn with the winning buck.

"Live" from Art Basel Miami Beach -- Courtyard Motels Make Great Galleries

I very much enjoyed this year's Aqua Art Miami show at the Aqua Hotel in Miami Beach. The art was good -- much of it was executed with skill. In addition, a good deal of the enjoyment came from the venue, a hotel in a motel form that surrounds a courtyard (see middle photo of half the hotel and courtyard).

The very feature that makes motels uncomfortable for (non-exhibitionistic) guests is what makes this type of building good for commerce: The primary widows line the passageways. In a motel, this means that guests frequently keep curtains tightly drawn and passers-by avert their eyes.

In a commercial use, looking is encouraged. At the Aqua show, each room housed a gallery. The relationship between the window and the passageways allowed prospective customers to peer into each room and see the inventory, without having to make the commitment to come inside. This increases the chance that someone will become a buyer.

The benefit of this relationship was evidenced numerous times by visitors looking though windows (see top photo of a typical reaction). In some cases, conversations took place through the window, a contemporary version of a Vermeer-like scene (see bottom photo of the window of the room housing the Decorazon gallery).

"Live" from Art Basel Miami Beach -- "Pass-Through" Dining Enlivens the Street

Outdoor eating is rightly believed to enliven a street. Being outside can also make eating more fun for patrons. Miami has a number of eating establishments that take advantage of very small spaces with a variation on a sidewalk cafe. This variation is serving people using a pass-through or having people eat at a counter where the food preparation is done inside and the customer eats outside.

An excellent example is La Sandwicherie, on 14th Street and Collins Court (effectively, an alley that runs parallel to Collins and Washington avenues) in Miami Beach. La Sandwicherie is less than 10 feet deep (see bottom photo of its short side), which includes work space, storage, and a passageway. Patrons sit on stools or stand at the counter, under the protection (if necessary) of an awning (see middle photo).

"Yes, Andrew, this is very nice for a warm climate like Miami's". Yes, Miami's weather (short of the hurricanes) is conducive for this type of restaurant design. However, there is ample evidence that people are willing to eat outdoors in much cooler weather. Just look at the success of cafes in Paris during non-summer months. Find a busy crevice in a temperate climate where people are hungry, and this type of design might work for most of the year.