July 11, 2006
Subterranean Homesick Blues
Aah, sweet city of my birth. How your erect skyline doth quiver me timbers:
That's the newspaper building towering over the left bank, serving to remind us that propaganda is above all.
It's been sixteen years since I last rode a boat down the ol' Rock River, and while what I remember as being incredibly impressive to me as a child is now less so (minus the threat of the undertow: Dad's warnings are still embedded into my DNA), there were many new developments that did impress me, although not necessarily in a good way. My God, the development along the northwestern shore! The only justification I can see for owning a house that big is if you're starting a cult. If you are not standing on one of those decks - whose square footage is more than my entire house - worshipping spacecraft and breeding for the Redeemer, you have no business being there. Holy Jesus.
That said, it was comforting to see that the mystical dragons are still alive and well...
... and also that my grandmother's not-so-inner country bumpkin upbringing hasn't been crushed by frequent visits to the harsh environs of the city:
Those are duck feathers coming out of her head.
"I don't know why I picked up these feathers."
"Because you could take them home and glue them to something."
sighs, tossing feathers into the river
Apparently not satisfied with their brief episode as "A Different Kind of Greatness," Rockford has finally recognized and acknowledged its own inherent lack of literary genius and gone back to the sculpting board, opting to show, rather than tell, what Screw City is really all about: The Rockford Symbol. I can remember being on field trips as a child, and as the bus headed toward Sinissippi Gardens, the teacher would stand up and point toward the river.
Alright, children! Look to your left! There it is! THE ROCKFORD SYMBOL!
Curious about the meaning of life right down to the most intimate detail, we all craned our necks to see for ourselves in the hopes of finally answering the Great Question(s): Why are we here? What does our city stand for? WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
A phallus.
Once, there was one such sculpture,
... but the symbolism was lost, what with all those looping swirls of metal.
Now, there are two such symbols, the second one improved from the last model, with its more direct upward thrust. In keeping with the Two Birds, One Stone philosophy that is the motto of such thrifty subcultures, the artist succeeds in communicating to the observer not one, but two main ideas, the first being: UPWARD! ONWARD! DIVIDE AND CONQUER! WITH ALUMINUM!
And the second, bonus suggestion being, LONG LIVE OUR MICROWAVE CULTURE!
At least you try, Rockford. I'll always love you for that.
Posted by stephanie at July 11, 2006 08:16 AMI totally forgot about those dragons.
Posted by: tracey at July 11, 2006 09:05 AMSometimes I tend to take a defensive stance on behalf of Rockford, probably because I still live there and need justify the city which I occupy.
So, here I go. The Symbol, by Alexander Lieberman, is an exceptional sculpture. Perhaps it is really in the wrong setting along the banks of the Rock River, but Lieberman's work is considered revolutionary because of his use of industrial materials, factory building methods, and large-scale size. The sculpture originally resided downtown, when downtown actually had department stores, hotels, and other businesses.
Unfortunately the leaders over Rockford's history have only focused on urban sprawl and just about every building that was rich in architecture has been demolished. The symbol eventualy was moved to open the mall area for a drive-thru street.
And, why do I still live in Rockford? I am starting to beleive that I lost my opportunity to break free from the grip of this city and I am now swirling around in some strange vortex.
Posted by: jen at July 13, 2006 03:59 PM