Corner View .:. "Street Fashion"

Street fashion . . . usually you think of what people out and about on the street are wearing, this street fashion is all about what the streets were wearing in my neighborhood this weekend . . . 

The Italian Street Painting Festival! The center of downtown is all blocked off to traffic and artists move in for 2 days to create amazing work on the street with chalks. I always spend a few hours walking around while the artists are still "painting" and hordes of people are milling and watching, but truly, my favourite part of the event is Monday morning when the barricades are taken down and the cars and bicycles start driving on the roads.

Yes, a little eerie, especially early in the morning, but there is also something quite magical and freeing. It's kind of akin to the tradition of the Tibetan Mandala Sand Painting where a beautiful piece of art is created and then destroyed - all to reflect the impermanence of life.

In this case, perhaps the symbolism is less about demonstrating the impermanence of life, and more about life just goes on, and people have to get to work on a Monday morning . . .  

I have never driven on top of these paintings, but I do go downtown almost every year on the Monday morning after, to look at the images fading and watch the car tires turning all different colours of chalk. It's kind of fascinating to watch, but I don't think I could drive my car over them.  

And, the one piece remaining mostly intact, in the driveway of the Mission School . . .  "street fashion" in my neighborhood this week.

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Comments

[Jane]

love your take on street fashion. here- they decorate the streets with flowers. wish i had pictures. next year... :)

[Dana]

nice post. interesting take on the topic.

[kelly]

mmmm......i would love to have a monday in my sleepy town where i could walk down and see art on our streets.

miss you girlie.
lets set up a chat for early next week?
or this weekend?

[trinsch]

wow! this is so beautiful! the artwork as well as the philosophy.

your pictures are amazing too. loved the one with the three faces, as well as the red tire marks.

[Dyan]

I heart your pictures. Some of the images do have a feeling of being eerie - I like your take on the whole thing and agree totally that life always does go on.

[Spadazzle]

Love the sidewalks they are so bright and colorful.. Looks FUN!

[Lani]

Wow, makes me want go outside with some chalk!
Thank you!

[aimee]

gorgeous street drawings - i'm wowed by the artists who pour their heart and soul into their work with the knowledge that it will be washed away or walked on. so glad you're doing corner view - i missed it this week but will be back next time!

[Lori]

Wow- that is great. I think it would take courage to work so hard on something that will wash away. Nice to meet you!