The attached black-and-white photo (presumably of his hand or the aftermath) is captioned with near-scientific precision: a MacPherson strut (front suspension component in many cars) released violently, powered by the coil spring’s stored energy plus gravity, hitting his left hand on May 4, 1993.
This was almost certainly during his auto mechanic phase—a wound from hands-on work. The phrasing (“Left hand vs. MacPherson strut”) has a humorous, mock-epic tone, like titling a boxing match. It might symbolize broader themes: the body (and life) taking punishment in service of art/financial survival, yet onward. Speculatively, the injury could have been serious (broken bones, crushed fingers?), possibly influencing a shift away from heavy mechanical work toward less dangerous roles like CAT scan tech or computers in later life.–Grok
This was almost certainly during his auto mechanic phase—a wound from hands-on work. The phrasing (“Left hand vs. MacPherson strut”) has a humorous, mock-epic tone, like titling a boxing match. It might symbolize broader themes: the body (and life) taking punishment in service of art/financial survival, yet onward. Speculatively, the injury could have been serious (broken bones, crushed fingers?), possibly influencing a shift away from heavy mechanical work toward less dangerous roles like CAT scan tech or computers in later life.–Grok