Signs of Life in the Urban Jumble by Chipka
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Description
There are times when walking through the streets of downtown Chicago recall the experience of walking along a forest floor. Sunlight fails to touch anything at street-level, unless it’s reflected from a window, or a set of windows. Temperature differentials define the bodies and borders of shadows, and shadows define the bodies (and shapes) of the monster skyscrapers clotting the city’s core, like enormous viral particles, consuming valuable real-estate and converting it into their own towering mass.. Chicago’s tallest skyscrapers (a prolific breed of building) are also like fast-growth trees, attempting to grow as tall in as fast a manner as possible. This—for those who study trees might recognize—is to prevent competitor trees for stealing all of the good, delicious sunlight. Chicago’s tallest skyscrapers are like some odd species of photosynthetic, quasi-viral, quasi-botanical (or at least fungal) life form. Only the tallest ones gain any measure of sunlight, and thus, only the tallest ones survive. Well, that’s the impression I get whenever I’m in downtown Chicago.
I took this photo from well within the urban jumble. It was a sunny day, and as I stood on a bridge (with Corey and Tara and Bill) I watched the approach of a storm. I wasn’t really that interested in the storm, at the moment of this photograph. I was, instead, interested in the mad jumble of buildings ahead of me. Once, there had been a time when Chicago’s streets could be spotted (from far, far away) by their tallest landmarks. Now, there are so many skyscrapers in Chicago’s core that the city resembles a vast, angular amoeba more than anything else. The profusion of rectilinear, glass, and towering shapes is truly awe instilling, and—I suspect—disturbing. Chicago has apparently lost horizontal room, and so its somewhat-rapid expansion must now occur in an upward direction.
Though many of the buildings in this photograph are of an older pedigree; their jumbled arrangement mirrors the entirety of “downtown” Chicago. It is only because of their proximity to the Chicago River that these buildings have avoided the worse effects of competitor-buildings “over-towering” them. These are old-growth buildings: their skins, it would seem, have ossified into gray stone and into bricks. As I contemplate them, it strikes me that they might—in some way—have sterilized the ground around them. This would—of course—explain the paucity of taller towers in the immediate vicinity, and the actual presence of sunlight nearly within human reach. I took this shot for the human focus…there was something about these two pedestrians that simply begged for capture. They, and the other humans, nearly-visible in this shot, imply that there are whole ecosystems in the deep, Chicago core...but few (if any) of them have been accurately mapped. That's the impression I get, at any rate, and I wonder what likely emerging systems (ecological, biological, memetic and otherwise) might lurk in the shadows of Chicago's monster towers. Only time will tell.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great weekend.
Comments (27)
mbz2662
Great shot. All the architectural differences, colors, trees , people, textures... (Ooops, lost my thought..lol)... Any way, cool work and I keep wanting to look at it :)
KatesFriend
Ah yes, if only skyscrapers ate light and did all the other wonderful things that trees do - including displaying a happier colour scheme, I'll take greens and browns and reds any day over gray. It is interesting to see the two universes - sunlit and diffuse - caught within a single image. It speaks somewhat to the gap between the haves and have-nots in our world. For surely the rich dwell in the levels that get drenched by the Sun's nurturing rain. The rest must make do with what photons manage to scatter and bounce - or trickle down - to the ground. And like separate universes, near impossible to bridge the gap.
Faemike55
In short, I'd be very lonely and sad in a place like this - I need the open green as well as the trees reaching to the sky and when I stand near one, I can look up and see beauty in the fractal language of the branches as well as the life that lives in the canopy Great capture, Chip
blinkings
As much as I love nature, I also love the crazy buzz that you can only get in the urban jungle.
charpix
I believe Chicago to be an impressive place, even though only seeing an extremely small part of it in 1985. I am relishing every photo you produce of the place. The history is fascinating. As Faemike55 says, I would be lonely in such a place, and need the wide open places, as I grew up in the open places of California. On a daily basis I long to go back to the open, fresh air of the country as our town has grown to a much larger city than it once was. Still, Chicago is a place that we enjoyed visiting, and have never forgotten it.
wysiwig
Like canyons of concrete and glass. I have never visited but the glimpses and descriptions of your town make it an attractive item for my bucket list.
auntietk
Indulge me for a minute, and let me tell you something. A week or two ago I realized I was coming up on a double milestone here on RR, and that I could hit them both on the same day with a bit of pre-planning. As part of that pre-planning, I decided which images I would post on which days. So between that day a week or so ago and January 3rd, I don't have any decisions to make about what's going in my gallery. Everything is neatly in a file folder with dates and image titles. It takes away some of the spontaneous nature of random posting, but it helps me focus on what I want to accomplish. I started with birthday dedications, including one for Corey of course, and filled in the dates from there. In short ... I've known for at least two weeks what I was going to post tonight for Corey's birthday. Imagine my surprise when I got done posting and started going through the photography gallery and found this picture! Do I need to tell you I love this? LOL!
