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I bought the lawn in six-foot rolls. It's easy to handle. I prepare the ground and my wife and son helped roll out the grass. In one day you have a front yard.
I bought the lawn in six-foot rolls. It's easy to handle. I prepare the ground and my wife and son helped roll out the grass. In one day you have a front yard.

I bought the lawn in six-foot rolls. It's easy to handle. I prepare the ground and my wife and son helped roll out the grass. In one day you have a front yard.

Portfolio TitleSuburbia
Artist Bill Owens (American, born 1938)
Dateca. 1972; printed 1998
MediumGelatin silver print
DimensionsImage: 7 5/16 × 9 7/16 inches (18.57 × 23.97 cm)
Sheet: 8 × 9 15/16 inches (20.32 × 25.24 cm)
Credit LineGift of Robert Koch in honor of the 75th anniversary of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Object number2007.54.6
SignedSignature on sheet verso, lower right corner, in pencil; Black stamp on sheet verso, lower right corner: "© BILL OWENS / PUBLISHERS COPY / PRINTED 1998"
Inscribednone
Markingsnone
Edition/State/Proofed. 1/5
On View
Not on view
Collections
DescriptionImage of two adults laying sod on a suburban lawn as a young boy looks on.Exhibition History

Magnificent Gifts for the 75th. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, February 13 - April 4, 2010, no cat.

Rotation 16. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, January 2014 – August, 2014, no cat.

Copyright© Bill Owens
Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information, is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete. Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image, please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.


