Roger Brown
California Gawkers: Being the Chief Cause and Primary Source of California Traffic Jams, 1997
Oil on canvas
48 x 72 x 2 in
121.9 x 182.9 cm
121.9 x 182.9 cm
4907
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Traveling regularly throughout his life, Roger Brown was no stranger to traffic jams, and as an eager social critic, complaining about the topic feels like a natural fit. As explained...
Traveling regularly throughout his life, Roger Brown was no stranger to traffic jams, and as an eager social critic, complaining about the topic feels like a natural fit. As explained by the title, the piece humorously proposes that the biggest cause of traffic jams is not a car accident itself, nor police involvement, but people slowing their cars to see what the cause of the traffic is. The compounding effect of everyone "rubbernecking" to see the issue multiplies down the road, a small issue magnifying into a larger one for no reason, much to Brown's frustration. Painted near the end of his life while living in California, he associated the problem with that state, though, no doubt, audiences across the globe will empathize with his annoyance with the phenomenon.
This piece is a part of the Estate of Roger Brown, held by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Sale of this work goes to benefit the ongoing operation of the Roger Brown Study Center, serving the Chicago community with educational resources and a world-class collection of self-taught art from Brown's personal collection. Preference for collection of Roger Brown's work will be given to public collections and institutions who share in the mission to benefit their communities.
This piece is a part of the Estate of Roger Brown, held by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Sale of this work goes to benefit the ongoing operation of the Roger Brown Study Center, serving the Chicago community with educational resources and a world-class collection of self-taught art from Brown's personal collection. Preference for collection of Roger Brown's work will be given to public collections and institutions who share in the mission to benefit their communities.
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