This week at Thematic Photographic, Carmi asks us to explore the theme ROUND. What is round? is it a circle, a sphere, a mound? Is it an open ring, an orbit, an arc?
Here's something I can't identify. I was walking down Main Street in Los Angeles' downtown. On top of a 19th century building at the corner of Main and 5th, I saw this.
I had to walk across the street, and move all around the intersection to get a good picture of it.
What is it? It looks like a windvane, or a sundial. It is mounted on the roof of an old building that used to be a market, but now houses a homeless services agency.
In Downtown Los Angeles, 5th Street east of Broadway has become known as "The Nickel" - partly for its number, but also because it was a place where you could get a nickel bag of anything.
Who created and placed this sundial here in The Nickel? I've searched for answers. There's nothing I can find, not on the city's Cultural Affairs site, not on the Conservancy site, not on any arts organization site.
But here it is - an orb, an open O, a sundial - ROUND - hidden in plain sight from all except those who look up to the sky.
If any of you Los Angeles folks know what this art piece is - tell me.
10 comments:
Is this post missing something, or am I missing something? The latter wouldn't surprise me!
I'm amazed there wasn't anything on it - did you climb up? Maybe it has an inscription...
I love seeing the world around you with your eyes. :)
I don't know what it is - but it's just beautiful.
I want one.
Don't know what it is, but those look like flowers and grass growing around the circle. You said the building used to house a market. Was it a flower market perhaps?
How interesting...a mystery. Very nice entry...thanks for sharing.
my immediate thought was that there were spikes to keep the pigeons from landing on it.
But, I think rather it is just an unusual artistic work.
I'd put it on my roof. (:
I'm thinking artistic interpretation of sundial. Yup. Even before I read what you wrote. But who knows?
It will be great fun if you find out.
Totally off topic, but was reading a comment you made at Kate's Ahead of the Wave, and did you know that my mom went to Cornell!
I've never visited the campus, but will someday. I hear it is just stunning.
Looks to me like a sundial, but it is beautifully ornate. Great shot for the weeks "round"
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