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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Thirty Eight: The camera as time machine: linking the past to the present > Weatherford Hotel safe, Flagstaff, Arizona, 2006
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11-JUL-2006

Weatherford Hotel safe, Flagstaff, Arizona, 2006

Flagstaff's Hotel Weatherford is the oldest in town. The great landscape artist Thomas Moran completed his western sketches here, while author Zane Gray wrote his "Call of the Canyon" while staying here as well. There is not much left in the hotel that recalls those days, except for its original safe, which is now displayed in the main lobby. I moved in on its handles and lock dial to stress its function, while also emphasizing the ornate, hand-painted decoration, placing the safe in time. In those times, safes were designed not just to protect, but also to project a sense of wealth and taste. They were furniture as well as appliances. This image evokes a sense of that past, inviting our touch and commanding our interest and respect.

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Phil Douglis20-Jul-2006 00:11
Both of you hit this image on the head, Celia and Jenene. This is security as celebration of wealth, the very opposite of security as secrecy. A carnival of wealth, as you put it, Jenene. Thanks to both of you for giving this image its rightful calling.
JSWaters19-Jul-2006 18:46
Just as in your 'Cesspool truck' image, we have a highly ornamented functional object. It's reminiscent of a carnival type atmosphere, nothing understated here. This is about wealth and maybe a little ostentation - showoff!
Jenene
Cecilia Lim19-Jul-2006 15:07
The incongruity that you've captured here is wonderful! There are so many contrasting ideas expressed here - that a safe - virtually unbreakable, super strong, and menacingly painted black, could be so elegantly decorated with fine and delicate flourishes! And the fact that it was meant to be seen is another strikingly incongruous idea in our present day society who are immensely obsessed with security. In our day and age, safes are meant to be hidden away out of sight, behind walls and prying eyes. It is also an amazing concept that these rare antiquated-safes-imitating-art which may have been used to protect a wealth of riches, may perhaps actually become as valuable as art itself one day!
Phil Douglis16-Jul-2006 19:11
You find things like this, Shirley, by walking into buildings and looking around. A lot of photographers would just think of the exterior, but the interior often can provide pleasant surprises such as this one.
Shirley Wang16-Jul-2006 08:27
Great found and nice shot!
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