"Urbanisticism"

Photography: Carl Joyce

all rights reserved!

Recently I thought about the charm of urban milieu. And then I realised I was thinking more about the word group my brain had already established, charm and urban, rather than thinking what was the charming about the urban...But what IS the charm of the city?

Is it the enormous variety colliding at one place?

 Is it the forever high speed of air particles? 

Or is it the feeling of anonymity and being lost "at home"? 

Or is it all at once?...

Could it be the hurry of the omnipresent public transport vehicles with their timetables, unpredicted delays and ever-crowded boards and the helpless sensation of dependancy? Or the painfully familiar rumbling sound of a ferry boat; 

the rattling metal wheels of the city train;

the anxious noise of car horns;

or the jingling notification of the present bicycles and scooters literally flying along the streets with riders so purposeful and focused on their direction and daily tasks?...

Whatever the means of transport, somewhere, between the stations and stops, traffic lights and roundabouts, under flyovers and in underpasses, 

people doze off, 

hesitate,

explore

or simply wait sat

 and patiently sunk in their thoughts.

Charm is hidden in the retro quietness of a cobbled back street, 

exposed by the historical silence of a famous landmark, 

or hinted by the mysticalness of the weather and Gothic architecture. 

Some will find charm also demonstrated by the loudness of a local parade,

and subdued architectural crescendo,

others will immerse themselves in the enormity of a nightscape

 of megalopolitan proportions,

or the nocturnal appearance of a rather modest urban extent.

And third will define charm in a bit more abstract

or even photographic way... 

Whatever the type, size, location, cultural characteristics, time zone, weather or condition, 

The City

is

there - Charming with its colours, sounds and faces, it is on our way to work, home or the next destination....which is quite often another city...