The Lobby by Chipka
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Description
I think that hotel lobbies are endlessly interesting places; not because there’s so much to do in them, but because they’re all a part of a globe-spanning neutral zone. They are neutral; and even if they reflect the dominant aesthetic tastes of one culture or another, those aesthetic tastes and assumptions are hard to pin down; the lobbies themselves are nightmares for anthropologists who tend to look at the artifacts of a culture as markers of what that culture values. Hotel lobbies don’t allow observers to pick up on the values of the culture they’ve just entered, nor do they allow travelers to cling to the values of the culture they’ve presumably just left.
This is the point, of course. Jetlag and culture shock are horrendous challenges to overcome, and whether one thinks of it or not, hotels are full of jetlagged, culture-shocked guests. (This makes me wonder why international hotels don’t leave complimentary green apples in the rooms. If you have jetlag, a green apple will help to slap your circadian rhythms in sync with your new environment. Smoking helps too…immensely so, but it’s politically incorrect to tell international travelers to smoke and eat an apple as soon as they land in their target country.) I suspect that hotel lobbies take the place of apples and cigarettes. They’re neutral places; they’re self-consciously anonymous; they are psychologically manipulative. In a way that I find amusing, they’re a bit like courtesans, cooing and whispering things to you…the things you desperately need to hear. And like courtesans, they will never, ever touch you.
As I enjoyed the onset of evening with my fellow Renderoisty Ninjas (including the very She-Ninja who first coined the term) I was struck by the impression that the lobby itself was a part of our gathering. I needed no further excuses to enjoy the companionship I’d been enjoying all day, but the lobby itself—like some strange, quasi-biological organism—shifted and adjusted to our presence. There were ambient sounds, but they weren’t too loud. The lighting (though striking) was dim enough to induce a sense of intimacy. Everything was intended to put hotel-guests at ease. The Westin Hotel lobby is a good one. It does it job, subtly with a hint of understated grace. It also put my friend Franz in a mood to wander. Franz never wandered until that day, but he returned after dinner.
I’ll probably always feel that big hotel lobbies are little more than fancy airlock/pressure-acclimation chambers that exist between countries and cultures. I’ll probably always find them fascinating. They are gorgeous examples of form following function, though their function is an esoteric thing, scarcely-if-ever considered. I’m interested in their evolution as well. As we stagger haphazardly into the depths of the 21st century, these room-sized artifacts are beginning to show a strange sort of evolution. They’re becoming strangely interactive, strangely “alive” in ways I can’t explain. I’m intrigued by this, though I don’t see myself spending time in such places. When I travel, jetlag and culture shock are parts of the experience for me, though I’ve only experienced culture shock upon my return to Chicago. And maybe it’s the absence of a need for such places that makes them so appealing to me.
***
I took this picture in the presence of the Renderosity Ninjas (all but Mark, who had another obligation, but he was still present in a way.) I was intrigued by the garish colors of the light, and by the way the blended into something other than garish. It was truly amazing to see such weird interior-design components working together to become both striking and bland. This is something I’ve only ever seen in hotel lobbies, it’s a strange tension that induces a bizarre sense of almost narcotic calm.
As always, thank you for viewing and reading and commenting, and I hope you're all having a great week.
Comments (22)
myrrhluz
Fascinating narrative! I obviously haven't been in enough hotel lobbies or been attentive enough when there. Excellent composition and POV. Love how the branches in the foreground direct the eye. Beautiful shot!
ToniDunlap
Cool environment this one would like finding herself there enjoying. It's a wonderful shot. Thanks for sharing Chip.
KatesFriend
I love your use of the word "courtesan", this is so apt. I've always wondered about the sensation I feel in such places and courtesan seems the right word. A lobby can be so seductive. And not just because the establishment is trying to put its best foot forward. I remember traveling to New Orleans about 10 years ago. The Bourbon St. hotel where I stayed had a small but inviting lobby. As such you could listen in on the casual conversations of all the other visitors. It's like standing at a cross roads where so many cultures both personal and collective spill into your lap from the cacoffiny of words. Some understandable and many other foreign but no less intriguing. And all one has to do is sit in one of those big comfy chairs (I'm a small person) and let it flow over you. Beautiful photograph too, the colours always gab me and the fluid lines of the green life forms (unless they are fake) certainly would put a traveler at ease.
