Bruce Jackson Being There, Diane and the Graffiti

Throughout the run of Being There: Bruce Jackson Photographs 1962-2010, the artist is sharing some of the stories behind his photographs.Being There is on view until June 16, 2013. The catalog accompanying the exhibition is available at The Museum Store at the Burchfield Penney.

This is one of the first photos I took of Diane. It was in 1972 in some kind of underpass along Tonowanda Creek. As I recall, she didn't like the picture at the time, then later decided she liked it a lot. That often happens when people get some distance. I've always liked it. I like Diane's sexy playfulness, making herself part of that absurd wall. I like the crude female graffito next to the very real Diane. And I love the list of "dirty words" that includes as second last the word "womb." What kind of graffiti-crazed moron thinks "groin" and "womb" are dirty words? How long did he brood about the contents of his list? What happened to that yellow ribbed sweater, which was long one of my favorites?

-Bruce Jackson