As New Yorkers, its seldom we take time out of our day to stop and compliment the beauty of our great city. Afforded the privilege to live at the epicenter of culture and communication, New Yorkers have learned to take for granted the city’s formidable nature, growing accustomed to its unforgiving elements of life in a rapid metropolis. Unwavered by obstacles of climate, crowding, and even crumbling transportation systems, New Yorkers personify what it means to be resilient. More often than not, we are caught in the rhythm of a city that moves beneath our feet like a treadmill, pushing us backward like a current we either fight against or allow to push us out to sea. This unburdening motion is what constitutes our tendency to focus on our selves, shifting the darkest features of the city to the back of our minds, adopting the graceless pieces of our daily life as a part of our culture.
New York wouldn’t be New York without its mess. That is, we allow our trash and our neglectful nature as busy New Yorkers to become so flourishing, that it becomes our treasure. Yes, other cities may wrestle with their own issues of pollution and untidiness, but only in New York does in contribute to the distinct spirit of a city designed around the nature of its unformidable trash. This picture, snapped in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, exemplifies how an area decorated for its classic as well as beautiful “Brooklyn” standard of living harbors the same untouched monstrosities of a garbage dump. This small mountain of waste represents what grows out of the neglect we have for life around us, perfectly complimenting the rugged, urban displays of metal, brick, and graffiti that fill this public, neighborhood space. Too busy to address our mistakes, courtyards such as these highlight the effects of a city that is on the go, while also oddly and beautifully characterizing the tone of New York City’s landscape. The colors of the shot work together like a setting of a photoshoot, fabricating the ironic beauty that I feel New York will always be known best for. What we leave behind in the rapid shuffle of our daily lives not only speaks to our nature as habitats of an “urban colossus”, but is often also the most beautiful.
