Wednesday, November 24, 2010

이화마을 - 날개 골목

In Greek mythology, Icarus, wore a pair of wings constructed by his father, Daedalus, to escape from Crete where he was imprisoned. During his flight to freedom, he flew too close to the sun and the wax which held the feathers together melted away. His wings collapsed and he fell from the sky into the sea. The sea where he was drown is now known as the Icarian Sea, situated South of Greece.

Wings has always captured the imagination of mortals regardless of the reasons why they wish for one. When people got to know that there was a pair of wings somewhere in Ewha Village through the media, they went searching for it in throng. Nobody warned them that they shouldn't let the 'wings' get too close to limelight. As the popularity of the 'wings' grew, the dim created by excited visitors became too much to bear for the residents. To restore peace in the neighborhood, the 'wings' was whitewashed. The place where the wings once stood is known as the 'Wings Alley' - the other well-known alley of Ewha Village.

A picture of the wings before it was removed. The picture was pasted outside a convenience store at one corner of the 'Wings Alley'. The wings does look awe-inspiring.

The fate of the wings after getting too close to limelight

Remarks left on the wall by disappointed visitors who could not get to see the wings - "Please draw the wings", "I want to see the wings"

Painting of pine trees along the stairs leading to the 'Wings Alley'

The entrance of the 'Wings Alley"

Painting of birds on the flight of stairs leading to Naksan in 'Wings Alley'

The flyer wrote: The story of the neighborhood at the foot of Naksan - 'Wings Alley'. I would have called it the mythology at the foot of Naksan'. I think the person who felt the most pinch  from the loss of wings has to be the owner of the convenience store at the 'Wings Alley'. His business must have been booming when it suddenly bombed after the wings 'melted' away for getting too close to limelight. 

4 comments: