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Those who arrive at Thekla can see little of the city, beyond the plank fences, the scaffoldings, the metal armatures, the wooden catwalks hanging from ropes or supported by sawhorses, the ladders, the trestles. If you ask, "Why is Thekla's construction taking such a long time?" the inhabitants continue hoisting sacks, lowering leaded strings, moving long brushes up and down, as they answer, "So that its destruction cannot begin." And if asked whether they fear that, once the scaffoldings are removed, the city may begin to crumble and fall to pieces, they add hastily, in a whisper, "Not only the city."

If, dissatisfied with the answers, someone puts his eye to a crack in a fence, he sees cranes pulling up other cranes, scaffoldings that embrace other scaffoldings, beams that prop up other beams. "What meaning does your construction have?" he asks. "What is the aim of a city under construction unless it is a city? Where is the plan you are following, the blueprint?"

"We will show it to you as soon as the working day is over; we cannot interrupt our work now," they answer.

Work stops at sunset. Darkness falls over the building site. The sky is filled with stars. "There is the blueprint," they say.


(Cities and the Sky: 3, from "Invisible Cities", by Italo Calvino

3/20/04: Trump Tower Atrium, Fifth Avenue.
Christophe Ons; "The Donald".

3/13/04: Former Pan Am building, Park Avenue.
Christophe Ons; Reflections.

2/29/04: NYC in July: 85°, with showers.
Christophe Ons; "My Visit to New York".

2/2/04: Retail Space, Available Immediately, Will Divide, Lexington Avenue.
Mark Lentz; Signage.

1/24/04: Big Faces, Madison and 51st.
Mark Lentz; Signage.

1/16/04: Heralding the new Lime Diet Coke, Times Square.
Roving Rube; Breaking News.

1/10/04: "Maker's Mark" sign, Times Square.
Roving Rube; Signage.

******

12/31/03: Linda Fargo's "Nutcracker" window, Bergdorf Goodman.
Roving Rube; Holiday Windows.

12/25/03: Nativity Scene, Dyker Heights.
Roving Rube; The Lights of Dyker Heights.

12/24/03: Santas, Dyker Heights.
Roving Rube; The Lights of Dyker Heights.

12/22/03: Dyker Heights lights (general view), Brooklyn
Roving Rube; The Lights of Dyker Heights.

12/21/03: Robot in horse-drawn carriage, Dyker Heights, Brooklyn
Roving Rube; The Lights of Dyker Heights.

12/20/03: Girl from Holland, "It's a Small World" house, Dyker Heights, Brooklyn
Roving Rube; The Lights of Dyker Heights.

12/16/03: Orange Window, Banana Republic, midtown Fifth Avenue
Mark Lentz; Holiday Sights.

12/15/03: Strawberry Holiday Windows, Midtown 51st St.
Mark Lentz; Holiday Sights.

12/14/03: Golden trees, Cole Haan, Midtown Fifth Avenue
Mark Lentz; Holiday Sights.

12/13/03: Bloomingdale's windows, Lexington Avenue
Mark Lentz; Holiday Sights.

12/12/03: Cartier Christmas Cats, Fifth Avenue
Mark Lentz; Holiday Sights.

12/07/03: Nutcracker, Midtown Sixth Avenue
Mark Lentz; Holiday Sights.

12/06/03: Christmas Cadets, Rockefeller Center
Mark Lentz; Holiday Sights.

12/03/03: Heralding Angels, Rockefeller Center
Mark Lentz; Holiday Sights.

12/01/03: Rockefeller Center Tree, just before the lighting
Mark Lentz; Holiday Sights.

11/29/03: "We Hang to Live", North Shore Neon Sign Truck
Mark Lentz; Signage.

11/22/03: Children skating, Rockfeller Center Rink
Roving Rube; Holiday Sights.

11/20/03: 11 Spring Street
Roving Rube/Tara Catalino; Buildings.

11/18/03: The Big Car, Times Square
Mark Lentz; Signage.

11/14/03: "The Glory Girls", Veterans' Day Parade, Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; Parades.

11/11/03: Flagbearers, Veterans' Day Parade
Roving Rube; Parades.

11/10/03: Unfurling the new sign, Times Square
Mark Lentz; Signage.

