Yesterday I did a drive around the remains of our city, and was amazed and saddened all at the same time. However it would be naive of me to think that this hasn't also been a time of great photographic opportunity.
The Catholic Church was badly hit, I have posted photos of it before. Those photos were taken at night and it was magnificent and majestic. I think tho' that even now, with it's crumbled walls and domeless entryway it still manages to summon an emotional response that is both majestic, magnificent and horribly sad. It seems to me that there will be resources to rebuild this Church.
The former glory will probably be rebuilt, it will become a case of "remember when..." but for now, Mary waits at the window...
I have 'played' with the effects of this photo, it almost looks like it was taken when it happened, and Mary still watches from her window.
14 comments:
I guess while the rebuild is going on you are living in a transient landscape that will need to be captured for posterity!
Incredibly moving words and pictures Sagittarian. Sad indeed. Fingers crossed it will be restored to its former glory.
I was thinking along the same lines as Steve.
And you are probably not alone, out on the streets taking a photographic inventory.
It must be a surreal environment. And one that needs as many responses to it as possible.
Steve- There's heaps of people out and about with their camera's for sure.
Poet- I'm not a catholic but I hope so too, this is one of the truly iconic buildings of our city.
Violet- When I arrived to take photos I was the only one there but by the time I left it was almost standing room only!
Keith-Surreal is a very good word for this, one minute everything was there...now there are empty lots and people trying to recall what stood there! February 22 seems ages ago but it also feels like this morning..
what an impressive way getting to know the artist in you. maybe arriving easter will be able to live back again for her.
a safe and good tuesday for you all.
Saj~ The first photo seems to show an aura around that magnificent Church: the first one is teal, the outer one cobalt blue. Mary from the window truly looks like an apparition: her outstretched arms beseeching the earthquakes to stop. It must have been so moving to be there at night. Take care! xxox
No miracles that day to save the stone facade from the shocking reality of unsettling geology and shifting geography... sad to have so many photo opportunities created in that way.
Hope you all are holding up and that shelter, four walls and a roof will be habitable come winter. Thinking of you all often, even if Japan swiped the dubious limelight so quickly on the heels of this calamity.
Beautiful photos, tragic circumstances. Hope you're doin OK!
The Mary at the Window is a great shot! It's good to take all the pictures. It is an historical event, though unfortunately a tragic one. I think the effect on the last photo really communicates the angst and force of the event, the shocks far reaching.
One can only hope the bottles of sacramental wine were unharmed. But seriously, great photos--especially Mary at the Window. Good to be able to retrieve something positive (photo ops) from the disaster.
sorry about the deleted post...blogger liked my first comment so much it published it twice. Didn't want you to think you'd drunk so much you were seeing double.
Keep taking the pictures. It'll be a record of the changes that will be made and more importantly a reminder of what you went through in those years ahead when all the damage has been cleared away as though nothing had ever happened.
Best to have photos as the memory rather than rely entirely on your mind since the latter will add a little pain too.
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