Wednesday, June 07, 2006

I'll huff..and I'll puff...and blow your brick facade down..


Growing up, it seemed things were simpler. There were Brick houses and stucco houses, there were vynil and aluminum side houses and wood slat houses. I’m not sure when I started noticing this, but suddenly I’m seeing more and more homes with fake brick fronts.
Now as an artist and as someone with a strong aesthetic sensitivity I find these very unnerving.

In Art there is this concept of form = function = beauty. An apple is a beautiful thing..it’s an apple, it fills its function perfectly. You turn it around, and it’s an apple every way you look at it. It has functional integrity, truth and beauty. A brick house or a stucco house or a siding house is, even in a dilapidated state is beautiful in that its form meets its function and it’s a home.

When I walk down the street and see a home with a fake brick front, I’m thinking... who are you kidding? If I happen to stand across the street at a 45 degree angle and look at your house I might be fooled into thinking it’s brick? You couldn’t even fool the Big Bag Wolf with that false front. Sometimes I walk down certain streets and I feel like I’m on a Hollywood set with all the false fronts.

But then I think back to my simpler childhood and I find that the people reflected this phenomenon as well. People were true to themselves. There were those that wore grey hats, and those that wore black hats, those that wore straw hats and those that wore none. The “grey hatters” wore grey hats and the “black hatters” wore..you guessed it...black hats.
Today the “grey,straw and hatless” all wear black hats. They all put up false fronts.

There is a quote from the Chozeh of Lublin...
A Rosha (wicked person) that knows he’s a Rosha..is far better than a Tzaddik (righteous person) that knows he’s a Tzaddik.

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7 Comments:

Blogger bellanny said...

Loved the post! As soon as I started reading I thought of how perfectly fake facades apply to people today, something which has really bothered me for a while. But other than trying to keep your distance between those people there is not much you can do to correct the situation. It has become so ingrained in our communities, and the schools only help perpetuate the idea. Kids are labeled as rebels or good kids depending on what they believe or follow. Kids need to know that it is ok to be an individual, to be different.

July 11, 2006 6:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All the world's a stage....But the props are not always recognizable as such.

July 11, 2006 6:24 PM  
Blogger socialworker/frustrated mom said...

I agree e/t seemed simpler. As I get older there are more and more complications. More responsibilities come with age. Of course society has gotten more complex which just adds to this. Thanks.

July 12, 2006 11:35 AM  
Blogger Bonnie B said...

cubic zirconias, stamped cement, acrylic nails, silicone implants, hair on any woman in my family over age 16, gas fireplaces--

We've been practicing for a while, but I don't think you'll fool the Big Bad Wolf or anyone else. You are just playing dress-up on another level.

You know what they say, "all the world's a stage."

and when I say "you," I mean people in general-- for those who are confused.

July 13, 2006 4:56 PM  
Blogger kasamba said...

My facade is crumbling....
oh, that's just my face.


Excellent post!

July 13, 2006 6:31 PM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

bellany...
Yes. I think its up to the parent to instill that on their kids..because the school is too institutionalized..

itsallgood...
What a great line!

student...
yes..that fits with all the worlds a stage...
If one of th rockettes showed up to work in crisp business suit..they wont let her on the stage..no matter how good she dances..

SWorker...
Things were more black and white back then...

limey...
Yup...its gotta look good for the outside world

bonnie...
yes..and it does seem to be more prevalent now..
I mean when i was kid..I knew we had an uncle who was a gangster..He looked liked one...He played his role.
Today the guy that looks like a Tzaddik..turns out to be the gangster..

Kasamba...
Thanks, Please leave...at once..I'm not in the mood of cleaning up after ur crumbling facade..lol

July 13, 2006 10:33 PM  
Blogger Karl said...

This is definiatly 1 thing I have noticed & think it is a reflection of the society. Its one thing that annoys me & I think will frustrated me even more in the future.

July 17, 2006 9:50 PM  

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