Jeans, Black and White, Poster, Fred with Tires, Herb Ritts, Sepia, Tires
DAVID 494
"Fred with Tires". That is the official title of the image I saw as a youth. It was a poster, and the photographer was Herb Ritts. I loved the way it focused unashamedly on the muscular young hunk as he stood there, all grimy and sweaty, holding two tires. The setting and the lighting lent themselves well to the black and white format. The trouble is, I was way too young at the time to waltz up to the counter and buy that poster and hang it on my bedroom wall. But the image stuck with me.
Years later, I remembered the poster, and decided that it was time to have it. I headed to the local mall to look in the poster shops but it was nowhere to be found. I drove to another nearby mall and searched through every store that sold posters, but to no avail. I had to have it though. That should have given me a hint of what my life was going to be like later, searching through countless muscle magazines and Chippendale calendars because I just had to own the picture of the beautiful man I saw. Perhaps "Fred with Tires" was the very beginning of my obsession.
I couldn't remember where else I'd seen it except for Pier 39 in San Francisco. So what was meant to be a quick run to the mall turned into a subway trip and then a bus trip to Fisherman's wharf. I searched every poster shop and souvenir shop in Fisherman's Wharf (and there are a lot!) and then the Financial District. After dining at Fisherman's Wharf, I headed to the Castro district, but still no "Fred with Tires". Finally, I gave up.
So thank goodness for the internet, huh? I can now access, not only multiple copies of Herb Ritts' famous poster, but even other versions of the same pose and setting done by other hunky guys. It is an inspiring image.
[Webmaster's note: See: https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/herb-ritts-1952-2002-fred-with-tires-5165021-details.aspx]
2011