Thursday, 27 January 2011

Penny for your thoughts

At the foot of Cubitt Steps, just south of Cabot Square, a pair of men are sitting on a bench.


One is gazing out over the West India Docks towards Heron's Quay


...while the other gazes, hollow eyed, towards the Square.


As I watch them musing, I wonder what they are thinking.   


Are they considering all of the changes which this place has seen since the years it was the busy Port of London, with ships bringing in cargo from all over the globe?    

Or, maybe their thoughts are more personal; family, home, work (though ageless, their smooth skin suggests they are young enough for active employment). Perhaps they have been hit by the cuts and no longer have jobs to go to; no money, many cares.


Perhaps someone they know is in trouble or difficulty. With their hunched shoulders and stony expressions, they hold an air of sadness.

I wish I could know! Wish I could ask!

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Sculptor: Giles Penny. 1990

To read other p-p-p-p-posts, potter over to Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday and join in the fun.







26 comments:

  1. This is a very thoughtful post, H...I have really enjoyed your 'take' on what these two men are thinking.

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  2. The sculptures are so simple but so expressive !

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  3. The sculptures are so good. I liked your profile pic too...it's very cute.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. Yeah it's India, I took the snap around 12 noon.

    Vrinda.

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  4. Well those sculpted blokes look glum don't they!

    I'm just racing past on my way out it's 7:30 already and I have to run.

    Saw another hamster from London and had to say hi :-)

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  5. I wasn't sure what to expect ,when I was reading ,the sculpture was surprise ,quite interesting.
    ~Sharon~

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  6. Love your post and what a neat sculpture:@)

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  7. They have a looks of such despair.

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  8. I have to agree with JDaniel. Although I love the sculpture in total, the expression on the one we can see in the photo is troublesome. I did love your comments.

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  9. Overthink much? Mwahahahaha!

    It is thought-provoking so you get a pass this time. ^_-

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  10. I'm now pondering on your post, and staring at your picture to try figuring them out..

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  11. They do look fed up don't they? I wonder if they work in the financial buildings so very close to them...I bet there's a fair few who feel just like that.
    I loved your post

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  12. " I think a sculpture is born from the bonding of internal and external experiences, and the conclusion of a piece marks the point at which it exists by itself" -Giles Penny.
    Ask Giles! giles@gilespenny.co.uk

    Our comment: the final artistic result does not just sit there by itself- it is surrounded by passers-by who are inspired to photograph, dream, wonder, and use their imagination in many ways, even to write a blog!

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  13. I really like the sculpture and like you wonder what they may be thinking about or what the sculptor thought they would be thinking of. They do look sad and reflective - one looking at the past and one the present perhaps?

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  14. Wonderful post with such an exquisite surprise at the end. I love that sculpture. And it makes me wonder, too.

    =)

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  15. I love "city sculptures" the ones that you see every day you walk to work or the ones that you stumble across round a corner... these guys are perfect!

    Maggy

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  16. Maybe they're just constipated!! Great post!!

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  17. Lovely...

    Art adds so much to our "interior" life, doesn't it?

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  18. Very clever lead in to the photo, H! I thought they were going to be real men ;) Lovely sculpture.

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  19. Look like a couple waiting in the doctors' surgery.

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  20. Yes...I do wonder too what thoughts could be expressed...if they could talk. hm...wonder what Giles Penny was thinking about having them thinking about.

    Blessings & Aloha!
    :o) I'm happy to introduce you to "Pochopino" :o)

    I have an unexpected day off, so yay, I get to do some blog visits and complete some more art orders.

    ...and I added an invite this, morning, after you commented. I'd love if you would take a peek at my new facebook art page. www.facebook.com/PersonalizedSketches and become a "fan" by hitting the like button :o) I finally got brave enough to figure facebook pages out & posting more past orders there in separate categorized albums!

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  21. i love this...
    not the ending i exPected ;)
    happy alphabe-thursday

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  22. Neat post! I didn't expect to see what I saw. Maybe that one facing the camera is wondering why he wasn't clothed. :-)

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  23. I love simple, provocative art like this. I love your post about them, too.

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  24. They could just be wondering if anyone notices they're naked!

    What a fantastic and clever link to Alphabe-Thursday.

    I was really surprised when I came to the picture!

    Thanks for a perfect post this week.

    A+

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