about. transitions. invisible. cities. &. technology

As for the technology photo assignment, some things were
o b v i o u s: the unique outlets and locks, archaic kitchenware and machines, boxy surveillance cameras, etc. However, I think it's interesting to note that although Roma seems to be sorely lagging in the high-tech department, some technologies and solutions are the norm here. While walking through Piazza di Spagna today to pick up my (old school) rental cell phone, I observed the very reason why banks remain so secure that bank robberies are nearly unheard of here: the high-tech, menacing, rotating, one-person-at-a-time entrance. The very thought of someone pulling off any sort of heist is beyond my comprehension. It's things like the revolving bank door, the dependable metro system...inherent technologies...that keep me from saying that Roma is entirely behind.

For my invisible cities assignment, I tried to keep in mind an interesting idea presented in one of the readings. I really liked the reference to cities of the past; time and spacial references to things that once were. Most of my images, I feel, depict a sense of change and may even spark curiosity. For example, the picture I took of the dead bird on my daily route to school, which I noticed day after day: What is the reason for the plethora of feathers on the ground outside one certain building? Why here...and why do they never get swept away with the ritual street cleansing?

The idea of transitions from public to private life, and vice-versa, is a very intriguing concept. Our reading discussed the pedestrian nature of the neighborhood vs. the motor vehicle grind of the metropolis. I thought of that classification while walking the streets of my own neighborhood here in Roma and searching for subjects of which to photograph. On a street adjacent to our own, I found a number of prime examples of transitions from public to private. This car...a very private mobile setting thrust into a public street...with a note on it.

Satellites attached to residential buildings, transmitting very public information into a private venue.

Balconies, perfect settings for intimate conversations...turned public by their placement (This corresponds to the reading's reference to patios and the division between public and private in the home as well. The front yard is entirely public, groomed for show; the back yard and it's patio privately holds conversations. Here in Roma, patios become inter-meshed with public life, just as a cell phone conversation turns public in a crowded piazza.

I am continually intrigued by the concept of video surveillance: you can feel entirely alone, yet just as our residence porter's monitor shows, you are constantly being watched.

Finally, I love the idea of reflections and mirrors assisting in transitions. How many people do you see each day walking past a glass building and glancing at their reflection? Do they look out of place quickly smoothing stray pieces of hair and fixing their posture, or is it the norm? I myself do this all the time: I think vanity is part of human nature. For this photo, I attempted to show how mirrors (and reflections) located in a public place can make a seemingly private moment just the opposite.

Invisible Cities

Technology in Roma

Introduction/What I carry with me

"Just one bag, my mom and I..." decided upon when hurriedly packing the evening before my trip to Rome (most things I do are in a hurry, yet I find that my best decisions and greatest creativity are born out of deadlines and self-inflicted, last-minute pressure). The process of picking just one bag for my impending trip was cumbersome; after all, I love having options when I travel and loathe being "forced" into an outfit due to lack of variety in packed items. At Temple I normally switch my bags and wristlets daily in order to avoid fashion faux pas...browns, blacks, whites and colors and patterns somewhere in between...and to accessorize tastefully. The ritual daily switching all-your-things-from-one-bag-into-another-just-to-go-with-your-outfit may sound constricting and pointless to some (men), but most women understand it's simply a process of necessity. I don't mean to go on a tangent, but thinking about bags, I can't help but allude to the movie, "The Devil Wears Prada." I loved not only how the world of fashion was portrayed in the movie, but also the idea that a bag, as well as all accessories in general, is so much more than what meets the eye. These pieces are not only for utility, nor portability, but rather pieces of iconography and extensions of one's self. Quite a thought, but certainly not far fetched. I digress.

Back to my large, white bag in which we chose for my trip. As an only child, my parents and I make many important decisions together, such as what bag would go with the most outfits WE packed for my trip (This is not to say, however, that I lack independence nor the ability to take care of myself. Quite the contrary. I simply have found that many times their advice IS the best advice). My mother and I picked the white bag because it seemed to be the most versatile item, a staple for many outfits, and would be useful for lugging my weighty textbooks (yeah, right) to and from school in Rome. So far, the bag has proved to be just that, and I am pleased with our (grave) decision. Inside my bag I typically carry multiple lipglosses, thrown from bag to bag with each aforementioned "switch," and numerous pens, which always seem to accumulate (why is that?). At times I hastily throw in my iPod, jewelery and antibacterial lotion as well (both my parents have bought me so many over time, I think I could give them out to my peers for their own germy protection).

However! The most important thing I ALWAYS carry with me is my planner. I love organization and lists... without them, there would be no way I could manage my life. Since I love to be involved, pursue my many interests at once, and honestly cannot say "no" when it comes to volunteering for something (I need to work on that one), I have made sure to join/do everything I wanted to do at Temple University. I am captain of the Diamond Gems Dance team, an active member in my sorority, producer/anchor for the past three years on our school's cable show, hostess at maggiano's and stellar scholar (except in anything science-related). Additionally, I love to keep up with a ridiculous number of people, have power lunches (I think I'm 30) and love meeting new friends...to introduce to my other friends. Needless to say, without being super-organized, there's no way I could survive. I don't rattle off my accomplishments to simply toot my own horn, but rather to emphasize how important organization is in my life.

I remember the few times I forgot my agenda in high school how upset I got. My mom even begrudgingly drove it over to the school once or twice. Without my agenda...or lists... I feel a lack of purpose and am most certainly not as productive. So when I arrived in Rome for this program sans agenda, you can imagine my panic. Yet, it's absence has not been entirely a loss... It's actually taught me to relax a bit and assimilate into the Roman lifestyle. Many things are done slowly and not everything is tropo serio. Life can be piano, piano: one step at a time.