SOLDIER/STATESMAN

Dry and nearing ruin, the monument to Douglas MacArthur in MacArthur park should be a model for all the bronze figures, concrete fountains, and steel plaques that glorify war as the greatest human cultural achievement.

THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL, 40 YEARS LATER

OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND

The streets in front of the Central Community Police Station are clean and empty, but one block away in the heart of skid row they're crowded and filthy.

BORED, HOMELESS

The dirt marks on the wall (at the bottom of the staircase) have been left by a homeless man who spends most of his days sitting there.

HIDDEN BED

DOG SHIT IN A BAG LEFT ON SOMEONE'S LAWN

PHYSICALLY FIT

Exercise enthusiasts throughout the city feel so good about their dedication to personal fitness they don't worry about leaving the physical remnants of their workouts behind.

LITTER

BATHROOMS: GAS STATION AND STARBUCKS

SAINT PADDY'S DAY

TORTURE

above/middle, sculptures by artist Dan Flavin at LACMA's retrospective
below, sunglasses issued to LACMA security guards who were getting sick from the Flavin sculptures

ANDY WARHOL, DAN FLAVIN, ICONS AT THE GAP

THE GOLDEN PURSE

Many individuals who call themselves "progressive" are deeply committed to the arts, frequenting museums and galleries, yet critical of consumer culture. Unfortunately they fail to recognize that a $12,000 purse can be a work of art, while a $200 million painting is nothing more than fashionable decor. Both are expressions of consumer desire.

SEMPER FIDELIS

ASSLESS

FORMER SOVIET CITIZEN, CONTEMPORARY STYLE, WEST HOLLYWOOD

LOOKOUT, FAMILY & FRIENDS

WAITING FOR THE BUS, BENCH SIGNS

PLASTIC SURGERY AS STATUS SYMBOL

Similar to body piercing or anorexia, plastic surgery has an aesthetic all its own, and it has little to do with looking younger, or restoring former beauty. Instead, it is all about looking like plastic surgery has been done.

PLASTIC SURGERY & AGING

When younger people get face lifts, Botox, and bad nose jobs it frequently makes them look older than they are. This is because the recognizable nerve damage, facial paralysis, and deformity that accompany such procedures are primarily associated with old age. This is also because the plastic surgery aesthetic used to be more exclusive to an older crowd.

FROM STONE TO FLESH

ABOVE, The Goddess Sarasvati, 1153
MIDDLE, Anime figurine, 2007
BELOW, Heidi Montag, 2007

WEATHER GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS

THE CAR CHASE

The live broadcast of car chases on local Los Angeles television affiliates is the most exciting programming around, even though very little actually happens during these pursuits. What sets the chase apart from other programming is its contrary format. Unlike other live events, chases unfold entirely on camera. They start in the middle, have no predictable end, and can last for hours. And although they tend to be visually monotonous, usually shot as a single long take, their improvised commentary (collaboratively provided by anchors, reporters, and police) is highly entertaining.

TRAFFIC & WEATHER

In Los Angeles, where sunshine is the norm, conversations about weather have been replaced with conversations about traffic.

FERRARI IN TRAFFIC

NUMBER 44

RAINBOW OVER GOLDEN ARCHES

SHOOTING STARS

Given the amount of light pollution in Los Angeles, it is very difficult to see shooting stars. But, numerous trails from planes taking off from numerous regional and international airports can be seen at any one time.

CAT ON MATTRESS

RABBIT ON SIDEWALK, NEAR FAIRFAX & WILSHIRE

KOI POND IN DOWNTOWN LA PARKING LOT

PORK STOMACH

THE AESTHETICS OF SORROW, LOST NOT MISSING

Lost dogs frequently appear isolated and sad in their posters even though the pictures were presumably taken during a happier time.