Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Parking For Seven?
Comments:
Four is unlucky in most of Asia, I think. Wikipedia says it's because 'four' sounds like the word for death:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_(number)
So for us Europeans the lack of the four is an interesting twist in the image. In Asia its absence is transparent.
In fact, what caught my eye first was the symmetrical parking of those two cars - obviously not wanting to enter one of four parking slots. So there are lots of layers here, from the cars through the numbers to the house. The house gives an insight into local building materials and methodology. In the whole picture, everything is neat: there is little that is out of place - apart from the missing four. A strong composition.
What about 13 and walking under ladders?
Reading the comments, I was wondering about an Asian reaction to the missing 13th floor in every building that they enter when in the USA? The image gives me the feeling of "going in" between the two outer cars. I find myself cropping this image into a long horizontal, cutting it off above the bush at the facing fence.
So I guess the space between the two cars is the drive way? Another one for your book. It certainly worked for me. And as someone born on a Friday the 13th, I'm happy to find out that number is not universally considered unlucky!
I would miss the second floor windows if you cropped the top. I like all the neat rectangles and seeing the still taller building in the upper right.
I was obviously having a slow day when I first saw this. I read the title, noticed the six spaces, thought 'odd' and went on to look at the shapes and patterns. It wasn't until the comments started rolling in that I caught up!
So, I too, like this without the number joke. Mind you, 3567 would be a good book title for you...
I hoped this would stand well both for composition and making you think.
Four is unlucky in China and Japan. It is linked to the pronunciation of the word for the number four and the word for death being quite similar. Apartments are especially prone to omitting #4. Some older buildings have no level 4. Homophones are aplenty in the Japanese language - a small mispronunciation and instead of having a husband you have a prisoner instead... coincidence?
Thanks for the feedback.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_(number)
What about 13 and walking under ladders?
I would miss the second floor windows if you cropped the top. I like all the neat rectangles and seeing the still taller building in the upper right.
So, I too, like this without the number joke. Mind you, 3567 would be a good book title for you...
Four is unlucky in China and Japan. It is linked to the pronunciation of the word for the number four and the word for death being quite similar. Apartments are especially prone to omitting #4. Some older buildings have no level 4. Homophones are aplenty in the Japanese language - a small mispronunciation and instead of having a husband you have a prisoner instead... coincidence?
Thanks for the feedback.