THE FACTORY
'We ARE the Island of Misfit toys' is read in a painting of
a white-pink polka dotted elephant with a tear shed down
it's trunk. The artist is signed as Paralee Simon, age 22.
It hangs on the wall of the Factory.
The Factory is 3rd floor of a brick loft building. There are
stairs leading up to the wide, high ceilings, white space,
fire safety stairs and an old rickety elevator going up to
all 10 floors. The building is a 1930's make, it was
refurnished- red brick and white cement- half archaic
preservation and half ultra modern plaster- walls and
columns colored off white. Squint and see the divide
straight through the middle of the loft from the entryway to
the back where there are full wall sized windows looking out
to the streets of Alexander square.
The entryway is two over sized turquoise doors opening to
the entryways with a set of desks much like an office
secretary setting. From then on, the abyss of silver
linoleum floors divides into many spaces or sections each
marked by certain aesthetic trade.
There was a white stage where Arthur filmed his movies, and
Sheridan conducted her photo shoots. A space stacked with
boxes, barrels and set sheets, blue screen material in the
very back near two windows. An room used for meetings with a
long cheap table and chairs, sound proof doubling as a
recording room next to a small sound booth with full system
equipment. Guitars, music posters, cds, and ipods scattered
around the inside. A violin left hanging on the conference
wall for art.
There is a holding room, filled with more boxes packed and
unpacked. The supply shelves like a mail room warehouse, and
stairs leading to the very top. There wasn't ventilation, a
ceiling, or flooring. It was ground where the factors would
store their supplies, artwork, and work industrial projects
from pottery to power tools.
A section for display, wall art with freshly painted off
white canvas walls, without a smudge or scratch. Easels, and
display cases, wall lights, and empty frames were against
the walls, on the tiled floor.
In the right back corner, the closet converted makeup
station- Hollywood style, movie set lights, and lipstick
stained mirrors. Inhale the foundation and toxic mascara
aroma inside. Nearby a caravan of clothing racks filled with
newly sewn clothes. A fabric wrack, with two desks and
sewing machines.
There was a small back hall on redbrick side with lockers
taken from old schools, and school desks, stacked plastic
chairs, and old whiteboards, display easels left from the
previous owner, a corporation selling water.
Outside, the balcony with drying wracks, and railings with a
view of the Alexander Square park where the naturalists had
set up camp protest, anti actualism, anti council control.
The red brick wall was the longest, the left side of the
factory space. Pictures of factors, people, work were pinned
on the walls with tape. Near the red wall was the mini alley
like bathroom hall, two bar styled bathroom with separate
gender roles.
The living space was dead center, surrounding the white
columns. a used couch, end tables where lamps all interior
furniture was used- vintage from the sixties, beanbag
chairs, mini fridge. Trash discarded everywhere.
The space left over had desks, each equip with an
individual's own equipment. No labels, no names on the desks
or computers. Each of them would know where they belonged
from regular return.
The circus freaks from every walk of life, class, culture,
ethnicity, religion, all collided working together or alone
at their trade. Experimentalists, thespians, avant-garde
creators collaborations, vibrant scenes of activity, and
lonely wolves syndrome, together under one roof. The room
noise was void, it ran together. The sounds were no longer
distinguished, all became one.
The room away from it all was Harper's office. She sits
alone inside. Her office space from 1920's with green art
deco chairs, large wood desk, and bookshelves, Grey file
cabinets. a window set behind Harper's desk chair. it was
grandiose, an office for a man of power without the man.
YOU ARE READING
The Factors
Teen FictionIn the fictional nation of Phaldrom Island, a young traveler, Brianna Lars, becomes apart of an Andy Warhol inspired art collective known as The Factory, during a time of political and societal controversy that threatens to change lives of the next...
