Tom Clark. Car Wash. San Francisco: Features, 1970.
First edition. Oblong quarto (approx. 26 pp). Stapled wraps. Very Good condition.
A conceptual sequence of before-and-after black-and-white photographs documenting a car moving through an automated wash. Nearly wordless except for minimal captions (“Car Top Before” / “Car Top After”), this early graphic work by poet and biographer Tom Clark (1941–2018) exemplifies the late Mimeo Revolution’s minimalist, unembellished style. The ghost-like presence of an anonymous driver underscores the work’s focus on American banality — transforming the mundane ritual of car maintenance into a quiet study of perception.
Car Wash invites viewers to reconsider the overlooked visual poetry of everyday life — a characteristically understated yet potent work from a prolific and underappreciated figure.
This copy comes from the archive of Beat scholar James Perrizo (1944–2006) and includes related ephemera he preserved with the book: a circa-1987 Clark résumé, a Coffee House Press press release, and two period reviews of Clark’s poetry. Together, they offer valuable context for Clark’s career and collecting history.
Staple-bound booklet with loose sheets of ephemera. Light handling wear only.
A scarce and intriguing Clark publication — especially desirable with the accompanying materials..
Tom Clark. Car Wash. San Francisco: Features, 1970.
First edition. Oblong quarto (approx. 26 pp). Stapled wraps. Very Good condition.
A conceptual sequence of before-and-after black-and-white photographs documenting a car moving through an automated wash. Nearly wordless except for minimal captions (“Car Top Before” / “Car Top After”), this early graphic work by poet and biographer Tom Clark (1941–2018) exemplifies the late Mimeo Revolution’s minimalist, unembellished style. The ghost-like presence of an anonymous driver underscores the work’s focus on American banality — transforming the mundane ritual of car maintenance into a quiet study of perception.
Car Wash invites viewers to reconsider the overlooked visual poetry of everyday life — a characteristically understated yet potent work from a prolific and underappreciated figure.
This copy comes from the archive of Beat scholar James Perrizo (1944–2006) and includes related ephemera he preserved with the book: a circa-1987 Clark résumé, a Coffee House Press press release, and two period reviews of Clark’s poetry. Together, they offer valuable context for Clark’s career and collecting history.
Staple-bound booklet with loose sheets of ephemera. Light handling wear only.
A scarce and intriguing Clark publication — especially desirable with the accompanying materials..
