Just people, friends, colleagues, mentors, places, signs, smiles and wrinkles.
“Ibadan, running splash of rust and gold flung and scattered among seven hills, like broken china in the sun” J.P. Clark.
After making the large prints of three of those photos I told you about a few weeks ago, I walked up to Amie at the office this morning and asked her which ones she liked the most. Her answer was unequivocal, she chose the one showing the Lagos traffic at night. When I asked her why, she said it was because she loved (big) cities. Sigh. A few minutes later, I asked James the same question and he chose the same picture. His reason was that it was more lively than the pictures of glowing lamps and a church window. In any case, I immediately began to rethink my earlier decision to take the photo home to install on my wall. As a third person suggested much later, I could actually put it right there in the office and let people admire it whenever they come in.
I tried that today, and it has thankfully failed as an experiment.
First of all, there’s not much space on the wall of the office to fit a 16 x 20 inches drawing without causing some aesthetic discomfort to some of the other cultural photos already there much of them smaller. Second of all, much as I gave it a chance to stay on my table where I can see it, I have painfully realized that I can’t stand the sight of that long energetic Lagos traffic for eight hours non-stop every day. Better to put one that shows more of a world at peace with itself, even if through the little light entering through a church window. I’m afraid of how agitated my days might be if I keep the Lagos traffic in front of me for much of the day. I have therefore taken it off, and now I’m taking it home to hang on the living room wall where I don’t spend much time anyway. All those in awe of (big) cities will gape at it and find their rhythm. And when I want to study, maybe it will help me to focus, or give me the needed spunk when I need the energy. And maybe not. In all, I have come to agree that it is a beautiful piece of photo that captures some of the fundamental elements of the Lagos evening: traffic.
I had taken it one late evening on my way from the Lagos Island, and it shows traffic on only one side of the road. A candid colourful shot of daily experience.
Pictures taken over a long period of people taking pictures of other people, or getting their pictures taken.
Hovering all around Europe for the last twenty-four hours, I’ve finally made a complete stop at a familiar place. This time it’s looking a lot more like a place I’ve been away from for a long while. There is some lethargy, no doubt, perhaps conditioned by stress, or by fatigue of flying in the aisle seat for that length of time, or the thought of my luggage in the hand of a random stranger.
Well, here I am now, no longer such a stranger. What does the city hold for the poor traveler?
For some reasons beyond my control, I will be going offline for a few days (hopefully not weeks) from today. I won’t be able to update the blog until such a time until I get the issue resolved. Hopefully it won’t be for too long. If you need me, I’ll still be available to check my email occasionally so you may reach me at kt@ktravula.com. Please vote in my new poll to your right, and tell me what you think.
In the meantime, here are a few old picture posts. Enjoy.
Desertification June 1.
Time Lapse May 3
Defying Gravity November 23
Badagry June 8
Following Lincoln April 29
You should also check out Kiibaati.wordpress.com where a poet is taking new liberties with imagination.