I have been up in The Gateway Arch only once. If recall serves the cars are small and remind me of bullets, although this took place long ago and I really cannot say how accurate my memory is today. The car or cars hold few people. The Gateway Arch as it is known is a part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and sits upon very lovely park ground adjacent to the Mississippi River. I prefer to see The Arch from the outside, it possesses a certain overwhelming stature and majesty. The Arch was designed by the Finnish architect Eero Saarinen. Opening in 1967, it would become known as the Gateway to the West. At that time it was the tallest known monument built by man. I came to St Louis in 1966 from the east coast. The Arch never really meant a thing to me in my early life here in St Louis. It was later when I was a happier person that I discovered The Arch. I say that I discovered The Arch and my camera rather simultaneously, although those facts are a bit loose. The initial photo was not taken by me but is from Wikipedia. I no longer have a photo of the entire Arch. I had fun one day photographing The Arch and then chopping up those photos as an artistic endeavor. I have always found this series to be quite meditative. I hope that you enjoy them.
– Liz Rice-Sosne
© 2014, essay and photographs, Liz Rice-Sosne, All rights reserved
LIZ RICE-SOSNE a.k.a. Raven Spirit (noh where), perhaps the oldest friend to Bardo, is the newest member of The Bardo Group Core Team. She is also our new Voices for Peace project outreach coordinator and our go-to person for all things related to haiku. She says she “writes for no reason at all. It is simply a pleasure.” Blogging, mostly poetry, has produced numerous friends for whom she has a great appreciation. Liz is an experienced blogger, photographer and a trained shaman. We think her middle name should be “adventure.”
The BeZine 
Enjoyed this, Liz. I like the designes that resulted form your breakdown of the photograph. Nice work.
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A very fun study of a fascinating structure, Liz. I went up in the arch once, on a family trip a long time ago. Saw it again as an adult, and I still appreciated its sleek lines. Thank you for sharing this with us.
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I remember crawling around the top of the arch, as I believe the lifts operate only in the more vertical parts. I like the simple geometry of this structure. Your series of details illustrates our perspective; like points on a parabolic arc, we see only in part and focus on the present. The mystery of the whole is implied, but not realized.
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Liz, Wonderful, unique pics of an iconic, and thereby difficult to photograph, structure! Thank you.
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Great pictures.
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Thanks so much. It is a pretty spectacular structure and was fun to break down. As I told Jamie we are still unpacking and are without WiFi, TV, phone or Internet. Hope to be writing soon and reading more on The Bardo. I miss you all.
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I quite enjoyed your arch photos! I like yours better than the “whole arch” picture, yours are more interesting. I have seen the Arch from a distance but never had the chance to go up inside of it. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
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Thank you Liz for this piece. It was my privilege to go up the arch several times when I lived in Carbondale, Ill. It never ceased to remind me of the “largeness” that surrounds our lives when we are able to awaken to what connects us.
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