Manitou (Briseno)

As a “Flaneur,” one is often described as both an observer as well as an element of the text. While walking in Manitou and listing to details about the city and art I actively participated as a member of the story as I captured via photography the things that caught my eye. The city Manitou Springs combines small tourist town with elements of surrounding beauty.

Wandering down the avenue with classmates and taking pictures, mimics the activities of a typical tourist. Although no stranger to the area, after receiving the guided tour of the notable art in Manitou by the Mr. Kuckel, my understanding increased with the context of and insight into the motivation for the city’s proliferation of art.   

The main street of Manitou Avenue is lined with small shops and restaurants. Throughout the town art is everywhere. The sidewalks are sprinkled with sculptures, graffiti, mosaics, and fountains. A majority of the art utilizes recycled materials. Nature is continuously incorporated as the most notable relationship between nature and civilization are the city’s famous spring water fountains. The trees and mountainous backdrop provide scenic vistas. Finally, both the tourists and locals add to nature’s rhythm.

Manitou draws people in with a laid back culture comparable to that of relaxed hippies. The emphasis placed on the enjoyment of consumerism is foiled with the natural framing of the mountains and continuity of spring water. Simultaneously, the city defies the canon of corporate free enterprise. Absent is the typical mall, strip-mall, or mega-mart. In place their place are small gift shops and restaurants. Overall, the city exudes the feeling of a symbiotic relationship between civilization and nature.