June 09, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

Of time -- and tennis shoes

by Jaime Marconette

Marvin Wax is not your stereotypical skate-park user. He can't perform kick-flips and ollies. He doesn't even wear baggy jeans.

Yet, every week for the past three years, Wax has visited the Greer Park skate park to fulfill his passion.

Wax, an 81-year-old man of ordinary height and build, gets his thrills by taking pictures of the intricacies of skate-park graffiti.

A professional photographer, he has published books on Eichler homes and the California missions. He has also turned his lens on diverse subjects, such as Stanford University trees and aerial views of Nevada's salt flats. Graffiti is his current muse.

As Wax wandered along the path through Greer Park three years ago, he came across the fenced-in skate park, which resembles a swimming pool. The three bowls are set like billiard balls, in a quasi-triangular manner. An island stands alone in the middle.

Every square-inch of the skate bowls is covered with spray paint of multiple hues. Words and images, layers upon layers of work, and a huge grey caricature stare back at the viewer. Wax was immediately drawn.

"The people have used that whole area as a canvas to give voice to their images or color," the long-time Palo Alto resident said of the artwork.

Though he believes some forms of graffiti are destructive, Wax said graffiti can serve as an artistic outlet. However, it was not the images that caught his attention. He was interested in something subtler -- the transformation of the graffiti over time.

"As Rollerblades go over the paint, it chips and scars," Wax said.

His photographs focus on small segments of the graffiti-covered skate park, calling attention to the composition and timeline of the art. He tells an entire story with a single image displaying the graffiti's history.

Not only does the constant barrage of wheels and tennis shoes manipulate the art, but other artists build on top of prior work as well.

"You see both the past, maybe three, four years ago, and what has just been done," Wax said. The result is "a happenstance, coincidences of visual elements that present itself incongruently."

Wax draws his inspiration from this incongruence, and is quick to point this out to others. Visitors to his home are treated to photo after photo, as Wax excitedly exhibits his work. Take a look at that book, Wax said, seizing the opportunity to explain his point of view.

"What makes a photographer different is what he sees or draws him to the picture," he said. The photographs "talk more about me -- how I see it."

Through his lens, Wax relays his personal views and responses to the audience. His greatest rewards come by interacting with the viewer.

"You can connect with some other people and have them enjoy it," Wax said. He is fueled by positive reactions from artists who also see the significant compositional aspects in the graffiti.

But his personal experience with a camera and subject serve as the engine.

"The happiness is in the doing," Wax said. "That's key to me."

Wax's tribute to the graffiti does not end with the printed photographs. He has also transferred many images onto dinner plates, which are displayed throughout Wax's home. The concept of eating dinner off Greer Park graffiti may sound odd, yet the spraypaints create a rich and imaginative kaleidoscope set against the soft-colored rim of the plate. It makes for an interesting juxtaposition.

Wax, a graduate of New York's Cooper Union Institute, has no intentions of slowing down his work. Over the past few years, he has attended many digital photography courses. These classes have opened new doors for his work in such ways as processing and the photo-taking action itself.

"I think I bring a certain experience and talented approach to what I do," he said.

In spite of his age and lack of knowledge of skating, Wax has carved out a unique position for himself within the culture. He is an artist bringing light to an overlooked subject, the physical transformation of skate park graffiti. Editorial Intern Jaime Marconette can be reached at jmarconette@paweekly.com.

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