Pavement art
A Little while before leaving Bondi I spent a couple of days hunting the pavements or any little bits of scrawling, scratchings, animal prints, accidental mishaps and anything else that caught my eye. Although set in stone, these marking are still ephemeral in their own way. The people that made them have grown up and moved away. The animals that snuck through the wet concrete at night have long since passed away. The trees that shed their leaves only to be imprinted them have lasted the seasons, mostly, some have been cut down but most will probably outlive the cement they left their mark in.
It reminds me of the dinosaur footprints the find in prehistoric river beds. A momentary event captured in a black and white medium.
Its a strange analogy to a photograph in that it freezes that moment in time. A slow sticky freeze.
People love to leave their mark behind. Bondi being Bondi is a very ephemeral place filled with a river of traveler’s from around the planet all converging on the beach and rocks that give it its name.
I feel excited finding one of these markings. For a little moment I imagine teenagers or backpackers finding the wet slab, un-defaced by anyone. The race is on to come up with a funny remark, a silly picture or a genuine outpouring of desire to some kid called Justin. Quick, before the taxi leaves, before someone comes along and shouts at you or before the concrete sets and you walk by it every day wising you had been a little more brave to write something profound in it for future generations.
Or the old dick and balls.
