400+ for Gloucester

ArtBing McGilvray

Nov 22

Written By Bing McGilvray

Sneak Peak: 400+ For Gloucester 400+Four Hundred and More Bing ‘O Grams

“The Autumn leaves begin to fall – and then the Fall begins to leave.”

— Phileas Fugg, Adventures in Paradox

***Gloucester: The Good, The Bad and The Bizarre.***

Unless you’ve been hiding under a large rock in Stage Fort Park, you know by now that in 2023 Gloucester will celebrate the 400 years since the ‘discovery’ of this unique port by the not-so-altruistic speculators of the Dorchester Company, a colonialist conglomerate of Puritan merchants and traders from Merry Olde England. Of course, there were other people here already. So, the City has thoughtfully added a plus to the 400 to celebrate them as well.

***Gloucester: Main St. and The Planet of the Apps.***

Everyone loves a party … and big round numbers. I’m no exception. Throughout the last two months, I’ve been struggling with the aftereffects of a serious concussion. To mitigate the constant migraines, I needed a distracting project (and a steady supply of medicinal cannabis gummies). Why not something for the 400+? Then it struck me, in the head of course. Four Hundred Square Bing0grams for our forefathers and more for the unfortunate folks who were in harm’s way the moment they got here. A Day that will Live in Indigeny.

The square, being four sided, seemed the ideal format. I excitedly informed my friend Ruth of my concept. “Oh, that’s a terrific idea. I may have to steal it.” Well, I’d like to claim it as mine, not unlike those first settlers. As if I invented the square, that’s what I’m doing here, staking my acclaim.

October is the ghoulest month … also the prettiest to my mind. The season of fabulous foliage and dubious lawn decorations. Add a few layers of clothing and take a brisk walk through the everchanging landscapes. Take in the dazzling display of colors until one blustery day a stiff wind blows all the leaves off the trees. Walk around in wonder as your neighbors adorn their homes with ghosts, monsters, witches, jacko-lanterns, zombies and politicians’ signs, as if the daily news wasn’t full of enough horrors. Trick or Treat.

***Gloucester: Legends Past and Present.***

I’ve been making Bing0grams since I got my first iPhone over a decade ago. I begin with a photo of my own then digitally apply effects by switching it through a variety of apps. This quickly became an addictive pastime with surprisingly satisfying results. Lost in the Planet of the Apps, they rapidly accumulated. I searched back through my dense cloud of images, over 50,00 now, to find the ones that were specific to my experiences in Gloucester.

Sometime, somewhere, next year I’ll exhibit them all. When done with the squares, I’ll work on reinventing the wheel. Until then, here’s a small selection.