HOW IT’S DONE

Painting a mural on a scale this big is a challenge. The flood wall is built in sections (you can see a vertical seam in the center). I don’t know the exact process, but the artists seem to get two of them. There must be a lot of planning, design and expense (think of all that paint!). The well-funded ones rent these jack lifts. Those less so bring tall ladders to go all the way up.                     

PAINT LOUIS

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the longest graffiti wall anywhere is here in St. Louis. It is a 2 mile / 3 km section of the Mississippi River flood wall south of downtown. Every Labor Day weekend, painters who have applied from around the world are given a section to do with what they will. This is a first sample, perhaps a comment on liberty and capital. I’ll go back for more now that the crowds have left.                 

NOT OKAY

Another shot from Monday’s demonstration where a city street crosses a major highway. Lots of passing motorists honked their support. I read that there is going to be a big nationwide repeat of June’s No Kings rallies on October 18.                 

WE’VE HAD IT

There were demonstrations all around the U.S. on Monday, our Labor Day holiday (an observance with increasingly dark irony in this country). The subject is clear, as Trump makes evermore aggressive threats to our democracy. There were two in St. Louis, this one on the viaduct where a local street crosses a major highway. It was well attended.            

JAPANESE FESTIVAL

There is a big Japanese festival in the botanical garden over the Labor Day long weekend. We took granddaughter Ellie, who enjoyed the opening parade and cosplay show. I don’t begrudge the garden the extra money but there are no capacity controls and it became unbearably crowded. We may not return.

Other things going on, including Paint Louis and our iteration of nationwide anti-Trump demonstrations. Images to come.