© 2010, David J. Bookbinder.

UTILITY SURFACE SEALS

My first mandala images were not created by me. They were photographs of what I subsequently learned were called Utility Surface Seals. For several years, I became fascinated by these mundane, usually overlooked objects, both because of their often intricate, mandala-like designs -- which appeared to serve no purpose other than to be decorative -- and because of the story that time and wear implied. Who had walked or driven on these humble pieces of metal? What were the stories of their lives? What changes had taken place since these objects had been inserted into the pavement? I shot and processed several hundred Utility Surface Seal images, of which these are a small sample.

Though the obsession has subsided, I still take photographs of Utility Surface Seals from time to time and plan to create additional collages. I continue to see them as living records of the past and markers for our future selves.

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Please contact me if you are interested in licensing any of these images or in special orders. Prints can be purchased directly from this website.