Matthyro's Cooling Towers

J

jimmybeersa

Member
May 14, 2001
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Alberton . South Africa
Forgot to send Robin the painting instructions for the cooling towers on his excellent power station model:D :D :D The advert is for the Metro train Service into Seweto a large township outside Johannesburg, their units are painted yellow and grey ...no prizes for the name of the carracture depicted in the middle
 

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Perhaps I'm...

...different.

I'm amazed too Ralph. I bet it cost a few bucks to gafitti up that tower to please the citizens who apparently like the images of children playing on trains when trains should be moving business, kids shoud be at school and power plants should be turning out energy. But I guess in this day and age it's a must to sugar coat everything. Go with the flow- paint everything silly! It's a forced image I'd imagine. Whether by dictate or choice- it's appeasment in my opinion and that's hardly a pretty picture.

Mark:cool:
 
Hey Mark,
One of the best things about the Gauge is that we can be part of the same line even though we take different tracks. I always appreciate your perspective even when I'm red balling in the other direction. I imagine this community sought to beautify (a matter of personal taste obviously) what was thought to be an imposing and ugly structure. Maybe its a cultural thing in South Africa too, like the large murals found on public buildings in Mexico (?) Are you telling me that you'd prefer not to have your taxes go toward such a project? :)
Regards,
Ralph
 
It's a creative way to take something that could be considered an eye-sore, at least to the people of that community, and tie it in with their everyday life and culture. While it may not be to my taste, I am always interested in other cultures. And there may be a valid point in how people view art and advertising in other countries.

It's a neat picture. Thanks for sharing it.
 
Hey, I think it looks pretty good, it depicts a culture. Around here they leave them gray, duh. They painted a large water tower near me and painted on it Florence Mall, advertiseing the near by mall. The goodies got together and said they couldn't do that so they hired another crew to paint the two legs of the M now making it Florence Y'all. Now what is this depicting? :rolleyes: ;) :p
 
I appreciate your appreciation.

Don't get me wrong. I happen to enjoy art, I went to art school and love pastels for drawing. When I see murals of this sort I hear they're often painted up as attractions to diverge a considered opinion not neccesarilly that of the community.

I live within 10 miles of towers such as these. Would it make my life better if they were painted with Bozo the Clown and I could take the kids by and say, "Look kids, it's fun"?

Perhaps we should paint electrical outlets with mouse whiskers inviting kids to feed them cheese on account of they look sooooooo cute.

As an attraction- that is the fact that these towers overwhelm a landscape...

Nah. I belong to an public service organization that prepares for evacuation drills every year "in the event of an actual emergency"- do you catch my drift?. I'd rather see cold concrete staring me straight in the face.

i apologize if I got out of hand. I am marveling at the artwork, I am also marveling at the expense and more than the cash required.

Mark
 
The one great thing about forums is that we can all have our own opinions and can agree to disagree, and it's OK. It takes courage for one to voice an opinion whether people agree with that point of view or not. :)

In situations like this, when we are reading what someone else has written, we are not able to hear the tone of voice or see the body language to get the full intent of what someone is trying to convey.
 
Gotta say I'd prefer it gray. While I can appreciate the effort and talent, I'm glad I don't have to see it everyday, it would make me nauseous. And I certainly don't want to pay even a penny for it!
 
If you put up such a piece of art (and some sort of art is is, without doubt), you'll find lots of people who consider this as totally outrageous. If you leave the bare concrete, just as many will tell you that this was an eyesore... So it will almost be impossible to contend each and everybody. :(

We had quite a big, ball-shaped liquid gas tank a few miles from my home, about 80 ft high. At first it was simply white, then one day it was painted over with lots of giant fruit and vegetables. Lots of people objected, but they were soothed (a bit) when they heard that it was paid by the gas company (apart from the customers of that company I guess :D). But most people found it to be amusing, funny, nice, even beautiful. The controvery in the papers went on for a few weeks, then slowly died down.

And you know what? After a few months nobody even noticed this piece of art anymore. Now perhaps a tourist or an artist passing by take note of it. All the daily passersby simply don't look at it anymore.

I guess this is what happens to everything which began spectacular - after a while it gets boring and you simply screen it out (be it a colorful or concrete-grey cooling tower as in our case)...

Ron
 
Jimmy,

Am I missing something here? I keep looking for your picture in the initial post and I see nothing, just "jimybeersa has attached this image ", but no picture. I don't seem to have this probem on other threads, so I'm wondering.....:confused:

Don
 
Hmmm.... Look at the jobs it created to paint it.
Perhaps the continued labor to keep it nice.
The tourists coming to see it in person, buying things in the local
shops.
Long range... I'd say the tax money filled some needy bellies; and
the pending trade with tourists will, too.

My 5 cents (2 cents, plus tax). ;)

JMARKSBERY-
I've passed that tower with YA'LL many times on my way to
Cleveland, OH. Got family that lives around there to. They told us
about the big todo over that.
Humans... They're sooo entertaining. :rolleyes:
 
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