I was hiking recently in Harriman State Park when I noticed this flattened can of Bud Light. Of course the logical response is that it’s unfortunate that someone littered in the park, but I also made one of my art history associations when I saw it. I used to work at an art gallery where I was able to view the work of Irving Penn, and I always liked his “street material” pictures, where he found and photographed garbage that he found on the street and visually elevated the refuse into abstract art. In the same way that Penn made this Chinese takeout package look abstract, I thought the Bud Light can was smashed and faded into abstraction in its own way.
The two views – both above and below – are the same can, I just flipped it over to photograph both sides. Considering that this was once a blue can, the power of the sun to bleach it out to this dull gray hue is quite a transformation. It also seemed like parts of the surface didn’t resemble aluminum anymore either – that wrinkled section to the right (below) makes me think of elephant skin.
I know it’s just garbage – and belongs in the garbage – but it does invite some visual inspection, at least for me.
By the way, the area where I was hiking around Lake Tiorati in Harriman State Park was quite beautiful, and deserves to have a view included here as well:
