18 April 2011

Rust, not sleeping


I read somewhere that humans have an astonishing ability to see faces in objects. Here's an example.

I love the colours of rust. I don't know whether it's the connotations — the reminder of impermanence, the recycling of things, the transition between states and so on — but I guess that doesn't matter. I just love the colours.


[9 April 2011, Panasonic Lumix GH1, 100–300 mm at 223 mm, ISO 200, 1/320 at f8]

All content © 2011 Pete McGregor

6 comments:

Relatively Retiring said...

The ability to see beauty where others see decay and destruction is a great gift.
My neighbour spent the weekend painting over just such a rust patch with filler, special paint, primer, top-coat, top top-coat, and was very busy and happy.

To each his own - but I can't see the face.

Clare said...

It never does.

Me from Cali said...

ANCIENT EYES

Almost too much time has passed
For me to declare at last:
Oh, the things I’ve seen
Though now wrinkled without luster and sheen
Yet, when these eyes even more rust through
Will we have a clearer view
Of how things and ourselves will be?
We’ll wait and see.

Barbara Butler McCoy said...

Now, I see eyes in the wall at one of the train stations here in Atlanta, but, sorry Pete, I don't see 'em here ;0 The color is magnificent, though. It seems to pulse and swell, and unlike Rel. Ret.'s neighbor I would happily leave it be.

AJB said...

I can see a face, not sure if it's the same oe others may be seeing though. Such is the nature of Pareidolia I guess.

pohanginapete said...

RR, Barbara, Andrew — the most obvious to me is the eye right in the middle; the face on the left is perhaps less obvious, and to see the third you have to look at a much broader scale. Not sure that makes sense...

RR, I might love rust, but I certainly admit it isn't always appropriate to let it do its thing (I'd rather not have it in bridges I'm crossing, for example). I'm sure your neighbour has a perfectly well-rationalised reason ;^)

Clare, maybe I should have called this The Insomnia of Ferruginous Matter and sold it in a high class gallery? If it's good enough for Damien Hirst...

Paul, thanks for the response! Great to think it's prompting acts of creation in others :^)

Barbara, one of the good things about this rust is that it's entirely appropriate where it is — no temptation for anyone to cover it.

Andrew, thanks for the word! I'll make a point of remembering it, and will pass it on to other friends — I know at least two who'll appreciate it.