You might have noticed those tiles already look a little drab and dated, even though construction only finished a few years ago.

The above mural is part of the new Capitol Hill light-rail station on Broadway.

More here on the piece (apologies to all comic/graphic artists ahead of time, for not portraying your craft with as much fidelity as it probably deserves).

Our muraliste is a comic/graphic artist tapped to make signs and symbols for all the Community:

‘Forney, originally from Philadelphia…landed the light rail station gig back in 2008 after submitting a series of paintings of hands in provocative positions to Sound Transit — paintings which had originally been featured in the 2007 Seattle Erotic Art Festival. The series was called Big Fuckin’ Hands.’

Get it?  They’re hands, and they’re…well…you know.

Oh boy…

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As for People’s Republic of The Northwest Territories, there’s that Diego Rivera-esque mural in Kane Hall at the University Of Washington…multi-ethnic laborers of the world uniting for the common good.

Comrade, I must confess: I see myself in those square-jawed, virtuous workers, gathered above their apparently crayon-scrawled manifesto.  For long years now, I, too, have dreamed of controlling the means of production, in solidarity with all the Workers Of The World!

The Seattle Monorail has always looked to me like a cross between the Disneyland monorail in the 50’s (actually updated due to market forces) and the crown-jewel of Pyongyang’s subway system.

A bullet to the future, frozen in time!:

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All aboard!:

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These public projects tend to become repositories for all the hopes and sacrifices people around here make for the  ‘-Isms’ (counter-culture anti-establishmentarianism, vaguely warmed over socialism, environmentalism, radical collectivism, activism of all stripes etc.).

Many people don’t always know what they’re for, exactly, but it’s often easy to tell what they’re against, and it’s you should you choose to play the bad guy in their passion-play.

Fascist!

Don’t try and make too much sense of it:  Cargo-Cult thinking is often in effect when it comes to the economics of these projects:  The cost, numbers, budgets etc. usually come later.  First seems to be the solidarity, the ‘sacredness’ and the tiny shrines which have sprung up this past century around which people gather in common cause.

You must show some belief in the vision.

Related On This Site:

–Daniel Dennett: ‘Postmodernism And Truth’

-Amtrak to the Future!:Repost-From The New Yorker: ‘Writing Powered By Amtrak’

-A museum industrial complex…more complexes…who are the people museums should be serving? James Panero At The New Criterion: ‘Time to Free NY’s Museums: The Met Responds’

-Here’s a suggestion to keep aesthetic and political judgements apart-Roger Scruton In The American Spectator Via A & L Daily: Farewell To Judgment…

From 2 Blowhards-We Need The Arts: A Sob Story…

***I’m sorry for the glare and the lack of composition.  I am but a humble prole passing through the Great Hall Of The People’s Transit.