Today, a story from the archives. Rewind to that March day-trip to Lugano.

Under undecided skies, the lakeside city (or is it a town?) of Lugano revealed its true duo-toned heart to me. After having taken several photographs, I realized there was a theme to what was attracting my eye. Quite without realizing it, I’d collected a small black-and-cream story.

The first thing to draw my attention, was a somber, little street café, empty at the moment, but ready to receive the lunch crowd with its battered bistro chairs and ivory table clothes still creased from ironing and folding. Proper yet inviting. An image of stillness despite the energy of passing pedestrians.

The next thing that grabbed my attention was the basket of eggs. This was before Easter, and I had to study them to determine whether they were real or made of chocolate. The chocolate stores were also full of speckled eggs, but these were among the wares of an outside vendor, selling also yogurt and cheeses and butter. They are, if I’m not mistaken, quail eggs. Other things, I photographed because they represent ubiquitous details of the place (and of Europe)—cast your eye about and eventually you’ll see them, here there everywhere: the lace curtains, the bistro chalkboard, the mottled stone.

My last picture of the day was the photo of Man Ray’s image—I’ve always loved it—of the woman’s back painted to resemble a cello. This poster was all over Lugano at the time, promoting an exhibit I wouldn’t have time to see. And so I borrow a master photographer’s work to conclude the story—a perfect punctuation mark at the end of this little tale of black and cream.

NOTE: I just read that the Man Ray exhibit is still on until the 16th of June, and that until May 17, you can participate on-line in the interactive “Man Ray Game” (MGR) by contributing to his “fictional biography.” Click here for more information or to play.