Auditties

My new obsession: fire hydrants
Why, you may ask? Well, ever since I’ve moved to this weird city of Portland, OR I’ve noticed its unique fire hydrants. I’ve found that thousands are over 80 years old! I think that they certainly add to this diverse city as a form of artwork.  Since the city is slowly replacing them due to non-replaceable parts, one of my purposes was to document them at their current stage and use. I’ve always been drawn to things people often overlook or just don’t really pay attention to.   It’s now become almost an obsession. I’m always looking for interesting fire hydrants when I’m out. Each one is so different from the other, whether it be their texture, color, position, shape, or size. I think no two in the whole city look exactly the same. Even though at times fire hydrants seem to have a bad reputation, like when you think you’ve found a lucky parking spot, but of course one is conveniently placed smack down in the middle of it. Even better, if you’re lucky enough to drive into one, causing damage may make you want to hate them, a lot. Often that’s the most interaction we have with hydrants. I’m not saying we should all go hug a fire hydrant or dance around one; I just wanted to show a glimpse of the “little” things we seem to forget in the world. We all know their main purposes, but most of the time they just appear as forgotten objects, blending into the sidewalk we walk on and going unnoticed to the world around them.