'Cracks And Dents' is a photobook by Lycien-David that explores the parallels between vehicle damage and human imperfections. He reframes visible wear as natural, meaningful expressions of character rather than flaws. Lycien-David contrasts cultural attitudes toward automobiles, highlighting stricter, polished standards in Germany versus the intimate, relaxed relationships Americans have with their vehicles. This intimacy informed his use of film photography, which captured rustic and textured details, shifting focus from perfection to the beauty of imperfections.
I see those marks not as defects, but as something natural - even meaningful. I'm not interested in perfection. Actually, it's the imperfections that give things character and presence.
It's a kind of mobile living room. That closeness to the car, that everyday intimacy, became part of the work almost naturally.
It helped shift the focus to texture, to surface, to the material presence of things.
Cultural differences helped to buoy the photobook's subject of the automobile, with a juxtaposition between German cars - polished and strictly regulated, whereas in California, damage was visible.
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