7 + 15 points
Mass transit 42 second friends by Libris Craft
August 1st, 2012 12:53 PM
I did it! But... I have no picture to post ( see post script for more information).
See, I live in a midsize town with barely functioning public transportation. So, knowing I was going to NYC, and would be riding public transportation everywhere, I resolved to do this task*.
On the Uptown 1 subway back to the hotel one night, there we a charming group of travelers who were practicing (and teaching each other) hand whistling, a skill I admire. I smiled at them. They smiled back.
"Hey, this is a little bit of an odd question", I said, "But would you all be willing to be my friends for 42 seconds, and take a picture for my art project**?"
They agreed! I introduced myself, with my name, and hometown. Two of them were from New York, the other two were visiting from Seattle. They asked what we were doing, and I told them we were planning on going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They told us about the visiting exhibit on the roof, and to wear pants (not skirts), because of the breeze and the mirrors. Also, we would need to get tickets. I was very happy, and got my traveling companion to take our picture, me with my owl notebook "To prove this is for the project."
I returned to my seat, and thanked them again for being my friends for a few minutes. The guy who was sitting next to me spoke up: "If you can make friends for 42 seconds ANYWHERE it's New York."
"I think you are right," I replied. "Would you like to be my friend too?"
He agreed, and We introduced our selves. He was from New Jersey, and liked living in the city. We posed for the picture, and I shook his hand. We pulled up to 86th Street, and he got out, yelling back "I'm not leaving because of you, this is my stop!"
" I know!" I replied. After all he was my friend.
Epilogue: Visiting Cloud City
After talking with my new friends about the exhibit on the roof of the Met, we had to go. So, Here are some pictures to try to show you how amazing it was. The hint to wear pants was completely necessary, and I thought fondly of my friends as I climbed through the sculpture. I couldn't take pictures in the sculpture (no cameras allowed) but I did (with my new card) get some pictures from the ground.
One angle to show the structure, and the mirrors and lexan construction.
Me, and my book owl reflected in the sculpture.
My Book Owl, reflected. The inside of each of these polygons was like this.
In short, if you get a chance to go to New York City this summer, take some time to see this exhibit.
Post Script: Why there is no photographic evidence.
My camera had a bad memory card. I discovered this the next day, and cried. All the photos I had taken for the past week (including other tasks) were gone. The card wiped itself as soon as the camera was turned off. I thought about making new friends, and taking more pictures with the new card I got, but I didn't want to. I had fulfilled my task, and even with the pictures missing, I wanted to recognize the kind people who were my friends, if only for 42 seconds on the subway.
So I drew, (I'm no artist) my best memory of what the pictures looked like. Here it is: the picture of the photographs wiped from my camera by a trick of electronics.
* I also wanted to tag a pigeon, but time and traveling companions did not permit. :(
** Quickest way to get complete strangers to help you? Tell them it is an art project. And it is even true, since living life is an art, and so is tasking.
See, I live in a midsize town with barely functioning public transportation. So, knowing I was going to NYC, and would be riding public transportation everywhere, I resolved to do this task*.
On the Uptown 1 subway back to the hotel one night, there we a charming group of travelers who were practicing (and teaching each other) hand whistling, a skill I admire. I smiled at them. They smiled back.
"Hey, this is a little bit of an odd question", I said, "But would you all be willing to be my friends for 42 seconds, and take a picture for my art project**?"
They agreed! I introduced myself, with my name, and hometown. Two of them were from New York, the other two were visiting from Seattle. They asked what we were doing, and I told them we were planning on going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They told us about the visiting exhibit on the roof, and to wear pants (not skirts), because of the breeze and the mirrors. Also, we would need to get tickets. I was very happy, and got my traveling companion to take our picture, me with my owl notebook "To prove this is for the project."
I returned to my seat, and thanked them again for being my friends for a few minutes. The guy who was sitting next to me spoke up: "If you can make friends for 42 seconds ANYWHERE it's New York."
"I think you are right," I replied. "Would you like to be my friend too?"
He agreed, and We introduced our selves. He was from New Jersey, and liked living in the city. We posed for the picture, and I shook his hand. We pulled up to 86th Street, and he got out, yelling back "I'm not leaving because of you, this is my stop!"
" I know!" I replied. After all he was my friend.
Epilogue: Visiting Cloud City
After talking with my new friends about the exhibit on the roof of the Met, we had to go. So, Here are some pictures to try to show you how amazing it was. The hint to wear pants was completely necessary, and I thought fondly of my friends as I climbed through the sculpture. I couldn't take pictures in the sculpture (no cameras allowed) but I did (with my new card) get some pictures from the ground.
One angle to show the structure, and the mirrors and lexan construction.
Me, and my book owl reflected in the sculpture.
My Book Owl, reflected. The inside of each of these polygons was like this.
In short, if you get a chance to go to New York City this summer, take some time to see this exhibit.
Post Script: Why there is no photographic evidence.
My camera had a bad memory card. I discovered this the next day, and cried. All the photos I had taken for the past week (including other tasks) were gone. The card wiped itself as soon as the camera was turned off. I thought about making new friends, and taking more pictures with the new card I got, but I didn't want to. I had fulfilled my task, and even with the pictures missing, I wanted to recognize the kind people who were my friends, if only for 42 seconds on the subway.
So I drew, (I'm no artist) my best memory of what the pictures looked like. Here it is: the picture of the photographs wiped from my camera by a trick of electronics.
* I also wanted to tag a pigeon, but time and traveling companions did not permit. :(
** Quickest way to get complete strangers to help you? Tell them it is an art project. And it is even true, since living life is an art, and so is tasking.
