Nothing should strike more fear into a lover of the Paris Metro than the announcement that the RATP is "beautifying" its stations. Lest one forget, it was a similar beautification project that almost led to the loss of all of Hector Guimard's iconic art nouveau station exteriors. As the RATP tore out Guimard's stations, they were approached by a U.S. museum that wanted to buy one of the stations in complete form. This prompted a rethinking of that beautification project. The picture I've included here announces a currently ongoing beautification of 250 stations. While there are many that did need sprucing up (and sometimes the new stations are pretty stunning), I worry that they'll cover over what makes the Metro stations so damn wonderful and unique in the world. Like Paris itself, there's a sense of deshabille about the stations, an elegant state of tatters that is lovely and charming and authentic. Ok, they can paint over the blood stains and wash out the homeless piss, add a few historical signs such as the moving tribute to the roundup of Jews at Vel' d'Hiv now at the Bir-Hakeim station, but for god's sake, leave the rest reasonably intact.
2 comments:
Jim,
Once again you hit the nail on the head. I think the key word is authentic. I am confident when I experience things from the old world I am experiencing something authentic. With few exceptions, (the Constitution, Jazz, Mid-20th Century Art and Design) America has very few authentic things. For authenticity we depend on the old world, if what we seek is western. So leave the Metro alone except maybe a good scrubbing. Great post Jim keep them coming.
I'd add to the list Rapala lures and the Library of Congress, but it's been at least a decade since I've been to the LOC and they've probably bolloxed that up. Then there's Homer Simpson's list: "we invented computers, leg warmers, bendy straws, peel-and-eat shrimp, the glory hole, AND the pudding cup. " I love the American ability to fashion something new out of bits and pieces of other cultures (long live rock and roll and the musical), but you're right about how we don't have the patience to let the moss develop on our tombstones. We're just so damn young, though, and we've yet to lose our youthful exuberance and love of change, authenticity be damned. Maybe someday we'll be comfortable with our own ghosts.
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