5 Pointz (Part 1) | 五 Pointz (第1部分)

5 Pointz (Part 1) | 五 Pointz (第1部分)

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Where in New York City can you see a view like this?

在紐約市，哪裡你可以看到這個風景嗎？

Where in New York City can you see this sort of artistic skill?

在紐約市，哪裡你可以看到這種和這樣的藝術技巧嗎？

And where in New York City can you see all this — very conveniently, too, it has to be said — right on the pavement, and without ever needing to step indoors, too?

並且，在紐約市，哪裡你可以看到這些全部 — 如果真講起來“非常方便的” — 在人行道上，還不需要去博物館的室內？

Well, where else, but a truly amazing place called “5 Pointz?”

那麼，在什麼地方，但一個了不起的地方叫“5 Pointz”？

On my very first visit to “5 Pointz,” I went before sunrise, although the exact reason as to why I did so I’m not really too sure, but most likely perhaps to get a feel of the dynamics of the overall neighbourhood within which “5 Pointz” is to be found, and known as Long Island City, New York City, located within the borough of Queens.

在我第一次訪問“5 Pointz，”我就在日出之前去。我為什麼這樣做呢？說實話，我真的不太清楚。但也許最好的理由是給我一個感覺什麼樣“5 Pointz”的附近範圍內。“5 Pointz”是位於長島市，紐約市，也坐落在紐約市的皇后區。

Which also meant I suddenly found myself confronted with a beautiful pre-sunrise view of the Chrysler Building, much like this one.

這也給了我一個克萊斯勒大廈（Chrysler Building）的在日出前的非常美麗的觀點，像是這樣的。 

Given that we are now nearing the winter solstice — at least in the Northern Hemisphere anyway — meaning that winter is slowly, but surely, extending its icy grip over New York City, too, most birds — assuming that they already haven’t done so — are by now mostly leaving the “City That Never Sleeps,” and are instead migrating south in search of warmer climes.  But I’m seriously digressing now.

到了十二月的後半部分，當地球的北半球通過大雪也接近冬至，還紐約市是越來越落入冬天，鳥類如果尚未開始南遷移距離紐約市和找一個溫暖的氣候，他們將會很快就開始他們的每年南部遷移。但我離題了 。

 So what exactly is “5 Pointz?”

“5 Pointz”究竟是什麼嗎？ 

Well, according to its own website, which you can find at 5ptz.com, the mission statement of 5 Pointz is as follows:

“5Pointz gallery curator, Meres, plans to convert the five-story, block-long industrial complex at Jackson Avenue and Davis Street into a graffiti museum. He is currently seeking a 501(c)3 certification for 5Pointz to confer tax-exempt status and allow tax-deductible donations.

“In addition, he plans to open a school for aspiring aerosol artists, complete with a formalized curriculum that imparts lessons in teamwork, art history, and entrepreneurship in addition to technique.”

(Sorry, I'll translate into that into Chinese another day.)

Well, many of the artistic creations adorning the walls of “5 Pointz” are just that, simply examples of graffiti, albeit — it must be said — stunningly beautiful examples of this particular aerosol-propelled artform.

好了，只是許多的藝術創作噴漆在”5 Pointz” 建築物的牆壁是，簡單地說，塗鴉的例子，儘管它必須是令人震驚的美麗例子。

 
Some, however, more resemble murals in their nature, and hence their appearance as well, albeit seemingly always including some of the basic elements, and hence the principles as well, of graffiti.

然而，有些的藝術創作更像壁畫。但是他們其中大部分似乎有包括塗鴉的元素。
 

More examples of this hybridised genre.

這種組合藝術創作的風格更多的例子。


TO BE CONTINUED. | 藝術冒險將繼續下去。

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Staten Island Adventures (Part 2) | 史坦頓島冒險 (第2部分)

Staten Island Adventures (Part 2) | 史坦頓島冒險 (第2部分)

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Now these are all photos of one of the two support towers of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge -- moreover, these towers, through holding up the actual deck of the bridge itself, and upon which all traffic drives across of course, ultimately allows the two New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island to be connected with one another -- although the particular support tower shown in all of these photos save the third photo is the tower located just offshore from the coastline of Staten Island itself.

And it must be said that in the past I haven't really bothered too much with the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at all, and that's because I've -- mistakenly -- just assumed that it was just too far away to bother making the effort to make it all the way out there, and -- an even greater sin, as well as an astonishingly misguided slip-up too, perhaps -- had just willfully, blissfully and ignorantly further assumed that even up close the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was never going to truly amount to anything spectacular anyway.

