A Mended Sidewalk

We live on the edge of the very magical Coppedè neighborhood (Rome). So, when walking down via Tagliamento, I’m always mesmerized by the buildings and focus on them. Until I get distracted by the mended curb. Damaged, it’s been repaired with sampietrini, the beveled stones of black basalt once used to pave the streets of Rome. The curb always gets my attention for two reasons: because it’s been repaired and because of the way it’s been repaired. It reminds me of outsider art because, even if it was unintentional, that’s what it is—art.

Last year I posed about The Aesthetics of Mending and have reposted it (see below) but would also recommend taking a look at the Repair Café movement as well as my Pinterest board on Mending and Repairing.

The Narrative Within

Mending is a philosophy. And a measurement of value. If something must be mended, it means it has been used, thus is useful. Unfortunately, we have a tendency to look at much of what we own as being something disposable. We show no affection for what we have and quite easily throw things away when they become obsolete or broken. Or simply no longer interesting to us. And it seems as if we’ve transfered this attitude towards people and our society as well.

Reparation is a form of beauty.