Saturday, March 10, 2007

Midtown, Lexington Avenue at 51st Street


Mary Sargent © 2007 ……. click to enlarge

A week ago Thursday, March 1st, a not too cold day, lower 40's, at lunchtime I took the subway up two stops to 51st Street, walked up Lexington to 54th, then over to Park, back on 51st, and subway back to work.

To set the midtown scene, here is a photo of tall buildings.

Let me pause here to praise the internet (thank you, Al Gore). I know you all know this but I can't help saying it again. See, the building on the left seemed distinctive enough to make me want to know something about it. Couldn't find any information in my usual sources, including books, maps and websites. So as a last resort I googled art deco buildings new york and here it is: the General Electric Tower. So satisfying. Is anyone else interested in architecture?

Here is a link to ground level, showing the base of the GE Tower with some nice art deco touches; also showing that other scene setter: Traffic.

See map.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Praise be to Al!

Anonymous said...

Being self-conscious, I find it always hard to follow Bill, because he says what he says with such elegance and economy. But I'll be brave.

So, is your intention in making these photos 50%, say, esthetic and 50% record-making (or 75%-25%, or...?)? Just wondering if my way of seeing these photos and this record-making--I view them as art-- can be turned upside down.

Mary Sargent said...

Funny you should mention that. When I started this blog,I emphasized that it was NOT documentary, but it's becoming more so as time goes on. More and more I want to show you what it's like, what's there, what it looks like. This particular photograph is definitely documentary. The truck shots are not.

Coincidentally, I have deleted my profile statement, haven't been happy with it for a while.

Anonymous said...

The colors make it seem almost like a cartoon. They're so rich.
s