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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Two: Travel Incongruities > Precious junk, Phoenix, Arizona, 2006
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10-MAY-2006

Precious junk, Phoenix, Arizona, 2006

The concept of a steel fence protecting what appear to be junked cars seems incongruous to us at first. By photographing these cars behind the fence, instead of inserting my lens into the fence itself to make the picture, I am asking the viewer a question. Why must junk, which seemingly has little value, be secured in this way? The answer must come in verbal context – these cars are apparently antiques that are waiting in this junkyard for restoration. They are thus more than junk. They are soon to become rolling history.

Leica D-Lux 2
1/400s f/5.6 at 6.3mm iso80 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis04-Jul-2006 18:14
Glad you are seeing ironies here, Emi, that were not intended. Each viewer brings their own particular point of view to an image. What you are seeing here is the symbolism of scale at work. Each wire square is tiny, but they combine forces to make a mighty fence, big enough to bind the much larger cars together into this tapestry of junk.
Guest 04-Jul-2006 09:37
Just a little silly thought. If we just look at the shapes of the car and the little squares shapes created by the fence. They have a big difference in size. Regardless of the reality, and just think from the size angle. How can these little squares are so powerful that they can bind the cars which are so much bigger and look so much stronger than the little squares are. Then it leads me to a scene where you can see a big body of a wild but dead animal's body surrounded by tons of ants or flies. Ironic!

Emi
Phil Douglis20-May-2006 05:07
The fence is what makes this picture for me -- it seems so incongruous to protect rusting old cars, but apparently there is a lot of potential restoration value in them. And yes, it is very tactile. I can feel the rust!
Cecilia Lim19-May-2006 20:21
One man's trash is another man's treasure! And this, a closely guarded one too! I also love the tactile quality and colours of this image - being this close to the fence makes me want to climb over and have a closer look at these rare relics from the past.
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