Pod

This odd sculpture does not really read art to me. But they say art is in the eye…
It is tall, and Interactive, I have seen taller people push on the pendulum making it swing and the poles (re-​bar?) on top sway like there was a breeze. I think the wind would have to be strong as it is not easy to move.
In a often quoted description from the artist Pete Beeman:
«I was thinking about how Portland is designed and planned and built, and how the planning and infrastructure of Portland is really important in what makes Portland great. I was thinking of the static tripod as the infrastructure. The moving part was the vibrancy and life.»
Umm ok, but ya know its ugly right? Check it out for your self! It is across Burnside from Powell’s. As an incentive you can see if you can create your own off colored nick name for it. That is a very popular Portland thing to do.

In the spirit of «Keep Portland Weird», this review exposes what «they» know. Keep in mind that I am risking everything to save you from «them», which actually could be some of you.
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The 30-​ft high metal sculpture named «Pod» was designed by artist Peter Beeman. The official story can be found in Wikipedia
but I have a theory, which will be told alongside movie quotes from «Invasion of the Body Snatchers» (1956), which features pods that (spoiler alert) grow to replace you (while you sleep) with an emotionless personality. The original movie was an allegory for communism and McCarthyism
, but subsequent remakes changed the «bad influence» source. Review lines are prefaced by a pod embryo symbol: (@) and end with a sprout (\o/​).
Warning: Do NOT go to sleep while reading this review.
Ambulance Driver: «We had to dig him out from under the most peculiar things I ever saw.»
Dr. Hill: «What things?»
Ambulance Driver: «Well, I don’t know what they are; I never saw them before. They looked like great big seed pods.»
_(@) The big Pod portion of the sculpture hangs from a pivot ring on a tripod structure on big wheels. There are 73 titanium rods that come out the top of a bulb-​shaped bronze pod, as if it were sprouting. The vertical bulb pendulum swings around, back and forth when pushed. (\o/​)
Stanley Driscoll: «Is the baby asleep yet?»
Nurse Sally Withers: «No, but she will be soon. And there’ll be no more tears.»
Stanley Driscoll: «Shall I put this in her room?» [referring to the giant seed pod he is carrying]
Nurse Sally Withers: «Yes, in her playpen.»
_(@) The sculpture is located in the hotbed of the city, sitting atop a triangular street island like a crib, across from Powell’s Books, which sells bedtime stories. (\o/​)
Dr. Dan ‘Danny’ Kauffman: «Love, desire, ambition, faith — without them, life’s so simple, believe me.»
Dr. Miles J. Bennell: «I don’t want any part of it.»
Dr. Dan ‘Danny’ Kauffman: «You’re forgetting something, Miles.»
Dr. Miles J. Bennell: «What’s that?»
Dr. Dan ‘Danny’ Kauffman: «You have no choice.»
_(@) The people did not vote for it, and many do not understand it. The sculpture is intended to represent the «infrastructure, energy, and vibrancy of Portland», and not be some static motionless statue. (\o/​)
Wilma Lentz: «There’s no emotion. None. Just the pretense of it. The words, the gesture, the tone of voice, everything else is the same, but not the feeling.»
Dr. Miles J. Bennell: «In my practice, I’ve seen how people have allowed their humanity to drain away. Only it happened slowly instead of all at once. They didn’t seem to mind… All of us — a little bit — we harden our hearts, grow callous. Only when we have to fight to stay human do we realize how precious it is to us, how dear. «
_(@) Most pedestrians walk by this cold steel Pod, emotionless, except for tourists. Cars & bicycles pass by without slowing down to even glance. (\o/​)
Dr. Miles J. Bennell: «This is the oddest thing I’ve ever heard of. Let’s hope we don’t catch it. I’d hate to wake up some morning and find out that you weren’t you.»
_(@) Gasp! Imagine if Unilocal were full of people who are not whom they say they are. (\o/​)
Dr. Miles J. Bennell: [having returned from finding that large numbers of pods are being grown in greenhouses, to Becky who, exhausted, had fallen asleep in his absence] «I’ve been afraid a lot of times in my life, but I didn’t know the real meaning of fear until… until I had kissed Becky.»
_(@) You don’t get an appreciation of how hard it is to push the pod until you try. It is out of reach for most people (especially kids). Fearful germophobes would probably put on latex gloves before touching the pod, which has been touched by many people. (\o/​)
Charlie: «Give up! You can’t get away from us! We’re not gonna hurt you!»
Dr. Miles J. Bennell: «They’re here! You’re next! You’re next, You’re next!!!»
_(@) When I went, there was only one person in front trying to swing the pod pendulum. (\o/​)
Dr. Miles J. Bennell: [to strangers in the city] «Listen to me! Please listen! If you don’t, if you won’t, if you fail to understand, then the same incredible terror that’s menacing me WILL STRIKE AT YOU!»
Charlie: [mob chases Miles to the highway] «Let him go. Nobody will ever believe him.»
_(@) The pods are spreading. Besides iPods (what a telling name), there are other pods in Portland: They Aerial Tram, the Thai Pod Restaurant, and scariest of all… the «Self Storage» place called PODS. Add to that the fact that Portland has many communists, which could be the result of the pods (see «The Last Communist City: Havana or Portland?»
So, who do you believe, me or the artist? Run!