2015: Over Under Project - A Little Peace of Paris
Throughout the history of the world, man has sought after concepts that seem to lead to a better life: love, joy, success, and the like. Many times, however, these concepts fall short as many go through times of darkness and despair, failure and brokenness, a metaphorical storm in the midst of each life. As life throws curves into our path, it is easy to give up and accept the storm. However, as every storm has an eye in the middle, one can choose to seek peace. Whether peace of mind, peace on earth, or peace of heart, peace is one of the most elusive concepts in the universe, yet it presents itself to each of us regularly through beautiful, subtle moments and places.
In this project, we have wandered through one of the busiest cities in the world, examining the culture, day-to-day activities, and craziness of the people surrounding us and the lives they lead. In the midst of the chaos, however, we have sought places or moments which have given us peace amongst insanity, calm within the storm. These places are reflected in our art, whether photography, sketches, stories, or poems, and are even more so remembered In our hearts. This is our impression of the city of love. This is our Little Peace of Paris.
This project was done in a way that reflects on both ourselves and Paris. When visiting each stop, it is difficult to see it as someone’s home. From an outsider’s point of view, Paris is a destination that inspires both romance and adventure, offering an experience different from everyday life but causing a sense of alienation from its current population. This can be explained by thinking of the feeling one gets when going to a Disney park. It is easy to remove the historical context, the tragedies, and horrors that happened in one location and create an ideal image of the city in your mind. It is also very easy to remove the people that frequent an area in order to make yourself the protagonist.
It is because of this that this project was made. One tends to forget that in the same spot in which you could be standing, a marriage proposal could have taken place, or someone could have heard both the best and worst news in their lives. A park bench could mean the world to someone, but to you, it is just a bench in a random park that you will never go back to again, or even pay a second thought. This is where “A Little Peace of Paris” comes from: the idea that there are locations all throughout this city that offer some form of refuge to someone is really a magical concept to us. People live and die here. Paris is not a Disney park, it is a city that is alive.
Our “Over Under Paris” project allowed us to obtain a different perspective on life by slowing down from our daily routines in order to acquire a different experience. Back home in Miami, we are able to see certain things just because we live there: the hostess at a restaurant in South Beach relaxing near the curb during a slow day or the bicyclist that crosses a certain street at a certain time are all examples of sights that a tourist might not see. And yet, even though we live in Miami, there are sights that we will never experience just because we tend to enter a monotonous cycle of work and home life. We go to work in a box, or office, just to transition back to another box which is our home. We enter cars and block out our outside environment as we cement our feet into a clockwork of activities that blur the day away and melds the weeks together in our minds. This causes us to not truly experience our city fully, even though we live within its limits. Likewise, even though there are Parisians that have lived in Paris for their entire lives, they could have still experienced less than we have in the month that we have been studying here.
“A Little Piece of Paris” takes the concept of every life being different but sharing the same fundamental principles and applies them to ourselves. Paris is a fast-paced city. From metro trains that are less than a few minutes apart to crosswalks that have been stepped on by millions of feet, the hurried tone that Paris offers forces certain aspects of it to be forgotten. The act of stopping to listen to a performance in a metro station or sitting down in a park for a minute longer provides a sense of peace that is different from forced relaxation. It gives one the idea that slowing down is, in a sense, an act of self-enlightenment. Through actions like these, we were able to find peace in Paris, but more importantly, if only for a moment, we found peace ourselves.
"Pourquoi partez-vous?"
"Parce que je dois," she responded, her voice barely rising above a whisper. She knew deep down that if she spoke any higher, her words would break and her tears would fall down her face. She looked towards the flowers, the shadows created by the light shining through the leaves on the trees, and the mosaic of green displayed on the ground beneath her feet. Anywhere but at her friend's face. The gentle, hurried voice that kept asking why she was leaving, the soft features of worry displayed on such a beautiful face, this person was unknowingly the reason for so many of her tears. They had met many years ago on this same location, beneath this tree that had heard so many of their secrets. The branches stretched out throughout time, holding onto their very emotions and confessions. Through its growth, they also grew, the two of them together. And now it would all be gone. Two young girls, now two young women, holding onto the same wooden bench that had provided them comfort for so long.
Tell me your secrets Tell me your past
Of boys sailing off unto the high seas Of young love discovering new things Of youth living recklessly All of these you know
How many roses have you seen retired How many minds have you inspired
As you offer the pilgrim refuge As you become the poet's muse As you calm the broken heartache All these you do
So tell me the secrets you hold so dearly Show me the things you know