A Photographer's Newsletter
One of those (almost) forgotten essays
More than a quarter century ago, I perceived that, perhaps, petroleum-burning vehicles were on their way out. I thought, back then, that documenting this phenomenon in a photographic way would be an interesting essay and resolved to pursue this idea, but I was involved with other projects, and let this one slide. I wish now I hadn't, as the transition seems to be upon us. even more than we imagined back then.
I named the unfinished essay Internal Combustion, using the terms involved as a combining form with a metaphor, as those words also describe something that is self-destructive. The fact that so many electric cars are already so extant, the idea for the continuation of the essay could seem like an old cliche.
I submit that the work I have done so far on the project are perhaps more artistic than the term “document” usually applies. Anyway. here’s what I have so far, starting with those that triggered this “documentary.”
Today the potential demise of internal combustion (at least for automotive use) seems no longer farfetched, and the automobile manufacturers themselves are hustling to save themselves a piece of the pie. As usual, the United States automakers are the last in line to adapt, just as they were in the gas crisis. The growing public awareness of global warming and climate change, plus the additional worrying (using the kindest word possible) aspects of tar sands, fracking, and pipelines, denote the continued unfettered use of using fossil fuel for worldwide transportation . This spells a disquieting and degrading misuse of technology, and ultimately, very bad news for the planet. Internal combustion, indeed.
The iconography of the demise of the automotive internal combustion engine hasn’t yet reached a sea change of perception in the landscape where The Automobile has ruled for more than a century. That time is still in the future, perhaps the near future. My idea was to photographically document the manifold changes, both perceptible and hidden, and I still feel it to be a worthy endeavor. It just won’t be me that finishes it.
Happy trails.
PS: By the way, some other photographer (I wish I knew who) had this idea perhaps before I was born! Here is his take, a beautiful snap:
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Enjoying your newsletter and stunning photographs.
This particular one has a special meaning, as I have hoped for so long that charging stations would be everywhere and gasoline would become a black market item. Internal combustion really does say it all.
"You can trust your car to the man who wears the star - the big bright Texaco star!" But you can't trust your planet to him. We didn't know that as soon as we needed to, and when we finally figured it out, our government didn't back us up. Funny how corporate interests always seem to prevail over ours.