Ed Ruscha’s Palm trees

Banal objects can be interesting subject when they are collected in a context we don’t usually see them in. Ed Ruscha self-published as many as 16 photo books between 1963 and 1972. “A few palm trees” was published in 1971. He is more recognised for the series of photographs and paintings of petrol stations. He also photographs other trivial things such as swimming pools, parking lots, etc. The problem with his books is that he never explained anything in them. Although the four pictures I have up there are side-by-side, all palm trees are on separate pages in his book. That at least can tell us that he didn’t intend for us to compare between one with the other side by side. In contrast with Bernd and Hilla Becher’s water towers which are normally presented in a group side-by-side.