Urban Angels
Looking at cities can give a special pleasure, however commonplace the sight may be. Like a piece of architecture, the city is a construction in space, but one of vast scale, a thing perceived only in the course of long spans of time.
At every instant, there is more than the eye can see, more than the ear can hear, a setting or a view waiting to be explored. Nothing is experienced by itself, but always in relation to its surroundings, the sequences of events leading up to it, the memory of past experiences. Every citizen has had long associations with some part of his city, and his image is soaked in memories and meanings. The Image of the City, Kevin Lynch
Last Friday I made a stop to say goodbye to my city of angels. I'd only been to see WDCH once with J, and when I saw the exit for Temple Street off the 101 and considered a few more hours of traffic, I headed into Los Angeles proper.
Although many people dislike Ghery, I have to admit that his designs move me. Even though his buildings demand that you look at them, the act of seeing is not one of disappointment: every angle is a picture, all sense of scale seems dominated, and the engineering... well, the engineering is brilliant.
Many people think that cities like Los Angeles are not livable. The balconies tell a different story: a mix of urban life with what is natural and green.
One thing I've found when I'm talking to friends, especially of European (or suburban) persuasion, is a repugnance for the gritty look of America's downtowns. Empty parking lots with trash blowing through, buildings with dirty windows, homeless people dotting the landscape; all represent what should be cleaned from the city and hidden away. I completely disagree: each of these represents a component of honesty in your urban experience. Even the dirt and poor people represent a context that should never be hidden. Perhaps a tourist would be happy with a trip to Disneyland but commiting to a real experience means looking at the complete range of what a city has to offer.
I recently read about Our Lady of Angels Cathedral. It's interesting how the building works: from the entrance you find yourself segmented from the city around by high walls around a courtyard. I wonder how ironic the cathedral is in rejecting the city: is it for the grit or is it to provide a religious haven? I was lucky to be there on Friday evening when it was deserted. Once inside, your eyes wander up to see a cross geometrically imposed on the side of the structure.
Do you see the eyes1?
I love Los Angeles for its religious diversity. On my way past the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, there was a Jewish function taking place inside. As I stopped to take a picture of the large menorah outside, I man with a cap glowered at me. I wished I could have ordered some coffee for the both of us and really dug into who he was and what life really meant to him. I wish I had made more friends who were radically different from me and changed the scowl into a smile.
There's always a next time though. Until then, goodbye angels.
1I didn't notice until I was photoshopping the images... creepy.
6:19:17 PM 
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