VIEW IN MY ROOM
'Surreal Sales' - Limited Edition 1 of 20 Photograph
United States
Photography, Black & White on Paper
Size: 31.7 W x 40 H x 0.1 D in
Ships in a Tube
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Artist featured in a collection
About The Artwork
Surrealism can sometimes be found in real life. One early evening in 1968 while walking Manhattan's Park Avenue, I was drawn to a scene of many people in an office building lobby. I investigated, and this is what I found. But what did I find? A devil, a cook, a French foreign legionnaire, a viking, and an aviator, all were holding window air conditioners while descending an escalator. All were actors in costume. When the final actor, the aviator descended, a giant fan turned on and blew air past him. I inquired what was happening. I was told the first actors were dressed to illustrate oppressive heat, while the aviator with wind blowing past was intended to show relief from that heat, in a television advertisement they were filming. It turned out this is not only an illustration of the visually absurd, but also of the surrealness of corporate decision and unquestionable power in general. A manufacturing company executive with great power, I learned, had dreamed up this idea, pitched it, and though others had criticisms,they stifled them because they didn't want to be seen to contradict that executive. It was not subject to normal corporate review for audience effectiveness; his power was beyond question. One risked one's job to be seen to contradict him if one criticized his idea or use of power,so criticisms were self-stifled. This commercial was made in 1968 at a cost of $! million, then an almost incredible sum even for a prime time TV commercial. Epilogue: This commercial, I later learned, was aired two times before being summarily pulled from the air and 'buried'. It had dismal effectiveness, with few audience members 'getting it', and it had no perceivable benefit for sales. This is a lesson about business decisions and authority and otherwise in general about decision-making from those too powerful it appeared to be have decisions questioned or challenged. A lesson well learned at a young age.
Details & Dimensions
Photography:Black & White on Paper
Artist Produced Limited Edition of:1
Size:31.7 W x 40 H x 0.1 D in
Frame:Not Framed
Ready to Hang:Not applicable
Packaging:Ships Rolled in a Tube
Shipping & Returns
Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.
Handling:Ships rolled in a tube. Artists are responsible for packaging and adhering to Saatchi Art’s packaging guidelines.
Ships From:United States.
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United States
I am a photographer who has taken in the past 12 years, over est. 2 million images, mostly street, with many shown previously under various host sites to over est. 200 million counted viewers. I practiced law very successfully in Silicon Valley, CA for nearly two decades; retiring at about age 40. I am a graduate of NYC's Columbia College, Columbia University. As editor/writer/photographer, I won the Lebhar-Friedman Publishing Blue Chip award for excellence in writing, editing, and photography. For law,I won a variety of awards and special recognition. I attended law school in Silicon Valley, graduating with honors and founding my own Silicon Valley law firm, from which I retired in the late 1980s. I have worked side by side with over a half dozen Pulitzer prize-winning photographers, was shot once, and later medically evacuated from Vietnam while photographing the war there. Self-taught in photography, later, among others, I have been mentored by the following: 1. Henri Cartier-Bresson 2. Sal Vader, Pulitzer winner, Associated Press 3. Wes Gallagher, President/Ceo of Associated Press who groomed me to replace him as A.P. head. 4. Sam Walton, Wal-Mart founder who tried to lure me into his smaller company, now the world's largest. retailer. 5. Walter Baring, Peabody award winner, WRVR-FM NYC's premier cultural radio station. 6./ A variety of great photographers, many Pulitzer winners, including many also from Associated Press,/ Many were Vietnam war colleagues from my freelancing the Vietnam war; others from AP NYC world headquarters. I took H C-B's advice: 'Shoot for yourself, John,' to avoid photo work that would require shooting in a special style. not my own. HCB's s generous, helpful advice also resulted in a career with AP wire service as a world news writer and editor, world service, Associated Press world headquarters, NYC. 6. Michel Karman, Lucie Award photo printer and photo exhibition genius. ent in two 'wars' -- the Vietnamese War, and a prisoner of war taken by Russian separatists in the current Ukrainian--Russian Separatist battles that killed over 10,000 and displaced over 1 million. While writing and as a worldwide photo editor for Associated Press, I was asked to understudy their CEO (worldwide General Manager), to become successor general manager on his retirement, but declined the position. I live the lifestyle of a photographer and am proud of it.
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