Ceci n’est pas une pipe, the famous painting by Rene Magritte, is my inspiration for today’s post. Translated into English, the painting of a pipe and the title “This is not a pipe” at first seem to be opposed to each other, or maybe its a joke on the viewer. A deeper dive into the idea of things not being what they appear reveals the power of art and the genius of Maugrite’s painting. I’ve often wished I could paint or draw because I want to put things together that I can’t find in the world. My tools are a camera, light, and a digital darkroom.

Here’s a photo I took at a Civil War Enactment. I could title it, “This is not a war.” (Ceci n’est pas une guerre.) Like Magritte, it looks like a war but in reality every one in the photo is playing make believe. There are no bullets, the canons have no ammunition, and the wounded are treated with modern medicine. But some of the reenactors are still fighting the war over equality. In the 21^st century it isn’t about legal chattel slavery but as you have likely noticed, attitudes about equality and equal opportunity, the right to make decisions about personal matters, and even who gets to protest what are reflected in American society. It is easy to see the old Jim Crow attitudes are alive and well.

Here is another photo I took at the Southern California Railway Museum. When I took the photo I was practicing dragging the shutter, using a slow shutter speed to blur background items and give the illusion of speed while panning to keep a moving object in focus. Some of the images worked and others didn’t. I was using a digital camera so I could practice to my hearts delight. This photo is of a model train going around a display track. Each section of the track was a carefully planned and constructed street scene. In this picture a model of PE 5150 is passing an early 1960’s dodge police car. The car isn’t moving, it is fixed.

The trolley is in motion and by panning it may look like the LA’s finest is in a big hurry to catch a crook but the buildings are also a blur and they don’t move. This is not a PE car (Ceci n’est pas une trolley.) It is only a small scale model (G scale if you were wondering.)

The last example can be titled, well I’m not really sure. Is this a guy making off with the strong box or is he simply off loading cargo? It is still a G scale model, so “This is not a boxcar” (Ceci n’est ps une wagon couvert) might be appropriate. My hat’s off to the builder who channeled his artistic skills to paint and age this car. The rust and carefully weathered wood panels give the impression it is well used by the railroad.

Rene Magritte became popular during the surealist era after World War I. Disillusioned by the destruction of the war and the failure of modern society to prevent so much useless slaughter, many writers and artists expressed the despair and meaninglessness of a lost generation of men who fought for nothing. Today, it seems as though we might be entering another period of turmoil and destruction. I fear for my grandchildren with the recent removal of guardrails that make our modern life possible. New photos might be titled Ceci n’est pas une clean water, Ceci n’est pas une clean air, Ceci n’est pas une good health, social safety net, genuine care for invalids, and a list of other programs and agencies that our modern society were built upon.  Sometimes things are not what they seem, but sometimes they are.