Being Bukowski III (2026) Photograph by Steven Irwin

Being Bukowski III is a contemporary digital photomontage that combines vintage maps, street photography, typography and distressed textures to create a layered portrait of Los Angeles. Drawing on the visual language of urban archaeology, the work blends fragments of place, memory and history into a single composition, where the city's physical landscape becomes inseparable from its cultural mythology.

Inspired by the writings of Charles Bukowski and the contradictions of Los Angeles itself, the piece explores the tension between glamour and decay, aspiration and reality. Palm-lined streets, historic maps and weathered surfaces evoke a city shaped by reinvention, migration and endless self-invention. Through the process of layering and erosion, Being Bukowski III becomes both a celebration of Los Angeles and a meditation on the stories, memories and forgotten narratives embedded within the urban landscape.

Details:

• Photograph on Paper
• From a limited edition of 25
• Size: 101.6 x 60.96 x 0.25cm (unframed) / 91.44 x 50.8cm (actual image size)
• Signed and numbered certificate of authenticity
• Style: Abstract
• Subject: Architecture and cityscapes