Reflection on a Bathroom Wall by Chipka
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Description
One of the pleasant surprises in life is the recognition of beauty during a moment of urinary necessity. It is important—I’ve learned—to be open to everything, at every possible moment of every possible day. You never know when an insect will do something amusing, when an alley cat will decide to re-invent the Polka while stalking moths, or when a mirror on a bathroom wall will show something often associated with rooms other than cramped little water closets with really expensive toilet paper dispensers mounted to really cheap walls.
As I sit in the Jazz-infused atmosphere of The Perfect Cup—a nicely casual, but elegant coffee house in Chicago—I am struck by the size of the toilet facilities, the darkness of the walls, and the Zen-like elegance surrounding so necessary a space. What it lacks in size it makes up for in atmosphere. It is a dim-lit, relaxing place: an encouragement to answer what calls Nature may place on coffee-drinkers at any particular time. Indeed, Nature has just placed a call, and a pale, nearly ginger specimen of humanity has just entered the room, sandals flip-flopping as the Jazz cover of Star Trek’s classic 1960s-era rumba oozes rather ludicrously from the speakers. Star Trek played by a saxophone, piano, drum ensemble? I didn’t expect that! Modern coffeehouses, what a wonder!
There are no speakers in the bathroom, and so the current occupant must do without musical references to Captain James T. Kirk, and the ever-logical Mister Spock, and militant Klingons, Romulans, and guys in red shirts killed off by the end of any given episode.. This is no great loss, however, as there is an elegant mirror, a wreath of paper roses, and a toilet paper dispenser worthy of the glossy pages of Architectural Digest.
Bathrooms mark such a vital part of the day, as does toilet paper, and so it is logical that such basic human needs are seen to in ways that are elegant, refined, and relaxing.
***
I took this picture in the small water closet at The Perfect Cup. I noticed the stark beauty of the enclosure, and as I take my camera with me, I decided to capture something of the space. I’m inordinately glad that I locked the door behind me before contorting over the toilet in order to get to this shot. The good thing about so small a bathroom is that any reasonably intrepid (crazy?) photographer can wedge himself (or herself) between walls with a rather delicate tail-bone positioned just perfectly on the water tank of the local toilet. This provides an excellent angled reflection of the entire bathroom, and depending on the strength of one’s tailbone, the inherent drama of various camera angles becomes gleefully apparent.
***
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great weekend, and a wonderful start to the week.
Comments (27)
MagikUnicorn
LOVE IT :)
beachzz
Oh, this SO beats that very weird bathroom at the cafe last fall. THAT was a strange one!! This is a great shot---and the reason why you have to have a camera small enough to fit in a pocket--or at least, unobtrusive enough. Otherwise, well, people might get very strange ideas!!
MrsLubner
Well this just puts all sorts of things to mind...I've taken a few shots in the pot before too. Fascinating places...:-)
MrsRatbag
A darkly elegant space, and very existential capture!
Bothellite
.."the recognition of beauty during a moment of urinary necessity..." Imagine what you could do with a swollen prostate... extra time well spent. This is amazing. I have never packed my camera into a public toilet. But there's time to start now. With my luck I'll get arrested.
0rest4wicked
LOL...First observing the thumb without reading the title I thought it a sci-fi image. Upon reading the title did my eyes squint tighter and a second glance given. A candid in the can photo! ;)
myrrhluz
That's an introductory sentence you don't read everyday. I usually take my camera with me as the alternative is to leave it temptingly on the table. I've taken a few pictures, when in a one person loo, but as none came close to the brilliance of this jewel, they remain in my files. That would be an interesting challenge. Pictures taken in a public toilet. Photographers use good sense and discretion. I love the brown tones, the stark simplicity of the yellow circular frame and the interesting object reflected. I'm glad you told me what it is. I wasn't sure and thought perhaps you had found a ship of minuscule aliens on reconnaissance duty. Maybe you did! They were in disguise! Very entertaining narrative. "Star Trek played by a saxophone, piano, drum ensemble" Wow! And were there voices doing the "ahh ahhhhh ah ah ah ahhh"? I would have loved to have seen your contortions, but I guess that wouldn't be following the "use good sense and discretion". Excellent image and narrative!
