Looking at the Art and Beauty of Rusted Relics - Patina
Friday, April 20th, 2007
I've spent most of my career threatening to fire any would-be wordsmith who led an article with the hackneyed "according to Webster's" routine, yet here's a story with a title and subject that demand definition. Technically, patina is a chemical coating that rises to the surface of weathered metal, such as the green of old copper. The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology suggests that the word may have origins with the Latin patina, meaning pan, perhaps as a reference to the encrustation found on ancient dishes. The same source claims that the word was first used to convey a "sense of refinement and cultural sophistication" in 1933, when patina became more generic, describing the cosmetic evidence of handling and weathering on virtually any artifact.
Today, you hear a lot about patina and old cars. But do you understand it, or do you get it? Those in the latter category know that patina lends proof of life. It tells a saturated story of age, of history absolutely unrevised. Its unique character of textures can't be bought for any price or fabricated with even a pretense of dignity. In the world of antiques, patina often adds value, but the mainstream car hobby remains laser-focused on its elimination, destroying it with restoration, chroming away all evidence of road weariness, and smoothing away character into mere memories. While there's always been an underground of fans, today's retro craze has brought patina from out of the barns and has found a new and ever-increasing audience for faded race-car lettering and baked, peeling speed stickers untouched for 40 years. All of a sudden, there's appreciation of age in its unwashed form, though there remains an occasional disconnect in the understanding of fine patina versus just plain junk.
I've been into patina for a long time. An unmolested original car always brings me contentment that billet and polish can't top, and as I've driven assorted beaters on road trips over the years, I've collected images of artistic and appealing automotive decay. I'd always shot them just for my own personal interest, but it seems the time is right for an exhibition. Do you dig?
Photo Gallery: Looking at the Art and Beauty of Rusted Relics - Hot Rod Magazine