Which -- of course -- has meant that in the past, but only when I'm well and truly on one of my photographic missions, whereupon I often roam vast distances in length -- as well as sometimes roam vast periods in time, too -- I've usually instead been far more focused, and hence been far more preoccupied as well, on taking photos of the bridges that are geographically located far closer to me, such as the -- nevertheless still very beautiful -- bridges called by the names of Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and George Washington.

But how wrong was I to ignore the absolutely stunning Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, especially when lit up naturally by the sun during the day -- or even when lit up artificially by spotlights during the night -- and that's because there is a breathtaking beauty to the astonishing simplicity of this particular suspension bridge.

After all, feel free to go ahead and judge for yourself, and using just these pictures, too !

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

Now of course the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge looks even better -- and far more spectacular, too -- when your photo actually includes, and hence shows, both support towers !

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

Although I will say this, which is that this one particular photo of mine just came together absolutely spectacularly, with everything coming up perfectly right -- and despite it showing only one tower, too -- such that, and as a matter of very frank fact, it must now surely rank up there as one of my own all-time personal favourite photos, too.

As such, I've decided to show it both in a shrunken size (above) as well in its original size (below), too.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

And here's a photo of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at dusk, where one of its two towers -- quite literally -- towers above a row of identical, and identi-kit, suburban houses on the island, and borough, of Staten Island.

Although I do like the effect of a small layer of fog sandwiched between the tower itself and the row of identical houses.

Moreover, and as you can clearly se from this photo, the towers of the Verrazano-Narrows (suspension) Bridge truly is very simple, but very simply beautiful, too.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

Now once the sun had entirely set, I managed to capture these images showing the bridge lit up under the artificial glare of humanity’s floodlights, and -- but in spite of humanity's feeble attempts to replicate the true beauty of real sunlight -- note that the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is in NO way whatsoever being shown, and hence seen, as less stunning than before.

Just incredible !

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

As I walked back towards the Staten Island Ferry terminus located in the town of St George -- all Englishmen and Englishwomen can take pride in this name I suppose !!! -- I took this particular photo showing the speeding traffic entering onto, and exiting off, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.  And this photo was taken at the height of Monday evening’s rush hour traffic, meaning that it should come as no surprise that its one vast sea of motor vehicles as far as the eye can see.

Importantly, note that the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge not only shuttles intra-New York traffic from the 4 other boroughs towards the borough of Staten Island, but it also serves as a very important alternative route for New Yorkers -- as well as anyone else who happens to be located further north of New York City itself -- to connect to the state of New Jersey, whereupon one can finally connect to the rest of America that happens to not be located in either New York state itself, or the six states of the Union that are located in the far northeast of the country, and known collectively as New England.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

A very stately -- in fact, extremely European-looking -- building that greets you when you first step off the Staten Island Ferry at the town, and port, of St George.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

A couple of photos showing one of the Staten Island Ferries waiting in dock at the town of St George.  For some bizarre reason, a very thick fog rolled into New York City on this particular evening, meaning that first my original ferry was cancelled, and that second I had to wait an additional 20 or so minutes for the subsequent ferry.

Now this may hardly appear newsworthy for many of you, but I do know that this sort of situation is very rare indeed -- perhaps almost entirely unheard of outside of disasters, whether manmade or natural -- and that's because the Staten Island usually runs like clockwork.

After all, the ferry absolutely has to get all those tens of thousands of workers who live in Staten Island, but work within New York City's downtown financial district (but increasingly elsewhere throughout the city nowadays, too) -- and who work within this city's vast financial industries, too, it must be said -- safely, and timely, to work, and back, every single working, or trading, day, especially as many of these individuals have to be sat at their desk, or stood on the trading floor, at a very exact specified time, too.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

However, the thick fog did create this dramatic, and stunning, lighting effect right behind the Statue of Liberty !

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

Wrapping up my Staten Island Adventures, these last three photos were taken by me as the ferry pulled into the Manhattan terminus of the Staten Island Ferry.

Once again, note the rather strange -- and rather eerie, too -- fog that draped itself low over the Lower Manhattan skyline, but mostly between the floors of 60 and 100, which one can tell from the now almost completed World Trade Center located to the left of these three photos, and standing head and shoulders over all the other buildings, too.

