Sunny Day
Image Descripton: A pink metal mailbox decorated with painted cityscape designs stands alone on a sunlit sidewalk. Behind it, a tall wall covered entirely in green ivy rises above a row of neatly trimmed bushes.
On this sidewalk in Old Town stands a painted pastel pink utility box featuring the Chicago cityscape. Alone it stands with the ivy backdrop and it casts a shadow along the neutral sidewalk. While isolated, it conveys a kind of whimsy instead of seclusion, which is what is featured more in “I’ll Have my Coffee Black” and “Lab Rat”.
It is beautiful to be joyful and find more beauty outside when going about the world. I encountered this on my way to get coffee and walking around a public park. I was in a particularly good mood, enjoying the warm weather and sunlight when this utility box caught my eye. It was bright and soft in the middle of the concrete, bathed in sunlight. I had to capture it.
To me, this represents queer visibility, with its vibrant and playful color. Queerness and desire should, and do, spark joy in everyday life. Plus, I think the cityscape gives a nice nod to Chicago and embraces its rich LGBTQIA+ culture and history .