Arlington Arts Field Guide: Brighter is Better

I'm a big fan of neon signs – well, neon in general – pastels, bright pinks and yellows and blues, florescent clothing, pop art, the 1980s, and really anything that is loud and proud.

As a self-proclaimed environmentalist and an avid outdoorsman, I'm also a lover of Mother Nature, though I'm far less enthusiastic about man-made earth tones.

My preference for the bold and bright is not simply a reflection of my fashion choices – it applies to my general aesthetic outlook, and even my search for public art. It's the reason I find Miriam Shapiro's sculpture Anna and David so appealing.

Located at 1525 Wilson Blvd. and standing 35 feet tall, Anna and David certainly take to the notion that bigger is better. They would also subscribe to the saying that "brighter is better." Their bright yellows and blues and reds and oranges and pinks seem to almost shout down to the sidewalks: "Look at me! Look at me!"

And if you're like me, you heed their calls. You can't help but stare up.

The irony of it all is that the two lanky dancers seem unconcerned with the attention of passing onlookers. They are not putting on a show, but happy and drunk in their own dancing frenzy. Their joy seems a private, personal delight, that we are only lucky to witness.

And we are lucky – lucky that their creator decided to call attention to Anna and David by donning them in dazzling colors that call attention to their merriment.

Don't get me wrong: Not everything and everyone can subscribe to the brighter-is-better mantra. Such would be a horrible mistake. Walking down the street on a sunny day would in all likelihood lead to an overload of migraines and seizures.

If everything was loud and florescent, the world would be boring and one dimensional; beautiful bright colors would lose their appeal. Suddenly, my wardrobe would be plain jane. There is a time and place for all things, including bright colors.

Charleston, S.C., is enhanced by the exotic color wheel of its architecture and fauna. The pigments reflect the region's lively, celebrator culture. Farther north, the coast of Maine is graced with stark white lighthouses and faded gray barns, a reverent homage to the surrounding natural beauty that recalls the reality of life in a sometimes harsh and dramatic climate.

Poetry and art and life call for all slices of the color pie. But in a place like Rosslyn, where concrete and daily routine seem to flood the city with the coldness of gray and the plainness of khaki, it's nice to a have a big bright reminder like Anna and David to remind us that things aren't as monochromatic as we assume. Just look up and smile.

Until next time, happy public art hunting.