Last year I got 4 pounds of candy. 72 jelly beans, 67 Candy Corns, 26 Tootsie Rolls, 18 Tootsie Pops, 21 licorice sticks, 15 jaw breakers, 14 bubble gums, 11 packs of gum, 10 Baby Ruth bars, 11 Hershey bars, 4 Peter Paul Mounds bars, 3 Sugar Daddies...
Last year I got 4 pounds of candy. 72 jelly beans, 67 Candy Corns, 26 Tootsie Rolls, 18 Tootsie Pops, 21 licorice sticks, 15 jaw breakers, 14 bubble gums, 11 packs of gum, 10 Baby Ruth bars, 11 Hershey bars, 4 Peter Paul Mounds bars, 3 Sugar Daddies...
Bill Owens
ca. 1972; printed 1998
2007.54.105
FULTON. MO. MAY. 7.TH 1973. YES, 80" YEARS OF HARD" HARD; LABOUR. IS' A-HECK OF A LONG" LONG TIME; YES, SAWING WOOD, TO KEEP THE PEOPLE WARM YES, MANY' FAMILIES: HAVE SAT BY: A RED HOT STOVE' AFTER A SAWED THEIR WOOD. I HAVE SHEARED MANY SHEEP, AND' GOATS I HAVE NAILED SHOES ON A NUMBER: OF HORSE'S. I HAVE PL-OWED' AND ORDERED, MANY GARDENS: FOR ONE THIRD THE PRICE YOU HAVE TO PAY" JUST TO' GET ONE" ONE: tHIRD BRO-KE." i PLOWED WITH A SIX HORSE: TEAM." IN: LITTLE SHASTA. CAL-IN YEAR. 1905. I HAVE STACKED MANY. STACKS' OF: HAY" I HAVE HAULED MANY LOGS TO BE'SAWED INTO LUMBER; I HAVE WORKED' IN SOME OF THE LARGEST SAW MILL'S, IN THE U.S.A. I RUN STREET CARS IN. PINE BLUFF ARK. I DROVE SKILES' IN THE WABAS' RR. IN 1904. QUOTE. IN: THE SWEAT OF THEY FACE SHALT THOU: EAT BREAD; GEN.3:19. JESSE HOWARD.
FULTON. MO. MAY. 7.TH 1973. YES, 80" YEARS OF HARD" HARD; LABOUR. IS' A-HECK OF A LONG" LONG TIME; YES, SAWING WOOD, TO KEEP THE PEOPLE WARM YES, MANY' FAMILIES: HAVE SAT BY: A RED HOT STOVE' AFTER A SAWED THEIR WOOD. I HAVE SHEARED MANY SHEEP, AND' GOATS I HAVE NAILED SHOES ON A NUMBER: OF HORSE'S. I HAVE PL-OWED' AND ORDERED, MANY GARDENS: FOR ONE THIRD THE PRICE YOU HAVE TO PAY" JUST TO' GET ONE" ONE: tHIRD BRO-KE." i PLOWED WITH A SIX HORSE: TEAM." IN: LITTLE SHASTA. CAL-IN YEAR. 1905. I HAVE STACKED MANY. STACKS' OF: HAY" I HAVE HAULED MANY LOGS TO BE'SAWED INTO LUMBER; I HAVE WORKED' IN SOME OF THE LARGEST SAW MILL'S, IN THE U.S.A. I RUN STREET CARS IN. PINE BLUFF ARK. I DROVE SKILES' IN THE WABAS' RR. IN 1904. QUOTE. IN: THE SWEAT OF THEY FACE SHALT THOU: EAT BREAD; GEN.3:19. JESSE HOWARD.
Jesse Howard
1973
2017.17.5
I put my hair up once or twice a week. It's the only way I can get curls in it. When it's combed out, I'm willing to be seen in public.
I put my hair up once or twice a week. It's the only way I can get curls in it. When it's combed out, I'm willing to be seen in public.
Bill Owens
ca. 1972; printed 1998
2007.54.76
sheet recto overall
Rolls Royce Lady
Audrey Flack
1981; printed 1984
2022.13.6
My dad thinks it's a good idea to take all the leaves off the tree and rake up the yard. I think he's crazy.
My dad thinks it's a good idea to take all the leaves off the tree and rake up the yard. I think he's crazy.
Bill Owens
ca. 1972; printed 1998
2007.54.73
FULTON. MO. MARCH.19.1973. THE COURT HOUSE' GANG." YES, THE COURT HOUSE GANG." YOU HAVE PROVED TO MY SATISFACTION." THAT YOU DON'T CARE ADAM'N" FOR' OLD MAN. HOWARD; ONLY. MY TAX $DOLLARS. YOU HAVE RAISED MY TAXES EVERY YEAR." FOR 28. LONG YEARS." YES, YOU ARE NOT SATI-SFIED" TO RAISE MY TAXES, BUT, SOME ONE OF THE GANG TOOK MY OLD AGE PENSION AWAY; MORE YET, YOU ARE: TAKING MONEY UNDER FALSE PRETENSE; I WAS FORCED TO JOIN THE CARPTNERS UNION; I WAS FIRED BECAUSE, I WOULD NOT; HOOT, TOOT, SHOOT DICE; WITH THE GANG.
