Windows in Provence

Throughout my travels in France, I've found myself drawn to taking photos of windows and I think its worth discussing. On their physical quality, the light in Provence particularly makes the windows stand out in the most interesting of ways. Also, the variety of shapes and colors add another level of interest, from the stained glass windows to the glass-less windows of ancient structures. I like photographing the various gradients the light from the windows makes on the surfaces around them. Like in the photo of the thin window that casts a warm yellow light on the stones that make up the structure around the window. Or the light coming through the church, giving the space an other-worldly atmosphere, it is evident that windows define a space. These are just a few of the physical aspects of windows that draw me in, but I'd have to say most importantly, windows draw me in conceptually.

This whole experience in France was based entirely on a whim as I went to one of the informational meetings on a free afternoon. It was the last informational meeting of the quarter before having to sign up, it was the last “window” of opportunity, which of course I have taken. Thinking about this, I started to think about the many meanings of window there is other than the obvious physical ones. The word window was created to describe an opening that lets wind in, but it also does so much more, it lets in light, sound, color if there is glass and creatures if there is no glass. Most importantly, however, is that a window lets something else in, it is an opening for experience be it sensual or literal. Another way to describe a window, is a window in time, a short period of time that can be accessed but will be closed shortly. Also thinking about windows as an opening, it is an opening you can't go back through, once you jump out of a window there is no going back, once you've made your commitment there is no going back. All of this has great meaning to me as I have made a commitment, I have taken an opportunity, and as I jumped through that window, I fell into the whole world of new experiences that France and art has to offer. So for my final in Light in Provence, I will focus on windows for their formal qualities as well as their meaning to me.