Scratching the surface

A while ago, I was traveling in New Orleans and stopped for brunch. It was a hot sunny day and we ended up in one of the French Quarter‘s hidden courtyards with flowering trees and a jazz trio. After a leisurely meal in the shade, I noticed the scratched walls of the passageways on the way back out into the sun.

Layers and layers of paint…

signatures…

inscriptions…

love notes..

As I was taking these photos, I couldn’t help but think of Saul Bass’ end titles for West Side Story.

I will admit I’m not the biggest fan of the movie or production in general, but I really appreciate the beautifully executed titles.