La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles Possibly 1973 - 1994

Richard Gordon made this gelatin silver print, “La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles,” and I wonder, what was it like for him to be there, camera in hand? The photo is like a stage. There are the prehistoric animals, like actors frozen in time, and there's a billboard advertising cigarettes, towering above everyone, telling us what to do. Then there are the people, ordinary folks, going about their day. I can imagine the heat, the smog, and the strange mix of nature and urban life. Look at the man taking a photo! What's he thinking? Is he trying to capture a piece of history, or just another day in L.A.? And that woman in the patterned dress, does she even notice the mammoths, or is she just trying to get to the other side of the street? It’s a study in how we see, what we choose to focus on, and how the past and present collide in the most unexpected ways.