FULTON. MO. MARCH.19.1973. THE COURT HOUSE' GANG." YES, THE COURT HOUSE GANG." YOU HAVE PROVED TO MY SATISFACTION." THAT YOU DON'T CARE ADAM'N" FOR' OLD MAN. HOWARD; ONLY. MY TAX $DOLLARS. YOU HAVE RAISED MY TAXES EVERY YEAR." FOR 28. LONG YEARS." YES, YOU ARE NOT SATI-SFIED" TO RAISE MY TAXES, BUT, SOME ONE OF THE GANG TOOK MY OLD AGE PENSION AWAY; MORE YET, YOU ARE: TAKING MONEY UNDER FALSE PRETENSE; I WAS FORCED TO JOIN THE CARPTNERS UNION; I WAS FIRED BECAUSE, I WOULD NOT; HOOT, TOOT, SHOOT DICE; WITH THE GANG.
Jesse Howard
1973
2017.17.1
Documentation of Roll
Documentation of Roll
Dan Graham
1970
2015.67.28
FULTON. MO. FEBRUARY. FIRST. 1974 FREE THOUGHT; FREE SPEECH; YES" IN THIS DAY, AND AGE" WITH ALL OF OUR CHURCHES; SCHOOLS; AND COLLEDGES." YES, THE MOST SHOKING TRUTH" OF MY WHOLE LIFE IS, THE GREAT MULTITUDE' OF PEOPLE; THAT DONT KNOW A HOLY BIBLE' FROM A' FUNNY PAPER, OR AN ALMANAC; I HAVE TALKED TO A GREAT MANY PEOP-LE. AND JUST AS SOON AS I MENTION THE BIBLE THEY GET GOING; I SAY; SHAME ON YOU, YES, GO HANG YOUR HEAD'IN SHAME". IF YOU CANNOT" FIND'A ROPE; THEN HANG YOUR HEAD IN THE FORK=OF A TREE; MY BIBLE SAYS, QUOTE. AND IF A'KINGDOM BE' DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF; THAT KINGDOM CANNOT STAND. AND IF A HOUSE BE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF THAT HOUSE CANNOT = STAND. AND IF SATAN RISE UP AGAINST HIMSELF, AND BE DIVIDED; HE: CANNOT STAND, BUT HATH AN END.ST= MARK.3=24=25=26. READ ON, AND ON. FREE THOUGHT, FREE SPEECH. YES, THE KINGDOM OF CALLAWAY
FULTON. MO. FEBRUARY. FIRST. 1974 FREE THOUGHT; FREE SPEECH; YES" IN THIS DAY, AND AGE" WITH ALL OF OUR CHURCHES; SCHOOLS; AND COLLEDGES." YES, THE MOST SHOKING TRUTH" OF MY WHOLE LIFE IS, THE GREAT MULTITUDE' OF PEOPLE; THAT DONT KNOW A HOLY BIBLE' FROM A' FUNNY PAPER, OR AN ALMANAC; I HAVE TALKED TO A GREAT MANY PEOP-LE. AND JUST AS SOON AS I MENTION THE BIBLE THEY GET GOING; I SAY; SHAME ON YOU, YES, GO HANG YOUR HEAD'IN SHAME". IF YOU CANNOT" FIND'A ROPE; THEN HANG YOUR HEAD IN THE FORK=OF A TREE; MY BIBLE SAYS, QUOTE. AND IF A'KINGDOM BE' DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF; THAT KINGDOM CANNOT STAND. AND IF A HOUSE BE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF THAT HOUSE CANNOT = STAND. AND IF SATAN RISE UP AGAINST HIMSELF, AND BE DIVIDED; HE: CANNOT STAND, BUT HATH AN END.ST= MARK.3=24=25=26. READ ON, AND ON. FREE THOUGHT, FREE SPEECH. YES, THE KINGDOM OF CALLAWAY
Jesse Howard
1974
2017.17.4
I don't like the space walk. It's Saturday morning and I want to see cartoons.
I don't like the space walk. It's Saturday morning and I want to see cartoons.
Bill Owens
ca. 1972; printed 1998
2007.54.42
We've been collecting rocks since 1958. It's enjoyable to get out into the open and hunt for rocks, and it's really fun to cut open a rock and find a gem inside.
We've been collecting rocks since 1958. It's enjoyable to get out into the open and hunt for rocks, and it's really fun to cut open a rock and find a gem inside.
Bill Owens
ca. 1972; printed 1998
2007.54.85
The California garage today, out of necessity, requires that you move the cars out and the tools in. To a point I enjoy working in the garage, but I'd rather be doing something else.
The California garage today, out of necessity, requires that you move the cars out and the tools in. To a point I enjoy working in the garage, but I'd rather be doing something else.
Bill Owens
ca. 1972; printed 1998
2007.54.18
"I don't like you make the picture because we have shame for these house," squatter's camp, Imperial Valley
"I don't like you make the picture because we have shame for these house," squatter's camp, Imperial Valley
Dorothea Lange
April 1935
2005.27.4319