MrsLubner
Very elegant view and well seen.
auntietk
I not only didn't GET this shot, I didn't even SEE this shot! By the time we got back to the hotel and sat in the lobby on Saturday, I was tired, missing Mark, sad that Dave and Cheri and Juanita had to leave, wanting to make the most of every minute we had left together. My trips through the lobby were usually trips through and in the company of other people. I would imagine you shot this in the wee hours of the morning as you were leaving the hotel, when everything was quiet and neutral. I love your description of this comfortable and impersonal semi-public space, and this photograph ROCKS! Aside from the mood you've conveyed, this is just a damn fine image. Perspective, lighting, depth, color ... everything about this kicks a$$. Excellent work!
beachzz
All I can do is sigh, wishing we were still there, filling that space with some of the most incredible energy I've very felt in my life. As Tara said, it HAD been along day, but I was still felt like I wanted it to last forever. We hit the streets in search of redheads, music, and anything else that might come our way. We found the redhead, though we didn't hear her music. That's just the way it goes sometimes. But again, I digress. This is a great shot--even Kafka was there, wandering around in his own little world. It was a very good day.
faroutsider
Fantastic photo! Hotel lobbies are not my favourite places.... Have the Ninjas discovered the power of invisibility or are they just somewhere else...?
helanker
Oh looking at this beautiful shot and reading about it... well now I will never go such a place without thinking about jetlag and apples. Now I feel I was there too. Especially when i also read Taras and Marilyns comments :-) I like this shot very much.
Meisiekind
Most wonderfully seen through your lens and perspective Chip! You just have to make the ordinary completely extraordinary! Wonderful image and narration! :)
claude19
I really enjoyed your dialectical hotels where foreign travelers arrive. I am more sensitive than my travels in Africa or France, have never taken an aspect of foreign travel. How Foreigners can they collect the hotel seems like a good question. In France, the first area that requires a brand to a hotel! A hotel des Champs Elysées, will not have the same culture as a decorative small hotel 2 * of the fifteenth arrondissement. In addition, as you explain, it seems, some hotels are owned by groups worldwide. In the latter case, they must give an image of the company owner ... around the world. In other cases, the large luxury hotels, can enhance the work of designers and artists from countries where they are located ... In any case, even if some artists live permanently in a hotel, they will make the distinction between the lobby and apartments ... A feature by cons, the default is that you tell ... garish lights! Sincerely CLAUDE
flora-crassella
wonderful light! Great picture!!!
durleybeachbum
An intensely stimulating 'ooze', Chip! As I'm not a traveller I've been spared much experience of these places, so all the more interesting to read this and see your splendid pic!
ladyraven23452
love it.
MagikUnicorn
WOW LOVE THIS
hipps13
wonderful work warm hugs, Linda
kgb224
Outstanding capture and more wonderful writing my friend.
MrsRatbag
Wonderful observations, as always; I've always loved hotel lobbies, they hold such a feeling of anticipation...
elfin14doaks
Ah yes the lobby at the Westin. Great shot. I loved sitting there and just talking. I think Dave and I could have sat there with you all for the entire night. The whole day was like a gathering of longtime friends. Never once did I feel like I was meeting you in person for the first time. This is a great shot. I love how you took it from behind those alien plant life forms they had as center pieces on the cocktail tables.
gypsyflame
I read this with great interest Chip...I too am fascinated with hotel lobbies, each different in its own right...the sounds, the people, the lighting and aromas among other things. I wish I too could meet you, even back when I was "shahlaa" on here I've always taken a liking to you...maybe someday we will now that you're back in the states...thanks for sharing!
kasalin
Outstanding capture, dear Chip !!! Hugs Karin:)
blondeblurr
The first thing, that grabbed my attention, were those twisted tree branches, in the center. I have a very tall and slender vase with them in my house, as decoration and when friends comment and think it's an absolute stunner, I am inclined to agree so... Quite a focal point !... when I originally bought them, I was told that they are called 'tortured wood' because when wet and soaked, they are actually twisted into those shapes and then dried for sale. Can I have my green apple now, but no ciggy thanks ! Cheers BB
francinechristophe
I love hotel lobbies and it is a wonderful shot.