Grate Butts!
Complaints. Everybody’s got one. Or, most likely, several more than one. Especially in a place like New York City, where complaint stimuli flourish in abundance.
For Matthew Bakkom, this essential human truth provided the foundation for New York City Museum of Complaint. The book is a collection of letters sent to the mayor’s office between 1751 and 1969 and contains complaints ranging from noise to dead animals in the street. Bakkom recently participated in a Q&A with New York Times readers, which brought the book to my attention.
Now, I am not one to buck human nature. Given that, I must offer at least one complaint of my own. And so I submit to you, grate butts. I admit, it’s not exactly dead animals in the street. However, it is dead cigarettes in the street. In street grates to be exact. Which means they’re stuck. Which means they accumulate. Which means they’re eye pollution (at the very least).
My evidence for this complaint: 50 photographs from a grate on a single block.
Photo Composite by Josh Robinson
Photo Composite by Josh Robinson
Photo Composite by Josh Robinson
Photo Composite by Josh Robinson
Photo Composite by Josh Robinson
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Where is this heavily butted grate?
Broadway, in the 20s.
In response to another comment. See in context »In addition to the ciggies, I thought the multiple buttons (at least two, and several “might be buttons”) in your photos. Great eye, kiddo!
Were all the shots taken on the same day? And how long did it take?
All shots took a total of 5 minutes. I had walked past the grate, noticed this virtual carpet of butts, backed up and then walked the grate again, shooting different segments. One of the most efficient Take Five shoots so far.
In response to another comment. See in context »Yuch! (Though great pix.) But even worse are the flying, still lit cigarettes tossed with no consideration of baby strollers or walking dogs.
Agreed. I also wonder how many garments have been ruined due to inadvertent ash collision.
In response to another comment. See in context »Keep meaning to tell you how much I love all your photographs…and I second the love of all the lost buttons. They really jumped out at me.