For such an urban scene, there’s a surprising amount of green in the Waiting Under the Railway Bridge painting. The railway bridge above us could be the infamous abandoned garden bridge of London with its olive greens and matted tendrils of ink hanging down.
We are waiting at traffic lights on Deansgate in Manchester, stuck behind the notorious white van. The origin of many an urban tale of reckless driving and chaos. This white van is not one of those, waiting obediently for the lights to change. His business details displayed for all to see. Although much is a mystery from this perspective.
Underneath the railway bridge, we see the curved beams and decorative details, almost lost in the darkness. Normally, we would pass under such structures and hardly note their intricate details, but the red light forces us to stop and consider our surroundings.
And there are always far too many red lights when you’re keen to get home.
Almost in the middle, the tram power lines divide the painting in two. Above the bridges and below the bustling city street. Some of the players may be temporarily stopped, but it’s a pause in the action rather than a cessation of play.
There’s a poster on the left. A little knowledge of who Jeff Lynn is quickly tells us that this is for an E L O (Electric Light Orchestra) concert and not some other obscure band which is only partially spelt out.
Beyond the van, we see the full arch of the next bridge. A bus passes underneath and below the tower pedestrians can just be seen, along with a lone cyclist. Partially obscuring the poster, a silver car passes slowly. Its driver and occupants invisible behind the darkened windows. And here we are full circle back under the bridge.
Wondering will those lights ever change!?
