Rauschenberg

(Pic #1) Just junk on the ground. Or is it?

Functional, useful, reliable — the rubber tire also serves as artful inspiration.

They get me every time. I do my share of junkyard exploring, and inevitably, I stumble upon a pile of discarded tires. While arguably the most dependable load-supporting, system of transportation, I see them as perfect sculptures emerging from found objects. They are appealing as a group — or as individuals. And I’m not the only one with a soft spot for these under-valued heroes.

Robert Rauschenberg’s clever combine called “Monogram” (Pic #2) might be the most famous from the school of trashed tires — curiously collaring a painted, horned, Angora goat.

(Pic #2) Robert Rauschenberg ‘s “Monogram” combine, 1955.

A lesser known but equally trailblazing sculptor named Noah Purify incorporated tires in many of his assemblages in the brutal desert heat of Joshua Tree. (Pic #3) His orders (after his death) were to leave his work to disintegrate in the dry desert air. It’s been decades. Miraculously, his installations still stand.

(Pic #3) Installation by Noah Purifoy, Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum, Joshua Tree, Cal.

(Pic #1) Grab shot on Olympic and Bundy, Los Angeles

Let traffic serve as your muse

Next time you’re stuck in one of our city’s nightmarish jams, take advantage of the unplanned stop. The wait at the stubborn red light just might provide an opportunity for a grab shot worth keeping. I’ve always been a fan of Rauschenberg’s “combine paintings,” and lately I keep seeing quirky versions of them right through my windshield. From tractor trailers to local pool guy trucks, I always find exciting shapes, lines and textures. They make fantastic photographic compositions (Pic #1) — with little or no planning.

(Pic #2) Grab shot in downtown Santa Barbara

The stoplight strategy works for sweet architectural encounters too. (Pics #2, 3, 4) All of these were shot out the window on the way to or in Santa Barbara while waiting for the light to change. Today’s sprawling urban landscape just begs to be captured – and you don’t need extravagant light kits or 10-thousand dollar lenses — just a willingness to conquer the congestion with a fresh look at exactly what’s in front of you.

(Pic #3) Santa Barbara second story. Photo by Josh Kaplan

(Pic #4) Subtle wall wash, Malibu, Cali. Photo by Josh Kaplan

The Art of “Getting Tired”

Red Light Rauschenberg