Larimer Street, between the 24th and 32nd
streets is in a neighborhood called River North Arts District or RiNo, and has
its own mascot – a rhino of course. The landmark on Larimer Street is an iconic
rhino mural painting.
I took a photo of that mural on the way to a Spanish
restaurant for tapas. Yet the two blocks of that street seemed out of place in
a busy cosmopolitan city.
Open air markets, restaurants, and impressive painting
on building facades. The people walking around seemed self-selected with an air
of Epicureanism and retro clothing.
Later, I walked around with a 1953 Canon L3
rangefinder camera and a 35mm Canon Sererar lens, and I was delighted that one
of the vendors was selling vintage film cameras. We spoke for a few minutes.
The painting of the rhino was most memorable. The
photo at the top of this post shows how the artist has captured strength along
with patience in a magnificent animal now adorned with lines one would not see
on the African continent. And this rhino is introspective -- see the third eye?
Another painting, more suggestive and zen, had yet
another message. It was brutally expressive, and seemed to address the multiple
human identities -- in contrast to the rhino it did not have a Third Eye, but there was that inner identity displayed on his forehead. But, was he human? I
have seen such paintings in and around temples in Taiwan, often bringing messages
to humans from the underground.
This next photo is about a moment that stood still
on that street in Denver. It was not a mural painting,, and it was not unique –
just a moment that tempts every street
photographer to let his camera click.
Talking about camera, this last one was the reaction
of young men seeing me raise that camera to my eye. I like the body posture of
the man who was most curious about what I was hoping to get from that old
instrument I was holding.
I think he taught I was an eccentric, like many
other walkers on that street by pointing toward him what looked like a camera
just to get attention. I am almost sure he did not think that my Canon was a
working camera…
July 2, 2026
© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2026
No comments:
Post a Comment