Untitled, from the series Dingbat 1983

This black and white photograph by Judy Fiskin is part of the Dingbat series. It’s a small image, almost like a snapshot, and it captures the façade of an apartment building with a kind of deadpan curiosity. I imagine Fiskin wandering around L.A., camera in hand, hunting for these quirky architectural details. What was she thinking when she snapped this picture? Maybe she was drawn to the geometric patterns, the way the diamonds contrast with the boxy shape of the building. The image feels grainy, imperfect, like it's trying to remember something. Fiskin's photographs remind me a bit of Ed Ruscha's work, but with a more intimate, almost melancholic touch. Both artists share an interest in the vernacular landscape of Southern California, but Fiskin's images feel more personal, more like a diary entry than a detached observation. It’s a small but powerful reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places, and that even the simplest image can hold a wealth of meaning.