digression - objectification

“The Eiffel Tower is often a symbol of romance, a site of romance, or a backdrop to romance. But in this case it becomes the object of romance itself.

Channel 5 brings us a documentary on the woman who has married the Eiffel Tower. Erika La Tour Eiffel, like Eija-Riitta Berliner-Mauer - the woman who married the Berlin Wall, is an “objectum sexual”, people who fall literally in love with buildings and objects. They have sex and relationships with them; their passion as ardent as any human relationship.”

…

“She mused that someone must have loved the Wall to bring it into the world; what made them not love it now? Political history meant nothing to her, the Wall was a simple victim of neglect. She didn’t care if people called her “cuckoo”, and while the programme could have easily done that and turned the women’s stories into a guffaw-a-minute freak show, somehow it strove for understanding. There should have been easy laughs, but instead it was moving – particularly when a priest counselled Amy after finding her sexually communing with his altar rail. This was absurdity not treated absurdly – and the Empire State Building did look mighty thrusting and fine.”

part 1

part 2