Doors of Bruges

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Doors of Bruges:

A Photographic Exploration

byJ. A. Pearson

(c)Copyright 2012

Town of Bruges

Set amid the flat open Belgian countryside, Bruges is a traditional medieval town of canals, narrow streets, and buildings on a human scale. The city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the foundations of the city date back to Roman times. Preserved, as much as possible in this modern age, the architecture reflects an accretion of forms, building styles and techniques. Stone and brick . . . carved and planked wood . . . forged, cast, and welded iron . . . paint, plaster, and leaded glass, all of which are elements of the doors lining the cobbled streets. Like new friends, each door expresses its character, textured by craftsmen working and reworking, touched and burnished by souls passing over thresholds, below lintels, inward and outward, from past to present, present to future. Offering: Dignity and Angelic Humility . . .

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. . . Crafted with simplicity, cleanly,with a welcoming of poppies and light,

security and home.

Or blasting a Red horn,Demanding the attention of the world, social life, emotion, and commerce . . .

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More unusual, a doorway of classical formClothes faded and dignified,

visage distinguished and greying,with light and wisdom in the eyes . . .

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. . . Peace. . . silence and spirituality,

Ganesha the remover of obstaclespolished by hands’ sweat,

a door of Presence.

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. . . And what pleasureto announce oneself

with the pullofa

flowered stalkand the muffled shaking and ringing of bells

summoning friends inside.

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But to face the world withPower,

Majesty,Monumentality.

is an achievement for any among us,an achievement for the Ages . . .

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Blue

Robin’s Bluethe color of Harmony.

Delicately paneled with pewter flowers . . .

And Slate Bluea cooler welcome

flanked by thick carved rock and quarried bluestone,a fortress door held with wrought iron nails . . .

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and Purplewith a Passion for life,

joined with the effervescence of green living things . . .

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. . . And along the waterways the back of houses with graceful entrances and landings, meant for those able to traverse the city in more traditional ways . . . drifting the canals in small boats, taking time to appreciate the art, architecture, and history of elegant Bruges.

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For information regarding 12 x 19 inch (A3) prints on archival Pearl Paper please contact japearson123@gmail.com

John Pearson is a writer and artist living in British Columbia, Canada, with a passion for pen and ink drawing, travel, and fine art photography.

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