11/06/03: "Absolut Out" billboard, Greenwich Village
Mark Lentz; Signage.

11/01/03: Taking pictures, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/31/03: Pedestrians, Fifth Avenue
Mark Lentz; Halloween.

10/29/03: Taking pictures, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/28/03: Kids and cameras, Times Square/42nd Street
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/27/03: Gray Line double-decker, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/26/03: Postcards, 20 for $1, 10 cents each; Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/24/03: Jogger, Hudson River Park
Simon Song; "My Visit to New York".

10/23/03: A building in the sunset, SoHo
Simon Song; "My Visit to New York".

10/22/03: Sarah Krashoc, 8, from Annapolis, MD. at the Hershey's Store
Simon Song; "My Visit to New York".

10/21/03: Top of G.E. building, Midtown Lexington Ave.
Roving Rube; Breaing News.

10/19/03: Al Roker, Today Show, Rockefeller Center
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/18/03: MTV Studios, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/17/03: Liberty with sweatshirt hung on on arm stump, Seventh Avenue
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/14/03: "Give Us Money, We Are Pretty"; Columbus Circle
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/13/03: Mrs. Italy, Columbus Day Parade
Roving Rube; Breaking News.

10/12/03: Hispanic Day parade, midtown Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; Breaking News.

10/11/03: Tourist #1 Debarkation, Rockefeller Center
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/10/03: Waiting to board, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/09/03: Double-decker bus, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/08/03: Posing with Samuel L. Jackson, Madame Taussand's Wax Musuem, 42nd Street
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/07/03: Howard Johnson's, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/06/03: Cap Vendor, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/05/03: Street Vendor and Umbrella, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/04/03: Black and White print table, off Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/03/03: An American Place, Rockefeller Center Rink
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/02/03: Empire State Building with two King Kongs, Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

10/01/03: Broadway Cameras, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/30/03: Tony's Little Gift Shop, Mulberry Street
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/29/03: Calligrapher, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/28/03: Mama Sbarro's buffet, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/27/03: I (love) NY teddy bear, Midtown souvenir shop
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/26/03: Hand bag vendor, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/25/03: Watch vendor, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/24/03: Toys 'R Us, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/23/03: "Popcorn, Indiana" store, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/22/03: Walkers in Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/21/03: McDonald's, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/20/03: Tad's Steaks sign, 42nd Street
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/19/03: Souvenir Store, Seventh Avenue, midtown
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/18/03: Liberty de Milo, 42nd Street
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/17/03: Tkts Booth, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/16/03: T-Shirt Vendor, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/15/03: Street Vendors, Broadway, Times Square
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/14/03: Tourists photographing Times Square Naked Cowboy
Roving Rube; The New York Experience.

09/13/03: Marsh & McLennan 9/11 Memorial, Midtown
Roving Rube; Memorials.

09/12/03: Manju Sandler's "Gesture", Bergdorf Goodman display window, Midtown
Roving Rube; Memorials.

09/11/03: 9/11 Memorial, Union Square Subway Station
Roving Rube; Memorials.

09/10/03: Fritz Koenig's "The Sphere" (Summer, 2001)
Roving Rube; Memorials.

09/09/03: Takashi Murakami's "Reversed Double Helix", Rockefeller Center
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

09/08/03: Black metal sculpture, Midtown Park Avenue
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

09/07/03: Wim Devoye's "Gothic: Chantier", Union Square
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

09/06/03: Channel Garden fountains, Rockefeller Center
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

09/05/03: Waterfall and honey locust, Paley Park
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

09/04/03: Fountains, "Triumph of the Human Spirit", Foley Square
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

09/03/03: Waterfall, World Financial Center Plaza
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

09/02/03: Revson fountain, Lincoln Center
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