davidabailey
I fell in love with Chicago when I visited.I keep trying to divert people from New York - they don't know what they're missing.
whaleman
Real live people! Chicago lives yet!
durleybeachbum
The idea of buildings somehow protecting their patch by sterilising the ground around them is very engaging. A wonderfully interesting and skilful pic!
tibet2004uk
I really like your treatment here. Strong colours and scene. I love city shots and especially when it involves people. Always so interesting to observe!
helanker
What a wonderful shot you have taken her. Love the soft, yet clear shot. The rich colors are just awesome.
Dreamingbee
so interesting street scene !
thecytron
Urban jungle indeed!
flavia49
amazing image and work!
NefariousDrO
This picture captures part of what I find appealing about cities like Chicago: There's examples from several different time periods here. The aging iron and wood bridge, the brick and stone towers, the aluminum and glass, the tapering crystalline-like peaks, it's almost like a textbook of the history of the skyscraper. Which in itself is actually a Chicago invention. I love just looking at all the different styles you've captured here, and the wonderful lighting adds so much energy to this scene.
evielouise
Going to MOntreal where I grew up ,there also is a hustle and busling of people crowds jumping on and off subways and buses shooting gasoline smell in your face,it's alright for awhile then I get back to my beaches long walks across the sand (good for the feet) and fresh ocean smell ..so city life when I was young was wonderful but now the interest is in being quiet I guess As they say nice to visit Interesting photo of the gal and guy walking along" Happy Holidays to you and yours"
RodS
Sadly, the most I've seen of Chicago has been Midway and O'Hare, a couple hotel rooms and company training facilities. Someday, I'm going to have to spend some quality time there with my camera... If for no other reason than to play with the reflections in 'Da Bean..' Very cool shot here - I like the wonderful blend of humanity and architecture - and nature.... The is one tree, after all.. :-D So, Chip...... Can we expect to see a Manga version of your Naemean spacefareers now? LOL ('Grats on the !2 Days of Christmas thing..)
MrsRatbag
I love the solidity and "thereness" of those buildings, but what I really love is the lines of rivets on the closest bridge side, they fascinate me for some odd reason. And I also wonder what that striped gatepost is for, is it a drawbridge? Of are there train tracks not easily visible from this POV? Wonderful city shot, Chip, you do these like no one else!
bmac62
Your view of Chicago extends way beyond the visual...so, I say that your photo above is spectacular in its own right and as a starting point! But because of your words,...I now can see much more than I could before. You now have me thinking of the insides of stairwells and elevator shafts, the underside of bridges and old office furniture (notice I didn't say old dental equipment), the things that lurk in the darkness of subway tunnels and sewers and in puddles of grime under junkyard trucks and airconditioning units on the flat roofs... I am sure that there must be a corollary somewhere that says for every clean, shiny surface in a city there are a dozen grimy ones... So, now with my extended view...I think I'll go get a shower as I too feel a bit grimy;-) Have a good week...and keep 'em coming:)
myrrhluz
I have never lived IN a city. I live in San Antonio but not IN San Antonio. I live in the suburbs. And San Antonio is more of a sprawl, than a jungle. I loved reading your narrative. It made me think about the qualities and beauties of light. It is very rare for a day to go by without me being blessed by light's beauty, whether it is a spectacular sunset, or light coming in through the crack of the door and throwing patterns on the wall. It's no wonder people have throughout time worshiped the sun. Granted, it was mostly to ensure the next harvest, but would the dancing have been so joyful without the inspiration of the displays of light? I love your image and the idea of the buildings growing like a forest and vying each other the rays of the sun. The wonderful shadows now have new meaning as symbols of one building's dominance over another. Beautiful composition, colors, and light. I like your capture of the people. A diversity of gaits and interesting expressions on the two in the foreground. Great post!
sandra46
i love the saturated color and the two coming along chatting. a great urban feeling
beachzz
I agree with Andrew, cities have a certain buzz that's really fun---in small doses. I loved Chicago and can't wait to come back, and this time, we ARE going to the Redhead!!
EJD64
The view of Chicago is fantastic. I walked that very same spot. Nice picture.
nikolais
Very nice capture, Chip! Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to you and yours!
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend. God Bless.
icerian
So different atmosphere in comparison with Prague, Chip. Great!