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Saved Objects Civic Pride

Remember "Found Objects"? No? They were all the rage a few years ago in the world of contemporary art. Defined as "Any found or altered object employed in a work of art" (National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC), they populated the galleries of downtown Manhattan in the late nineties. Perhaps there will be a Found Objects revival - then they'd be 're-found objects'.

What have Found Objects got to do with Civic Pride? Nothing really. Except when I was rumbling through an old folder of papers today, I can across some Saved Objects. Objects I put away some time ago for some reason long since forgotten. A couple in particular caught my eye.

I've been thinking lately about how people from different cities and countries perceive themselves. How people are proud of features and stereotyped characteristics of their societies which may be negative and undesirable when pertaining to an individual, but are perfectly acceptable when pertaining to a society as a whole.

Saved Object #1

New Yorkers love to be portrayed as tough people who can survive in a crime-ridden city. They also see themselves as unphased by the unusual, and as living in a city where just about anything can happen.

Hence the phrase used primarily by New Yorkers themselves - "Only in New York". And to ... Saved Object #1.

It is a postcard, popular with tourists both domestic and foreign, and is one of a series which has as its theme, crime-related scenes as ho-hum every-day events in New York.

Tshirts and other paraphernalia for sale in the New York tourist spots, tout the image of New York as a tough town. "Welcome to New York, NOW LEAVE!" is emblazoned across the front of one popular tshirt.

New Yorkers like to think of themselves as taking things in their stride and not being surprised by anything remotely unusual. A few years ago an out-of-town company held a product promo, and tried to capture New Yorkers' attentions by painting a troupe of unemployed actor advocates, bright green. They placed these green people outside some store where the new product was being demoed.The green ones were not given a second glance. True to their perceived identity, morning workers and shoppers just passed them by. The promo was a failure.

The next day this little happening was reported on the morning news. Proudly. The anchor ended with the over-used phrase, "Only in New York!"

It seems to me that people love to take possession of characteristics, even negative ones, that do not belong to their own personality, but rather to their wide area network. Perhaps it is because it is safe. After all, you can't be criticised for having a characteristic that is part of your culture.

And so to Saved Object #2.

Saved Object #2

Another postcard but this time, from the opposite side and from the opposite hemisphere. It was sent to me some years ago by one of my nephews, who had visited me in New York and was now back in Australia.

"Come off it Sime", I thought as I read it. Very funny. Except Simon doesn't talk like that.

An Australian colloquialism every second phrase. ASIF!

But they are written with a certain pride. The way many of us Aussie expats start using phrases that we have only ever heard from country cousins or in movies.

Yesterday I was in Lower Manhattan, in a very Cool district. I was window shopping and walking slowly when I came upon a beautiful blonde-haired young man who looked like he'd stepped out of a men's perfume advertisement. He was so beautiful he could have been a girl. He was impeccably dressed in casual androgynous urban chic, and was talking into a cell phone as he draped himself sensually against a street-sign pole. I thought he looked French, so I listened for his voice to determine his accent - he was too blonde and too sensitive-looking to be a New Yorker.

"Jeez mate, the beer here is as weak as piss. Bloody yanks wouldn't know if a roo hit 'em ..." he was saying loudly in Broad Strine.

As I passed him I noticed that he was wearing eye make-up.

Strewth! Only in New York.

Kate Juliff
New York
February 2005