09/01/03: Pond Garden fountain, Staten Island Botanical Garden
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/31/03: Neptune Fountain, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/30/03: Mossy fountain, Osborne Garden, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/29/03: Reservoir Fountain, Central Park
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/28/03: Mary's Garden, U.N. District
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/27/03: Fountain, Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, U.N. District
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/26/03: Sky/fountain, Conservatory Garden, Central Park
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/25/03: Lion's Head Fountain, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/24/03: Birdbath, Burnett Memorial Fountain, Central Park
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/23/03: Fountain at 1251 Sixth Avenue
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/22/03: Fountain and pool, Madison Square
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/21/03: Fountain, reflecting pool, Seagram Building
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/20/03: Fountain of lethargy, Stuyvesant Square West
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/19/03: Paul Manship's Prometheus fountain, Rockefeller Center
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/18/03: Pulitzer Memorial Fountain, Grand Army Plaza, Midtown
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/17/03: Precision Jet Pod , Time Life Building, Midtown Sixth Avenue
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/16/03: Dandelion Fountain, Alliance Capital Building, Midtown Sixth Avenue
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/15/03: Cherubs, Bethesda Fountain, Central Park
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/14/03: Lowell fountain, Bryant Park
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/13/03: Waterfall and lily pond, Battery Park City
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/12/03: Trump Tower atrium waterfall
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/11/03: Jacob Wrey Mould Fountain, City Hall Park
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/10/03: Walk-through waterfall in mid-block walk-through between 49th and 48th
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/09/03: Fountain in mid-block walk-through between 50th and 49th
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/08/03: Washington Square Park Fountain
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/07/03: Waterfall and Berlin Wall fragment, 53rd between Fifth and Madison
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/06/03: Carl Tefft's "Fountain of Life", New York Botanical Gardens
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/05/03: Greenacre Park waterfall, 51st between 3rd and 2nd Ave.
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/04/03: 100 U.N. Plaza Waterfall
Roving Rube; Waterworks.

08/03/03: Untermeyer Fountain, Central Park
Debra Morrison; Waterworks.

08/02/03: Corbin Building, 11 John Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

08/01/03: St. Ann Building, 3-5 West 18th Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/31/03: International Tailoring Company, 111 Fourth Avenue
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/30/03: Church House of the First Presbyterian Church of NYC; 12 West 12th Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/29/03: The Renwick, 808 Broadway
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/28/03: Astor Place Building, 746-50 Broadway
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/27/03: 716 Broadway
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/26/03: 560-66 Broadway
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/25/03: Roosevelt Building, 841 Broadway
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/24/03: 154-60 West 14th Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/23/03: Decker Building, 33 Union Square West
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/22/03: Fifth Avenue Hotel, 24 Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/21/03: Little Singer Building, 561-63 Broadway
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/20/03: 73-75 Christopher Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/19/03: Canal Street Station Post Office, 350 Canal Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/18/03: Ageloff Towers, 141 East 3rd Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/17/03: Stuyvesant Polyclinic, 137 Second Avenue
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/16/03: New York Public Library, Ottendorfer Branch, 135 Second Avenue
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/15/03: Department of Water Supply, Gas & Electricity, 226 West Broadway
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/14/03: The Grosvenor, 39 Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/13/03: 136 Waverly Place
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/12/03: 37 Washington Square West
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/11/03: 19 Rector Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/10/03: Beaver Building, 82�92 Beaver Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/09/03: Judson Memorial Church, 54�57 Washington Square South
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/08/03: De Vinne Press Building, 393�399 Lafayette Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/07/03: 376�80 Lafayette Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/06/03: Liberty Tower, 55 Liberty Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/05/03: Bayard-Condict Building, 65 Bleeker Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/04/03: New York Evening Post Building, 110 Washington Street
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/03/03: Potter Building, 38 Park Row
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/02/03: Broadway-Chambers Building, 277 Broadway
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

07/01/03: Woolworth Building, 230 Broadway
Roving Rube; Terra Cotta.

06/30/03: Jose Cuervo billboard, Soho
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/29/03: "Industries of the British Commonwealth", Rockefeller Center
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/28/03: Relief by Lee Lawrie, Rockefeller Center
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/27/03: Maine Memorial, Central Park at Columbus Circle
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/26/03: Top of fountain, City Hall Park
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/25/03: Golden Flag, midtown 56th Street
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/24/03: Crown Building, 57th Street at Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/23/03: Manhattan Laser Hair Removal, 45-49 W. 57th Street
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/22/03: Gilded Beasts , 57W. 57th Street
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/21/03: Gilding, American Piano Building, 57th Street
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/20/03: Gilded relief, Brooklyn Public Library
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/19/03: Masonic Hall, Sixth Avenue, Chelsea
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/18/03: Puck #1, Puck Building, Lafayette Street
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/17/03: The Waldorf Astoria, Midtown Park Avenue Entrance
Roving Rube; Gilding.

