CENTER STAGE> Rusty 1937 Ford Pilsner Pickup
Its rat-rod look reminded me of a Japanese aesthetic called Wabi-Sabi (no, not the green stuff complementing your sushi). Essentially, from an artistic point-of-view, wabi-sabi is defined as “flawed beauty.” It refers to beauty as a result of age, wear and tear and any anomalies which add uniqueness. It's a growing trend in rat-rodding and it seeks beauty in the simple and imperfect. Tom's truck is a good example of the embodiment of this principle and has that perfect combination of burned paint, rust, and look acquired from age and weather--it's hardly an eyesore. Read more...
WEBMINING> Rodding Across the Pond
The automotive scene in America in many ways reflects the culture of the nation as a whole. With such a diverse make up there is something for everyone, from drifting to hot rodding and everything in between. These “subcultures” have become a part of who we are and in many instances become our way of life. What we don’t always hear about, is how we influence the cultures of other nations through the automotive lifestyle we live.
When I traveled to the Los Angeles area for the first time last May, I was lucky to stumble upon the Kustom Japan show at Bergamot Station that featured the Kustom Car scene in Japan. The Kustom scene in Japan is an adaptation of Americana hitting the streets of Japan with new vision and some of the same ideas of it’s American counterpart. I was really taken by photographer Michael McCabe‘s work in the show because it showed me a culture and lifestyle I knew nothing about.
While scouring the web today, I fell upon the work of Paulina Mirowska, a Polish photographer who’s work has done the same for me that McCabe’s work did. It enlightened me and told me a story I hadn’t heard, and even better, it told it with photography!
Paulina’s photos of the Berlin RoadRunners are pretty fresh and it’s amazing to see big body Cadillacs and classic American trucks on the streets and dragways of Germany. I’m not too familiar with Paulina’s other work or the Kustom scene in Germany, but my search has begun. With Detroit’s Woodward Dream Cruise only a few weeks away I’m excited to see how we represent our own Kustom and Rodding culture in the country that invented it!
Enjoy Paulina’s work and check out Michael McCabe’s Kustom Japan book, which is still available online.
:: Pat Daly
