Entry 5- Sublime and Steel

Abruptly, I set out to capture the sunset.

Despite the distraction of an exciting college basketball game on the living room television, the sky outside demanded attention. Streaks of vibrant orange and soft pink dissolved into thick clouds, creating one of the most vivid sunsets I have seen in some time. The bold colors melting into deep, puffy cloud formations reminded me of the Romantic paintings we admired in our recent in-class activity. As I stood there, my gaze fixed on the heavens, I almost began to see the sky as a canvas and the clouds as brushstrokes. “Sublime” is how the presenting group defined it. This sunset was a perfect example. 

Although, as mentioned, I had to “capture” it. 

Construction near my apartment blocked a clear view. In sandals, my roommate and I circled chain-link fences containing loose debris, dirt, and machinery, in search of a better vantage point. No matter where we ventured, towering cranes pierced the skyline. Their rigid steel beams sliced through the soft colors above, and their harsh white LEDs stole natural light. There was an undeniable tension between the machinery and the sky. It felt like watching a young child scribble a permanent marker across a cherished painting: intrusive human impact. 

Eventually, my roommate and I found a relatively unobstructed view. I grabbed a final picture before the final daylight surrendered to nightfall. 

Walking back home, I reflected on what I had just seen. Despite the cranes, concrete pillars, and artificial light, the sunset was unrestrained. Its beauty did not disappear, but it required some intention to find it.