06/16/03: Lions, St. Bart's, Midtown Park Avenue
Roving Rube; Lions.

06/15/03: Lion, Former Police Headquarters, Centre Street
Roving Rube; Lions.

06/14/03: J. Seward Johnson's "Taxi!", Midtown Park Avenue
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/13/03: Artwork at Hotel Roger Smith, Midtown Lexington Avenue
Roving Rube; Outdoor Arta.

06/12/03: "The Real World" (detail), by Tom Otterness, Hudson River Park
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/11/03: Henry Moore's "Lincoln Center Reclining Figure"
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/10/03: Wopo Holup's "River that Flows Two Ways" (detail), Battery Park
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/09/03: Jesus Bautista Moroles' "Lapstrake", between 52nd and 53rd St.
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/08/03: Sculpture by Arthur Carter, Park Avenue South
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/07/03: Meryl Taradash's wind sculpture, Fordham University
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/06/03: Frederick Shrady 's "Peter, the Fisherman", Fordham University
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/05/03: Helaine Blumenfeld's "Two Sides of a Woman", Fordham University
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/04/03: Calderesque "stabile" , Midtown Madison Ave
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/03/03: Ugo Attardi 's "Ulysses", Battery Park City
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/02/03: Tony Cragg's "Resonating Bodies" (detail), Battery Park City
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

06/01/03: Ned Smyth's "The Upper Room", Battery Park City
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/31/03: Jim Dine's "Ape & Cat (at the Dance)", Battery Park City
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/30/03: Louise Bourgeois' "Eyes" (detail), Battery Park City
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/29/03: Tony Cook's "Dinoceras" (detail), East 51st Street
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/28/03: Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz: "9 to 5", City Hall Park
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/27/03: J. Seward Johnson Jr.'s "Making a Point", Midtown 56th Street
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/26/03: Louise Bourgeois' "Spiders", Rockefeller Center (2001)
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/25/03: Yu Yu Yang, (untitled, 1969), Water Street
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/24/03: Illia Barger's "Succulence", Broadway
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/23/03: Jim Dine's "Venus de Milo", Midtown Sixth Avenue
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/22/03: Tony Rosenthal's "Rondo", East 58th Street
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/21/03: Robert Indiana's "Love", Seventh Avenue
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/20/03: Robert Indiana's "One Through Zero", Park Avenue
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/19/03: Tony Oursler's "The Influence Machine", Madison Square
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/18/03: Mark Handforth's "Lamppost", Doris C. Freedman Plaza, Central Park
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/17/03: Art Domantay's "Balsa Wood Airplane", City Hall Park
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/16/03: Mariko Moris "Wave UFO", 590 Madison (atrium)
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/15/03: Nam June Paik's "Transmission", Rockefeller Center
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/14/03: Allegorical Couple, Carlyle Galleries, Madison Avenue
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/13/03: Marino Marinis "Miracle", New York Botanical Gardens
Roving Rube; Outdoor Art.

05/12/03: Long-stemmed Tulips, Grand Army Plaza
Roving Rube; Spring Flowers.

05/11/03: Red-tailed Hawk, "Pale Male", on perch over Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; Urban Birding.

05/10/03: Northern Parula (female), Central Park
Roving Rube; Urban Birding.

05/09/03: Kentucky Warbler, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Roving Rube; Urban Birding.

05/08/03: Adult Barn Owl, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Roving Rube; Urban Birding.

05/07/03: Lilacs and Blue Grape Hyacinths, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Roving Rube; Spring Flowers.

05/06/03: Lilacs, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Roving Rube; Spring Flowers.

05/05/03: "White God" Cherry Tree, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
Roving Rube; Spring Flowers.

05/04/03: Scenes from "The Great Saunter"
Roving Rube; Spring Flowers.

05/03/03: Views in and around Shakespeare Garden, Central Park
Roving Rube; Spring Flowers.

05/02/03: Tulips, Conservatory Garden, Central Park
Roving Rube; Spring Flowers.

05/01/03: Cherry Tree, Upper Fifth Avenue
Roving Rube; Spring Flowers.

04/30/03: Woolworth Building, 230 Broadway
Roving Rube; Spring Flowers.