Week 14 Year 2 - Tuesday, March 19th 2013
"Code Name - Argentina"
Whenever an event acquires exceptional proportions, even more so when it has a major media impact, our attention is seized, almost forced to focus on whatever it is that is creating the fuss. When this happens, we instinctively turn our eyes and attention towards a single event or place, and everything else tends to elude us. Chances are we probably wouldn’t take notice if a giraffe chased by a rhino were to pass us by. This is when and why it would be important to pay greater attention to what is going on around us. Instead, we rely on a director’s attentive watch, who, working from a distance, manages to escape the trap. Nothing will escape the array of cameras strategically placed so as to cover the whole wide, confined, area. That’s what they’re there for: to capture details amidst the confusion.
While the world awaits in suspense, the crowd fills the piazza to saturation. The director's careful gaze scans the footage flooding in, looking for details and selecting for us the most beautiful images of the Vatican. Then back to the piazza again. So many people packed in there, but luckily an adequate security service was deployed for the occasion, of which we are given an overview. Didn’t see much of it really, but I guess that’s ok. Then back on the Sistine Chapel. We are fed with images portraying it in all of its splendor. A voice over explains that the conclave is therein gathered and that the whole world is waiting to know the identity of the newly elected. We are awaiting to see white smoke rise from the Chapel’s chimney. Solicited by the account, our minds get lost in a thin white mist while the director's view takes us with a masterful panning shot on the chimney, erect, motionless and pretty damn imposing for a chimney. A great bird approaches flapping its wings vigorously and lands with majestic elegance on top of the chimney. It’s a beautiful seagull. White of course. Images of the bird are broadcasted worldwide. How wonderful! - "Good evening." A soft voice breaks the silence.
A subliminal sign, a symbol, a messenger? What could a seagull represent? and assuming it were a messenger, who would the sender and recipient be? what key would allow a correct interpretation? The Seagull is a sea bird. Of course, Rome is not too far from the coast, so it would be quite normal for a seagull to reach the city. But they also live around lakes. - "Look beyond the city walls, get over the event” - “what for SUB?" - What else is happening in our country at the moment? Surprising changes on the political scene? The phenomenal Mr. Grillo? But what could a seagull, the Pope and Mr. Grillo possibly have in common? - "ARGENTINA" - At the mouth of the river Argentina, in Liguria (Grillo’s native land), lives a colony of seagulls. Argentina is also Pope Francisco I ’s land of origin. This is where I lose myself. After all quite a few creatures inhabit the roofs of our cities. Mostly cats, but quite a few pigeons too. They too were on the Chapel’s roof on that same day, only no one broadcast those images because of the chimney. On that day it had a special meaning. What a lucky seagull!
by lalitwist
Note 1 - about SUB ref. Monday, December the 5th 2011 "About a Druid and his mushrooms"