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理查德の影音碎片 - 人造秋色 — 封面

A Man-Made Autumn

Written by

Richard Huang

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Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

2020 was a difficult year. With the pandemic raging, people had been confined to their homes for more than half the year; even when they did venture out, they wore masks and hurried about their business. When autumn arrived, after being cooped up for so long, I could no longer resist taking some time off to see Canada’s boundless fall colours.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

Even this autumn outing did not go smoothly. Days of heavy rain had beaten the red leaves to the ground, leaving the branches bare. The hillsides that would once have been awash in red, yellow, green, and orange were nowhere to be seen. There was little to do but stay at the hotel, listening to the patter of rain and trading gossip with friends around the fireplace. For a while, we forgot the chores and frustrations of work back in the city, set aside the worries of the pandemic, and let our minds go completely blank.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

After that respite, I felt fully recharged. During a break in the rain, I went out for a walk and breathed in the damp, fresh country air. The hotel added a thoughtful local touch, reminding everyone to keep a social distance of three waterbirds. It was both warm and endearing.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

Autumn colour was now hard to find in the hills: the reds, yellows, and oranges had faded into grey. Yet in the human world, those same reds, yellows, and oranges remained vividly alive.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

It was, quite simply, a man-made autumn.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

Why not set out in search of these man-made fall colours?

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

It’s really good, isn’t it?

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

Not everything was brilliantly coloured. Households had carefully decorated for Halloween, and even when their displays were not especially vibrant, they offered constant reminders that autumn had arrived. Was this not another kind of autumn colour?

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

On the way home, we passed through the town of Orillia and stopped for an hour or so, continuing our search for man-made fall colours. This multicoloured “O,” standing outside town hall, must represent the first letter of Orillia.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

Stopping turned out to be the right choice. Orillia was a beautiful, quiet town with a distinctly artistic character—and deservedly so. At its centre was a small arts district.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

Though the arts district was not large, it was dotted with outdoor sculptures, galleries, bookshops, museums, and more. Simply wandering around was a pleasure.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

The town’s artistic spirit was not confined to the arts district. Beyond it, artist-designed benches and chairs appeared everywhere, each numbered and accompanied by a short description. Every one had its own form and style; they were fascinating to discover.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang
Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

Our visit to Orillia brought our 2020 fall-colour trip to an end. We may have missed autumn’s natural display, but its man-made counterpart was richly varied, with more to see than the eye could take in. These colours are not at the mercy of weather or season; if we look carefully enough, there will always be something striking to find.

Richard’s Audio-Visual Fragments — A Man-Made Autumn© Richard Huang

Sometimes I wonder: as a photographer, instead of crossing mountains and rivers—or travelling halfway around the world—in pursuit of distant, elusive wonders, why not pay closer attention to the ordinary yet endlessly remarkable things around me?

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