Sepiasiren
odd -- it almost adds an alien feel to it...
whaleman
I must be missing something...my brain sees nothing recognizable in this shot, but that's okay!
alanwilliams
There' a lovely richness of tone and colour in this, very striking composition.
durleybeachbum
Stunning! and a great read, as ever, Chip!
helanker
OH MAN! That is soo funny and it makes me laugh, what you wrote. You continue to amaze me, Chip... and the image is superbly captured.
jmb007
superbe photo!!
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend.
flavia49
superb artwork!! Bathrooms could be masterpieces. I always remember a bathroom in a very famous restaurant in Trento, Italy. Its floor was made with trasparent glass letting the users see and enjoy the Ancient Roman well and the mosaic floor. Breathtaking!
Meisiekind
Trust you to make a piece of art out of an image taken in a loo!!!! I've got to meet you personally Chip!!! What an hilarious narrative and great pic to go with it!!! :))
sandra46
fantastic and surralist, it almost looks like the corner of a dream... great yellow hue as well!
auntietk
I can imagine you in there, wedging yourself in, craning around to get the shots you wanted. It paid off ... this is compelling!
praep
I like how the light brings out the bumpiness of the wall in the upper right corner. Well done shot.
bmac62
Only you Chip:) I'll enter the next public WC with a much greater appreciation for my surroundings. This is an ultimate ninja move perfectly described for those of us with less imagination. Again this proves to me that there is a picture in every room.
lucindawind
marvellous!
nikolais
you've managed it all into a wonderful compo, Chip!
danapommet
As Bill would, don't go anywhere without your camera. Funny narrative and like the POV. Nice textures on the walls. Dana
jocko500
never can tell what you find in rest room. I find stuff animals there before and you see wonderful stuff in the mirror...cool shot
anahata.c
I've been offline for a few months (except for koosie's dedi, for whom you did a beautiful piece, btw), and this week I'm back to visit to everyone's gallery at least once. I've seen everything, Chip & read all your amazing texts, even though I haven't left comments. I chose this piece because it's fairly recent, but also because it captures what you seem to do everyday: I don't mean take a piss, lol, but capture your constant snapshots of life, then find beauty & depth in them, then reflect on them (or create tales on them) with great poetry, honesty and, always, wit. A terrific reflection. And a toilet paper dispenser out of the pages of Architectural Digest??? Lol. I'd love to see what it looked like! I worked jazz clubs in my 'piano' days (that sounds a lot better than my 'down & out in the alleys of life days') and trust me, the toilet paper dispensers weren't from A.Digest. Tthey were from Hell (which isn't a great magazine). I never heard a jazz group play music from Star Trek, and I'd love to hear it. You got the feeling of these bathrooms, and, in the process, you proved that you are a photographer to the core. 1) because you caught the real sense of these bathrooms, with a beautiful textured door-capture, that dark gold-green hue that seems to be in a ton of restaurant bathrooms, the sense of looking out at something (or in a mirror), and incidentally, the feeling of a port-hole which suits Star Trek admirably. (That's a pun---admirably/admiral---of Star Trek...sorry, I'm, like, really tired!) And 2) because you twisted yourself into pretzels to get the shot, the sign that you put shots over life & limb, which is I think what earns you your membership. And you did it in a bathroom, where anyone could've come in and wondered what planet you came from, or if you were a downright spy. (Or else needed a manual on how to take a piss, lol.) A terrific capture, lots of atmosphere, and it felt like a bathroom wall as soon as I saw it. And another wonderful written reflection from one of our masters. Wonderful work, Chip. Sorry it's been so long, but I've looked nevertheless; and you remain one of our best.
Alex_Antonov
Beautiful work!
kasalin
Cool capture, dear Chip !!!!!!!!!!!!!!