On March 3, I looked down from the bike and saw this piece of oil art on southwest Ninth Avenue.
There are two ways of looking at this splotch on the pavement of an Albany street. Either it’s just pollution from that thing some people want us to do without: fossil fuel. Or it’s fossil art. Or maybe it is both.
On rainy days, splatters left by oil or fuel dripping on the asphalt occasionally take on a colorful form. I assume it’s a property of the petroleum products to spread out in a very thin layer and then reflect daylight, such as it is on rainy days, in the colors of the spectrum.
I’ve noticed that, on this street anyway, and others in the neighborhood, the drips appear when the asphalt is wet on Friday afternoons. That’s trash pickup day on these streets. And the drips appear pretty much where the truck stopped outside every house that had a trash can out.
The photos here were taken on the afternoon of March 3.
It’s probably not the engine of the Republic Services truck that leaks a few drops. My theory is that it’s the mechanism that lifts the cans for the contents to be dumped.
As for pollution? It’s hardly the only stuff that gets sluiced down the stormwater drains from our streets. And chances are this thin film may even evaporate before the next shower can wash it away.
Now and then, one of the TV programs on Oregon Public Broadcasting — “Art Beat” or “Field Guide”? — has run a segment on a photographer who made extremely arty images of oil slicks he found on Portland streets. I can see the man’s fascination with these shimmering shapes of rainbow-colored light. (hh)
A vehicle came through and ran over this particular display.
Hasso,
If I didn’t know better, it seems within the possible that you have partaken of some of the newly legalized psilocybin treatment. I can attest to the power of patterns such as the fossil fuel stains you were obviously and mysteriously drawn to during you daily ministrations. Congratulations.
After reading your response, it seems you have updated your daily intake to include psilocybin. Otherwise, your reply makes no sense.
The less sense I make, the better.
Isn’t THAT the truth!
Typical hypocrisy from a company that charges us a substantial amount to be “eco friendly”. Apparently it’s much cheaper for them to dump an indeterminate amount of petro fluids vs maintenance. I wonder how the brakes are?
Yet our city council licks their boots to raise rates so they can collect more “franchise fees”.
Sweet jeezus you old white men are a sad, miserable bunch.
We certainly have reason to be upset. The rest of your post simply is baiting.
I don’t think you should be using “art” and “fossil fuels” in the same sentence. That is, now is not the time to glorify fossil fuels.
Hasso can do what he wants in HIS BLOG. Why aren’t you pissed at the source, not the messenger? You LIBS are so obvious when it come to trying to surpress free speech you don’t agree with.
Are you saying the only oil leaking onto the streets is from a Republic Services truck?
No other vehicles leak oil? It seems you privileged white guys get so mad, when someone says something you don’t agree with, that you come unglued and can’t keep your thoughts logical.
I didn’t say Republic trucks are the ONLY vehicles that leak oil. Show me where I said that.
You said, “Why aren’t you pissed at the source (which was a Republic truck), not the messenger?” By the way, Hasso, I was not P.O’d at you, and, of course you can do what you want with your blog. Bill K’s temperature rises at the whiff of a liberal.
Hasso, thank you for the art in the street. We need to slow down and take a look around.
Well Hasso you just might have given the City of Albany an excuse to raise the Stormwater Tax, Sewer Usage Tax and the City Services Tax or invent a new Tax.
The rates have nothing whatsoever to do with Republic Services. Search the DH website for the March 21st article: “Utility Rates May Be On the Rise – Again” An overview of our *annual* forward-look process…
Mt gas and electric rates have already gone up so expect others will too>
All you kooks that abhor oil economy need to get a life and leave the rest of us alone w/o your crap. Go someplace else.
Beautiful pieces of oil art! They really have the colours of the spectrum! Only sensitive people can see art all around us..in everything you see and touch…well done Hasso! Ana Alsina Mendoza.Argentina
That kind of reminds me of the George Andrus film, “Dancing Rainbows” that won the Portland Art Show in the early 2000’s. Albany had some interesting residents at one time that did something other than whine at each other over the interweb. His soap bubble art has a similar vibe. People can find art in most anything I suppose if you look at it from a different perspective.
George Andrus brother to Jerry used to take pictures of soap bubbles that look a lot those pictures and you could see them on line. Like plastic soap is also made from oil.