Finding art in the suburbs

Asher Kelman said:

The powerful need the poor to feel positive about their fate, at the very least, happy enough to buy stuff, pay their rent or mortgage and still not riot or burn down the malls.

Just as the lion can't eat all the deer and still survive, no society can so ration it's less privileged masses too severely. They'd no longer be money to feed the cash registers of the malls! That would collapse our economy. Then food prices and fuel would have to be subsidized to prevent riots.

Asher

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And I thought I was a cynic! At least I'm not paranoid. In spite of their seemingly inhospitable appearance, the Burbs are the workforce of any city. Admittedly they do get a bit neglected and they are not places where tourist flock to see the sights but, hey, who wants a bunch of sandle wearing Germans or flag waving Japanese tromping over the lawn and pointing cameras through the window? Oblivion has its virtues.
I'll continue my search for art in the place I live with love in my heart and 000 on speed dial.

Jerome Marot said:

Suburbs are colder where I live.

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Jerome,

What kind of art is this? To me it's from The Cold War Epoch when two competing empires sought to show they could house the masses. I've seen such buildings in Hungary, The Czech Republic and in the USA. The latter, in large patches of a large metropolis, are called by local U.S. communities, "The Projects". These are built side by side, concrete and brick monoliths without any social fabric that communities can cling to and own. So these have often been associated with poor maintenance, gang domination and marginal living off the State Welfare System.

Asher

This is actually a relatively expensive suburb, which was still partially under construction at the time. The angle of view, fog and foreground field may give a different impression, that is all.

While exposing the suburbs to art and vice versa I found this bloke doing his own bit to express himself. On my return some hours later I found the foreman (his wife) scrutinizing the job and suggesting what he might do next. I chose not to interfere.

On other occasions the art just leaps out at you. This young lady, Katy is her name, demanded I take her picture. She was full of energy and youthful spirit, a strong curiosity and a willing ness to contribute to my day. The gentleman, on the other hand, was anxious to get back to the business at hand, although he was willing to introduce himself and shake my hand, as blokes do.
I keep returning to this shot and feel like Jane Bown might have felt when she knew she had captured what she needed when shooting someone. I prize this among my greatest portraits.