Metro Movement: Rhythm in Chicago
As Professor Kalin notes in his article on visualizing ambient rhetoric, animated .gifs can offer a viewer perspective on the ever-present rhythms that encircle our lived experiences in urban settings through their implementation of time and ongoingness. I was interested to see if I could ascertain an idea of the rhythms I encounter in my daily life by engaging more critically with my environment during my routine of commuting to work. While I often view this routine as monotonous, the very notion of a routine implies repetition and flow; I sought to search this daily occurrence for rhythm that resonated with me.
As I approached the Belmont CTA platform, my trusty southbound brown line train arrived on cue. I filed into the train car with my fellow commuters, leaving no open space as the closing doors locked us into place. I felt the collective weight and presence of the packed train car, swaying with the elastic rocking of the train as it forcefully accelerated along the iced tracks.
The arrival of the brown line train to the Merchandise Mart causes a sudden flurry of motion as the contained masses of commuters are finally released from the overcrowded train cars. People turn left and right, finding the exit most convenient for their destination. Seasoned commuters know how to twist and maneuver through the flow of people, so as to merge with the stream instead of disrupting it.
Out on the street, the count down of crossing signs tick like second-to-second metronomes, influencing a complex web of motion across the various intersections of streets and sidewalks. The sound of cars, buses and trains seem to mesh together and echo, creating the soundtrack of downtown Chicago.
Wary of the traffic and the intersections, I opt to walk West along the river to reach my office building. The river walk is more scarcely occupied by like-minded travelers. A steady stream of wind from the river helps the flags across the way maintain their majestic posture and uniformity. The drilling of a jackhammer at a construction site across the river drowns out all other sounds as the river reflects the dull tones of the hazy sky.
I must admit, I was particularly surprised when I noticed a football floating among the typical water bottles, cans and plastic that get caught in certain spaces along the river. It was a rare and convenient find, and the way the football rocked back and forth amid the motions of the river happened to catch my attention. Also, I’m not sure why the football rendered in such a weird color compared to everything else in this .gif, but I also like that too for some reason.
Finally, I sat down at my cubicle and looked out to the view from my office window. This beautiful landscape provides an elevated and encompassing perspective on the larger patterns of motion and rhythm in the city that I rarely experienced prior to working here. I often find myself observing the coming and going of people, traffic, trains and boats as they all go about their business. I think about my own role as someone who occupies this space, and it makes me feel closer to the broader community of the city.
