Accidental Statement

So I discovered this a few nights ago. 

Walking out of a restaurant after a lovely birthday dinner with Adam, I spotted this fascinating photo opp. And since I had just received a fancy new digital camera from Adam as a birthday gift, I was on top of it immediately. I took a few different shots and they all came out really weird and interesting due to the "stars" being moderately reflective. Finally I settled on this shot because it was the grittiest. And honestly, that was what struck me most about the shot initially--how ugly and tore up and urban it is. I mean, though we do live in Chicago, our neighborhood is pretty much the most yuppie and quaint little area you can imagine. So seeing this was odd. I found it very out of place. I also found it strange that the American flag would be painted on the side of a dumpster. It seemed like a joke, given the state of the country at this time in history. 

After looking at the picture for a while, I realized that it had other images that suggested a political commentary of sorts. I thought the signs promoting new condos (most of which are left as unfinished eyesores in the neighborhood) were an interesting element in the image--a reflection of the monumental nosedive the housing market has taken in the last few years. Having those cheerful attempts at selling the "American Dream" in the background, while a dirty dumpster painted with the American flag and overflowing with trash looms in the forefront, was an accidental irony that I did not even catch until I looked again.

I just wanted to share the image and my thoughts on what it represents. It was purely an accident that the picture captures the essence of our economic times and the hardships the country is going through at this time. I did not intend for the picture to make a statement, but it certainly does, in my opinion. 

What do you think?