Heroes Not Zombies

I was in Cefalu, on Sicily, last year, and took several photographs of the beautiful works of art which fill the streets of the little town. These planters are beautiful. And each of them has a plant in it, which somebody must be looking after. People have taken the time to create these wonderful objects, and to place them on the steps of this narrow passageway ascending to the next street. Isn’t that so appealing? Doesn’t it draw you in? This is a street which is just a delight to walk in. And imagine if this is a street you walk up, or down, every day, to buy your bread, to get to the cafe, to visit your friends. How something this simple changes everything. How it make the lived environment more beautiful, more human, more a celebration of creativity and uniqueness. I love this. Here’s another photo from round the corner….

In a hot place like Cefalu, you need to sit in the shade from time to time. But look at these two benches. Simple, elegant, yes, functional, but also beautiful. And look at the planters. Different from the ones on the stairs, but glorious all the same, and with images from history and myth relevant to this particular place. We humans are great at deepening and enriching our daily lives, through art, design, myths and stories.

Thank goodness, we are not all obsessed with “utility” and “efficiency”. Thank goodness we are humans, not machines.