Take a look at this picture.
They painted the wall: https://www.50odd.co.uk/wonderwall/.
Blue.
OK so it’s smoother now.
Neater now.
Newer now.
And bluer now.
But this wall.
That sits about 30 yards from my house.
Down by the marina where I am lucky enough to live.
Was so much more interesting before.
20 Years.
Before it was painted recently.
This wall had had 20 years of weatherbeating.
So it was mottled.
And where water had run down from a hole near the top.
There was a lovely, winding auburn trail.
Take a look: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0BKVNxAKFH/?utm_source=ig_web_options_share_sheet
I preferred it that way.
Because it made me wonder how it would change next year.
It made me wonder how each of the 20 years previous had created such a unique texture and layering.
It made me wonder how the white marbling would develop in the next 20 years.
It made me wonder how each new photoshoot that we did by the 20 year old blue wall would look.
As it changed and evolved.
Wonderwall.
And all I wonder now.
Is why they don’t see what I see.
That – as something gets older.
It can become more beautiful.
Not less beautiful.
So it’s not much of a Wonderwall at all any more for me, really.
What a shame.
1 Comment
It was so much nicer before.
Now all I can think is that what it needs is the application of some creativity: graffiti, art, texture, poetry, perhaps a green wall. Turn it into something that the local community can be proud of and that people might want to come and see.
Maybe it needs you to sign write, ‘Wonder’ on it, huge and in a delightful typeface. Or perhaps, ‘Stay Curious’, in a characterful brushscript font. Just ‘Do’ it,