Traveller’s Rest
Studio Two Three live letterpress printing Giddy Up, Loser Posters
The question before us now is: What comes next? The city will soon vote on the building of casinos, and there remain the apparent intractable issues of public schools, concentrated poverty, violence, addiction, an incipient statewide election and, oh, yes — plague.
There’s plenty of work to be done.
At the circle, the assembled cheered Lee’s coming apart, and a Black man next to me added perspective by exclaiming, “Just like they used to do to us! ‘What’re you doing this weekend?’ ‘Oh, nothin’, hangin’ one of them.’ ”
The afternoon sun bore down, causing some spectators to seek the shade of scattered trees and buildings while also angling for a view. The metal cordons and police tape kept us off to the sides. Cicadas rattling all around heightened the drama of the moment by playing appropriate accompaniment amid the sweat-inducing heat and the branches of magnolias.
During a lull I waited in line for a Studio Two Three print made on site. I got two: an effective shattered mirror or window view of the Lee pedestal with the day's date, and another, featuring a rearing and Lee-less horse with the motto "Giddy Up Loser." The last came fresh off the mobile work bench, which meant my effort to prevent smudging failed. Well, this means I was there.