Saturday, May 30, 2009

Totems . . .

Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest created totem poles, mysteriously magnificent homage to the natural world around them. Today we create other forms of totems. This totem in New Jersey, on Route 40, photographed in 1987 was prime black and white photo material. What do you make of it ? To honor what deity was this totem built ?
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20 comments:

Loulou said...

Owen... you can tell us, we are between friends!....
Night was about to fall. That was actually your birthday cake, you were to be 20 almost...25 right? And a beautiful black lady, like an ebony statue, went out and started singing a beautiful song, jazzy, especially for you... Party was memorable, you will never forget this black and white party.

Steve said...

I'd like to think it was a homage to ska...

cieldequimper said...

Dunno! The sole Buren column? I prefer the Pacific Northwest ones!

Alex said...

Hi Owen, Great shot, i think it is homage to Mr Goodyear.

Anonymous said...

I was going to say the same as Alex!!!
:)

Lynne with an e said...

A trucker's lawn art.

William Evertson said...

Actually the Michelin man has been around since 1898 and this is the father of the current beloved icon. You can tell it's not the grandfather because he wore glasses.

Owen said...

Loulou, I swear I'm only 19, not a day older, this was for my big 18 party, and it was the CHEWIEST birthday cake anyone ever had. Talk about something a little rubbery to chew on ! Thanks for the jazz singer... it's coming back to me now, she was singing an enchanting song... Summertime, and the living is easy... Love these creative visions you've been revealing, I just knew with an eye for photos like you have, there is a mind working at 300 kms and hour there !!! LOL (which in you case is Laughing over Loulou's wonderful comments !!!

Steve... hmm "Ska", as in a bouncy kind of music... ?

Ciel, me too, I prefer the Indians' work by a long shot... this monument to the mediocrity of used tires was a bit unsettling. But at least someone tried to do something creative with them rather than just dump them in the woods somewhere... cheers !

Hey Alex ! The Goodyear blimp was flying just over head like a giant UFO... :-D

Rain; he beat you to it... and these tires gave off no reflections whatsoever.

(Reminder to all readers who may pass this way... please take a look over the next few days at Rain's blogs, there will be a collection of "Reflections" oriented photos published there in the next day or two, I hope ! Right Rain ?)

Lynne, Yes, definitely, a mad redneck farmer-trucker-artist who was too lazy to haul them off, so he just stacked them up, got tired of looking at all black, got drunk one afternoon, pulled on his overalls, opened another beer, and started painting ! While listening to Charlie Daniels and Lynyrd Skynyrd ! Yeeee haaaaaaaa !!!
Footnote : It turned into a perfectly protected raccoon nest, soundproof for quiet sleeping by day, the white paint reflected enough sunlight so as to stay cool inside... :-)

Anonymous said...

Absolutely Owen!
I'll be publishing the photos on Monday June 1st, sometime after noon EST!! Everyone is welcome to join, btw!
Blogger Friends Photo Club

Owen said...

Hey Bill, you slipped in a comment while I was answering the others, almost missed it. Mr Goodyear is rolling at about 200 rpm in his grave at the thought of the Michelin Man having ancestors in New Jersey... glasses or not... LOL

Owen said...

Hi Rain, Wow, you are fast !!!

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

This totem clearly honors the Michelin Man.

Anonymous said...

Rain is as fast as lightening! Ha ha, just a coincidence that we're online together!
:)

Owen said...

Oh most Erudite Grey Squirrel, I think you may be right, and in so doing, it also honors the vast groves of rubber trees in your part of the world from whence these tires sprang (sprung?), vast groves of paradise for squirrels to romp in to their hearts content... Are there any rubber plantations near where you live ?

Rain, I can hear the thunder !

Laurie said...

I am a bit tyred today, but this is wheely, wheely good!

Great shot and so unusual!

Laurie

Jo said...

Is it homage to the God of Route 66?

"Well if you ever plan to motor west
Just take my way that’s the highway that’s the best
Get your kicks on route 66.

Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2000 miles all the way
Get your kicks on route 66."

jeff said...

Apparemment j'arrive après la fête !... P....n ! Vous pourriez pas causer un peu dans une langue "normale" des fois ! ! ! je capito pas tout des fois ! 'pas grave ! puis c'est long... Ennnffffiiiinnnn !
Non, tu vois le truc que ça m'inspire ta photo c'est que quand tu regardes ce "machin" au bord de la route, le truc qui peut t'arriver c'est de taper la voiture qui arrive en face ou de griller le carrefour ! mais t'as vu cette ... ce... ! Ya qu'aux states que tu peux voir des choses pareilles ! ! !... T'as bien fait de te réfugier en France ! Mais je suis sûr qu'on a des horreurs ( merde je l'ai dis ! ) encore plus horrible !
Ciao Owen ! Pense à boire ta "beep"!

Owen said...

Ahhhh sacré Jeff, la fête n'est jamais finie ici... mais quant à la lanque, va falloir que tu t'y mets à étudier le cher Shakespeare... même Loulou te l'a dit, pour joindre un max de monde, il n'y a guere mieux... mais bon, avec le peu de Molière que j'arrive à peine à baragouiner, on va arriver à se trouver un terrain d'entente. Bon, s'il y a des trucs comme ceci en France, je ne les ai pas encore trouvé, mais bon, je vais continuer à chercher... faut jamais désesperer... CIAO bonne nuit ou bonjour... j'suis un couche tard...

Owen said...

Laurie, GROAN, you should watch where you tread ! :-D

Jo... Route 66 it is !

LR Photography said...

Nice Owen!