Accession Number
1977/1.158

Title
Untitled

Artist(s)
Greg Reeder

Object Creation Date
1974

Medium & Support
gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions
11 in x 14 in (28 cm x 35.5 cm);14 5/16 in x 19 5/16 in (36.35 cm x 49.05 cm);11 in x 14 in (28 cm x 35.5 cm);7 1/16 in x 13 1/16 in (18 cm x 33.2 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Subject matter
In the center of this photograph, a sleek, shiny car sits parked on the side of a road. Beyond the car, a large stylized mural of a sunset or sunrise stretches across a cement wall. At first glance, it appears the car is parked near the banks of a gleaming bay with a bright sun emblazoned above the rippling water. However, in the fronds of an arching tree, a metal grate is apparent, and the vertical seams in the concrete quickly dispel the illusion. The bright, horizontal lines made by the metallic sheen of the car’s sides are echoed throughout the image; a white band runs along the bottom of the mural, the silver-lining on the mural’s clouds form bright horizontal beams, and the painted water’s ripples dazzle with reflected light. This congruence almost convinces that the street scene and the painted world of the mural occupy the same reality. In contrast to the mural’s balmy setting however, the sidewalk before it is lined with dirty snowbanks of slush and ice. This humorous contrast winks at the stage-like quality of the scene, juxtaposing the fake, scenic vision against the mundane reality of the winter street side.

Physical Description
This photograph depicts a parked car on the side of a snowy road with a painted mural of a sunset or sunrise on the wall beyond.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
automobiles
car
mailboxes
modern and contemporary art
mural paintings (visual works)
parking meters
snow (precipitation)
street scenes
streets
sunset
trees
urban environments
water