The Park Face

Photograph by Sascha Grant

Text by Luigi Fairbanks

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This disturbing photograph of what can only be described as some sort of giant doll-faced clown monster was taken by Sascha Grant, who was, as she describes, “wandering around Sydney (Australia) the day after our staff Christmas party, suffering from a hangover.” While in her state of post-inebriation, Ms. Grant stumbled upon Luna Park by the Harbor Bridge (“Don’t you think they could have come up with a better name than that?” she cries, and everyone nods and says, “Yes!”). Camera in hand, she proceeded to take this image.

While Ms. Grant claims this face is Luna Park’s entrance (that’s right, you walk into its mouth!), it is clear to me that it is really a sleeping giant, with a face of pasty acrylic and a wide network of connective tissue made from wooden beams, plaster, and tarps. Ms. Grant calls this “construction work hidden away behind the face,” as the park is “currently being renovated,” but no one can show me a picture of a giant clown/doll thing and tell me that it’s not a living, breathing organism hell-bent on mankind’s destruction.

This photograph will serve to many as a warning for the people of Australia, a warning of the giant clowns in their midst. Yes, I said clowns. Plural. Apparently, Ms. Grant’s home of Melbourne has one of these monsters as well. Ever the humble individual, Ms. Grant played off the importance of her photo, claiming, “I really liked this shot for a number of reasons - I really enjoyed the warmth in the colors and textures that the face and pillars on each side have, the detail that has gone into the design of the top of the pillars is fantastic and, despite the park being closed, I feel that I captured it's amazing ambiance ( Hmm.. does all that make me a pretentious wanker?).”

Yes, Sascha Grant, it does make you sound like a pretentious wanker. The most heroic wanker of them all.

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Sascha Grant.  1971 to present… Born and bred in Melbourne, Australia. Currently wage slave selling Mac's (and yes, they ARE better than peecees) have a love (read passion) for photography, but not the budget (No, selling Mac's have kept me poor, but they ARE better… really… they are...) currently shooting with Sony DSC-P10  5M/Pixel Digital camera that I love (and, like me, is cheap to run). Studied photography for a year (15 years ago) and learned the basics of composition, layout and design - and then promptly forgot it all.  Spent the last 8 years working part-time at Melbourne's Channel 31 (Community TV) doing everything from Camera to Floor Manager.

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Luigi Fairbanks is currently employed as a scarecrow in a field somewhere in Nebraska, due largely to the fact that he’s made entirely out of straw. Also, he’s a figment of your imagination, so don’t go looking for him or anything.