Meanwhile, you can see that some of the buildings are still -- very sadly -- totally black, meaning that they are still -- even now -- unsafe for reoccupancy after Hurricane Sandy, but with some whispering -- and only a whisper that is growing increasingly louder by the day -- that the New York city government may have no other choice than to condemn some of these buildings, as they were so badly damaged by the flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy's tidal surge, meaning -- ultimately -- that their interiors will have to be entirely gutted, totally replaced and -- after having all their interior decorations completely redone -- overwhelmingly refurbished, renovated and redesigned, too.

Nevertheless, these buildings are very much now in the minority, and as all the other bright lights clearly indicate -- and only to be expected from "The City That Never Sleeps" -- life is slowly beginning to return to normal in this only-recently very stricken city metropolis of 8 million individuals.

And with these last three photos -- alongside their accompanying narrative, too -- I'm afraid I have to say that my Staten Island Adventures have now drawn to a final close, whereupon I do only hope that you've thoroughly enjoyed not only my photography, but also my narratology, too !!! :)

Goodbye for now.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

Staten Island Adventures (Part 1) | 史坦頓島冒險 (第1部分)

Staten Island Adventures (Part 1) | 史坦頓島冒險 (第1部分)

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On Monday, November 12, I set off for Staten Island, in order to explore this generally-overlooked island, but also frequently-ignored borough, and yet surprisingly-photogenic portion, of New York City.

As such, I had to board the Staten Island Ferry, whereupon, and aboard this arterial route — connecting this suburban borough called Staten Island with the other 80% of the ‘City That Never Sleeps’ — this set of photos showcasing the Manhattan skyline, as well as my perennial favourites — aka the soaring seagulls — were all captured by me.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012. Meanwhile, please do absolutely feel free to share any of my photographs, but I do ask that you also please acknowledge me as the photographer if you do so.  Thank you so very much, Graham !  :)

 

Which meant that I -- once again, and it must be said with rather great delight, too -- had to pit my increasingly photographic abilities against the masterfully avionic agilities of the astonishingly-nimble seagull, a master of the marine skies, as well as the stunning harbour, that can be found surrounding nearly all of New York City.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

These are images of the Lower Manhattan Skyline as seen from various different locations on Staten Island.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

 

Meanwhile, these are images of the Brighton Beach Skyline over in Brooklyn, and as seen from a beach that runs along most of the Eastern Coastline of Staten Island.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

 

“Honey, I need to buy a couple of monsters for dinner, so I’m heading out to the grocery store right now.  Will be back in half an hour.  Love you.”

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

A collection of 4 photographs exhibiting some remarkably excellent graffiti that I photographed while standing on the elevated walkway of Stapleton station of the Staten Island Railway.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

Several photos exhibiting the native flora and fauna of Staten Island, and all of it -- save the nervous squirrel perhaps -- drenched in the riotous colours of Autumn as well.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

This photograph of a remarkably empty, but utterly beautiful, beach — albeit the beach's beauty was always going to be aided by the very fact this photo was taken at dusk, a particular time of day which always seems to make for far better photography, too — that runs along much of the Eastern coastline of Staten Island.

Meanwhile, I just LOVE empty places — very much like this beach on Staten Island — and that’s because I genuinely feel that the very fact of these places of natural wonder and spectacular beauty being totally devoid of the presence of humans -- although, importantly, not devoid of the presence of humanity -- only serves to make these places that much more poignant, even more evocative and far more gorgeous, too.

Now shown in the first three of the four photographs are some wooden stumps that stick out of the seabed, and which I can only assume were all that remains of a pier that once took beachgoers that much closer to the horizon than they would have been able to from standing merely on the beach itself.

Although regardless of the original purpose of the stumps, it is safe to say that their current purpose is to -- once again -- aid in the making, and production, of better photographs.  Finally, sitting atop many of the further, distant stumps, although you cannot see them in these photos really at all, were many Double Crested Cormorants, and whom were all there -- presumably -- to roost for the night.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

Meanwhile, these flowers had -- rather miraculously it must be said -- managed to survive not only the hurricane of the century, but also a rather cold, and snowy, nor'easter, too.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.

 

Now someone had -- either intentionally or unintentionally -- left this chair on this beach staring out alone into the big wide blue yonder, but which also had the rather serendipitous effect of turning this impromptu prop into a cool, slightly abstract, photographic set piece as well.

Anyway, when I showed one of these photos to someone recently, they remarked to me that I should call the photo “Clint Eastwood,” which I thought -- and still do think, too -- as being both very creative and rather funny, too.

- Graham Richard Cloke 高健, Monday, November 12, 2012.


TO BE CONTINUED !!!

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