Windows of Life

SYRACUSE -Brilliance, really. Captured by the contrast of primary colors against a tattered abandoned historic home, I was reeled in. Stepping closer with complete curiosity to make sense of the rich colored Picasso shaped art I then realized these elementary compositions were creative expressions of a community’s voice. This home was clearly desolate, peculiar and boarded up to stray all organic matter from entering, but not from looking. Rather large, the home was center stage on a corner lot near a hip college district in Syracuse. Beyond the whitewashed paneling and stripped pillars, the vibrant wooden windows were the masterpieces that caught the eye. Double glance and a moment later, all I could do was stare at the colorful statement of community art and social education. Through art murals, this once thriving home turned abandoned corner lot, renewed its thriving energy. What a genius concept. Why leave an old home to rot in the cycles of the seasons and become a landmark worth ignoring when you could transform the process of weathering to impact a community with the addition of art. Taking a closer look, the anonymous artist is onto something real:

ART: controversial, profane, ornate, wonderful, inspiring, funny, beautiful, exciting, pretty, confusing, sacred, savage, majestic, inviting.

This home exemplifies what can happen when art is a key player in the game of daily living. I just wish I knew the owners, I’d like to see the inside! (SH)