My route home in the evening took me past a second-hand yard of outdoor signage, supplies and props...always an interesting mix of tacky and utility...but one evening a pair of huge wooden figures, tightly wrapped in plastic sheeting, appeared in the corner of the yard...Urban American Gothic 2002.
The next day I stopped and took a few photos in the fading sunlight:
Every time I stopped in front of these dour, haunted figures an inner dialogue began about this social issue or that...sometimes I simply smiled at the absurdity of it all. Who made these figures? Where did they stand? Who sold them? WHY???
My employer moved to an adjacent neighborhood the next year and my route changed, I thought no more of the sad images dominating the stark corner of 5th and Castro in West Oakland.
Until last week...I met a friend at Jack London Square for lunch and took my old route to the freeway. The top half of the Farmer was missing. Hmmm...I thought... wonder what happened? What ill befell this weird icon of American Schtick?(as I came to call them).
Today I opened the Bay area section of the Friday Chronicle and there he was, atop a Volvo, newly painted and spiffed up...a plain farmer no more...now he's Frisco Fashion Dude with trendy grey streaks in his 'Do.
This says even more about our culture than Grant Wood's imagery of his time...it absoultely made my week.
It's criminal they separated
the guy from his beloved. I
bet her heart's busted now
that he's gone ...
;)
Posted by: jaspar at October 24, 2003 06:29 PMActually the woman is the Farmer's spinster sister.
Wood's sister and his dentist posed for the painting.
Mebbe she'll turn up topless in North Beach.
Posted by: feste at October 24, 2003 07:53 PM