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What is a patina exactly? Classically, it is a corrosion of metal that adds a texture to a surface, eg the green on a copper bell. Increasingly, it is used to indicate long standing behaviours of age and use which result in a "deterioration" to a surface. Deterioration being the 'in' mode!
I have taken you for an extensive swing around Paddington Five Ways before. This building (from the 1890s) is smack on the round-a-bout and is a Thai restaurant. I think this is a decor that the managment is encouraging, which suits my taste. Around the doorway, you can see stencils of previous incarnations, eg 'registered milk venor', indicating that this was a typical corner store. I will go into the role of the corner store in the Paddington of the 19th and early 20th century next week.
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I was trying to think of other words that could be used to describe this effect on buildings, and came up with: speckle, flecked. stipple, motley, potpourri, verdigris, farrago, salmagundi, hotchpotch (or hodgepodge) mismash and melange. Some suit more than others.
I quite like this - but I have liked all three that I have shown this week. Not to everyone's taste, I grant, and I suspect I would not want it in my living room. What do you think?
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23 comments:
Julie, I have truly love your last couple of posts and images.
Perhaps a little bit to far fetched! But a good practice for the artist... and the photographer...
I love these images, but I guess it's a fine line between shabby chic and plain shabby. But I think this building, with the lovely balcony,stays on the right side of the line.
I love Salmagundi best.
"I love your house it's soooo Salmagundi!"
You might start something here Julie!
The buildings remind me of patch work graffitti of another space and time :-).
Julie, I realy love the images in this post, so of the three, this one has my vote.
I think it speaks a language of weariness and grace.
I really like the old red bricks of the Coco Cubano.
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
Great photos, Julie. You make dilapidation look chic!
I like the word "melange" to describe this effect. The walls are certainly catching. Is it odd that I think the effect is great but I wouldn't be happy with it on my house?
Mmmh! I'm thinking of the "in" descriptive titles Julie, like faux-aged (maybe not) or even dilapidated-elegance! But perhaps you're right mishmash or hodgepodge describes it best.
Interesting stuff.
I'm not quite clear if this building has been decorated to look oldor that's how it is. I like it. You'd like my walls, Julie - I did them myself with a several layers of paint, a sponge and lots of elbow... but now I'm getting fed up and might paint the lot white.
It's getting worse! Interesting you should mention the living room though. Our neighbours found a spot of plaster genuinely like this in the their lounge room and preserved it alongside the red walls ... when i saw these shots I instantly thought of their room.
In their case however there was rather less of it and looks good.
Had to come back to say that the photo in Fading Memories today is just the type of distressed paintwork I do like :-)
I must be anal. The 'patina' of old and soft brick walls says 'rain can get into the bricks' and I imagine the building decaying more rapidly.
However, as a photographic subject, first class.
Yes, in many cases Stafford, the decay is genuine and the decor is a means of showcasing the building warts and all. They are all old and 'growing down'.
I don't mind it when it's authentic, but I've seen quite a few examples in Melbourne (mainly Fitzroy, but also in more "modern" parts of town like Port Melbourne) where it looks distinctly "engineered". I refer to your previous post about try hards...
I don't think any of the three I have showcased this week are authentic. I think each has been engineered to suit an attitude or as a marketing tool. There are plenty of delapidated terraces in Paddingtom. I photographed some just today in my walk back from my daughter's apartment. Delapidation does not have beauty.
You don't think so? I guess not, unless it's a 12th century castle on a picturesque cliff top somewhere, perhaps.
Mmm ... okay I will grant that: SOME organic delapidation has beauty. But the ones I photographed yesterday are not in this league. I will work up a post on the issue ... as soon as I find a lead photo that won't put 'surfers' off ... mmm organic delapidated beauty ... tough call.
Wonderful details! Well, you probably know I love a certain kind of decay. :-)
Yes, but Jose, you show real decay. Delapidation created by weather and time. This is all socially engineered decay for effect. Grunge ...
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