“Wuhan / 武汉 | Qianjin rd urban village / 前进路小区” by toehk is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
“Jazz Bar People Ambience (La Fontaine, Copenhagen)” by MSXP is marked with CC0 1.0.
The image I chose was of a street in an urban village within Wuhan, in China. The painting hanging immediately caught my eye because of the contrast between the warm red-brown frame and the blue and white painting of the birds. This photo reminds me of a lot of photos of side streets in big cities, with the worn concrete and the stripped paint showing the age of the area and the crate and cleaning supplies marking that this area, while run-down, is very much alive and not abandoned. I included the audio clip of ambient talking at a jazz cafe because the sound of jazz and faint conversation always reminds me of urban landscapes–the hustle and bustle and music and people faintly filling the background silence is comforting and warm. You might hear the sounds of the cafe from around the corner from the quiet side street of the image, especially in a big city like Wuhan, where the streets and people are all interconnected.
“Just Off the Main Road” by Aedan Bennett is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Hi Aedan,
I really enjoy the image that you chose. Have you been to China before? I spent 3 weeks in Fuzhou and Shanghai in 2006, and it was an incredible experience. I love the bustle of big cities, especially when visiting large markets overseas. I lived in India for 2 years, and although it was crowded and polluted, there was this indescribable energy in the street markets. The audio that you chose reminded me of a busy urban area with a cafe, as you described. The pairing of your paitning and audio, is a reminder that Wuhan blends both tradition in it’s street markets and modern life in it’s urban cafe culture.
When I looked at the image before playing the audio, I heard more traditional Chinese music in my head. I did a search on YouTube and found a song that I think would match the energy of your image. It’s called Ambush On All Sides by Zhao Cong.
Hello Aedan,
Upon viewing the photo you chose I felt the sense of a busy street out of view, with lots of people conversing as they walked by. Possibly noisy vehicles as well. But once I played your audio along with the photo my mental image immediately shifted, and the atmosphere felt much more lively and upbeat rather than day to day activities taking place. I felt like I was standing outside of a crowded bar overflowing with people and music, and that I was gazing in the window from outside. Very interesting combination, and I appreciated how my mental image shifted so significantly with the choice of audio.
Hi Aedan, the image you chose is very captivating. I love the detail of the birds painted onto the window with the blue background. I would be interested to hear if you have any personal connection to this image. Have you traveled to Wuhan and, if so, what was your experience like? I agree with Christy that I was expecting to hear more traditional Chinese music in the background of the audio you chose. I also love jazz (and this audio so soothing!), but I think it reminds me more of sitting in a busy Italian restaurant. The conversational aspect of the audio really lends itself to this image; it does evoke that feeling of a busy marketplace!