Yesterday the temperature warmed up sufficiently for me to walk home on my usual route of Park Avenue heading North for 30 blocks. I was in my normal singing out aloud mood, happily breathing in the warmer air whilst thinking about Spring and the possible sightings of the first buds appearing on the trees lining the avenue.
All was going swimmingly well until in the late 50's I glanced in a northerly direction and to my amazement I saw giant size pink and red roses sprouting out of the ground from the central reservation. It looked like a cartoon scene from Monty Python's Flying Circus. These monstrosities seemed to be "planted" at every block for as far as the eye could see, which in my case was eight blocks. The section of my brain marked with a large sign saying "intrigue" fought an immense battle with a much smaller section labeled "common sense." I really needed to be home to relieve the babysitter but "Intrigue" won me over as I removed myself from the sidewalk and crossed to the muddy middle section of Park avenue that separates the cars moving in opposite direction , to take a closer look.
The roses were at least 10 feet off the ground, in full bloom, man made of course and covered in giant bugs. The plaque on the ground read " Will Ryman-The Roses -stainless steel, fiberglass,marine paint and brass."
It wasn't an ugly exhibition of flowers. Having said that, the giant bugs were a little off putting and made a baby cry when she looked up at the flowering steel contraptions and saw an enormous and somewhat hideous garden bug staring at her. The child was quickly whisked away by her care provider in mid cry for no doubt an evening littered with nightmares of giant flowers and man eating insects in store for her.
I was more focused on the plaque. The inscription further read, " The Exhibition on Park Avenue is presented under the auspices of The Sculpture Committee of The Fund for Park Avenue." I wrote down its name and sprinted home to further investigate. I ran passed the doorman, into the elevator and charged into my apartment bi passing the family and locked the door of my bedroom behind me as I jumped on the Internet to get to the bottom of this.
I am all for the Arts and for beautifying our environment but I was flabbergasted that a Committee existed to decide, plan and implement super sized roses on Park Avenue. I imagined an eccentric , cravat wearing elderly gentleman whose father used to be a portrait painter to some European dignitaries, solely responsible for this Park Avenue distraction. But no. There were 12 people on the committee with a chairman, a dedicated up to date website, and yes, a logo. These folk spent fortunes on their hobby. They had numerous amount of meetings to digest and sieve through the latest street art offerings and had a huge budget that was funded through private individuals who lived on Park Avenue and who could see the exhibits from their apartment windows.
Were these people on the committee completely mad or was there a hidden meaning to this colorful display of steel fauna? It suddenly dawned on me : The roses represented the well kept, exclusive , wealthy Park Avenue aristocratic upper class, firmly planted in society, somewhat phony and man made, yet sprightly and well dressed and impeccably groomed. The bugs were the rest of us: pesky parasites feeding off the rich; a nuisance and harsh to look at when compared to the blooming flowers and void of any likable features. Yet, this committee chose to post on its website the roses before the bugs had been welded on, representing what New York City life would be like without the "Have Nots." Tonight I will walk home via Madison Avenue in protest at their elitist symbolism. If I happen to stumble upon Park Avenue I will be armed with my own plaque that reads, " New York City is for Everyone!"
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