I have been in the 'desert' for awhile now, not having shot much. Although today it finally rained, and Friedlander arrived on my doormat.
Broadgate Venus - Broadgate, London '10 #20 Paul Abbott
Fernando Botero's Venus is large enough to balance the entire building. It's smooth curvaceous form and dark color contrasts with the bright rectangular building. This is an impressive work of art in itself. Taking the picture with the Paul Abottean point of view, angled up so steeply, does join them in some matrimonial bond. However, notice that for all the curves, Venus has only motherly comfort for us and likely is not built for making infants, as her nipples are hardly evident. So this is a desexed voluptuous woman. A massive seduction that really laughs at fertility. So I guess Botero means no sexual or reproductive connotations, just the pure sculptural form, happening to use as a design, the shape of a well fed female.
So finally, we have them both, a prosperous society able to climb up the the sky in a large box and a 5 ton woman, curved to perfection, able to go without food for ever. Somehow we know that the woman, as usual, will last the longest and see replacements come and go for the building that towers above her!
Asher
