Skip to main content

Petit’s Mobil Station, Cherry Hill, New Jersey

George A. Tice

Artwork Details

Petit’s Mobil Station, Cherry Hill, New Jersey
1974
George A. Tice
gelatin silver print on paper
9 1/2 in x 7 1/2 in (24.13 cm x 19.05 cm);18 1/8 in x 22 1/8 in (46.04 cm x 56.2 cm);14 in x 17 in (35.56 cm x 43.18 cm)
Museum Purchase
1976/2.13

Description

Subject Matter:

This photograph depicts a Mobil gas station in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, at night. The glow of light coming from the station and the gas pump stand out starkly against the rest of the dark scene, with the enormous form of a water tower emerging eerily in the background—Tice indicated that the water tower reminded him of the position of Lincoln Cathedral in Frederick Evans' 1898 photograph "Lincoln Cathedral: From the Castle". To make this photograph, Tice exposed the film for nearly ten minutes, closing the lens cap every time a car drove by to block the light. The result is a surreal and unworldly image that presents a ubiquitous suburban scene in an entirely new light. 

Physical Description:

Photograph of a gas station with a water tower in the background.

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.