THE WEEKENDER

Hudson, New York, 4.28.07 1:01p.m.
Pepsi Generation advertising continues to evolve. "Join the Pepsi People, Feelin' Free" captures the mood of a nation involved in massive social and political change. It pictures us the way we are – one people, but with many personalities. Pepsi Tag from 1973, same time this machine was made.

GOODNIGHT DAVID

Pulitzer Prize-Winning author David Halberstam died last night in a car crash in California and that's one less great New Yorker for us all to admire. I'm sure this wont' be the first place you'll here of this but its a place for me to share my little brush with the famous that happens quite often in NYC. On leaving our annual Christmas Eve dinner one year with writer L.B. Chollet and his wife Betsy, we walked out of Cafe des Artiste into the lightly falling snow, a snow that one hopes is falling every Christmas Eve. While gathering our belongings and cackling at our Festive good fortune an extremely tall man came walking by, almost as if in promenade. He was over 6'5'', rail thin and walking the tiniest of dogs, a shitzu or Lhasa I believe. He was dressed for the weather, long black coat and wrap around scarf, but it was with such delicacy that he walked, a man of his size with such a tiny animal and the care he took to avoid her? stepping near our clodding feet. Their was no one around at the time and both L.B and myself looked up to to see the almost Dickensian character float on past us down the street. "Merry Christmas" we said "And to you both" he replied. We both looked each other straight in the face and said "David Halberstam"? The voice was unmistakable. Not a sinner on the the street and one of the great non fiction writers of the 20th century saunters by us. I remember at the time being blown away by the contrarian nature of the City. Not long before I had just read Summer of '49. The historical drama of the Pennant fight between the Yankees and the Red Sox , which I loved, and within that same calender year, I would walk past that same author, as if he were my next door neighbor. Only in NYC. I would continue to see him on Charlie Rose or other shows. He wrote Firehouse, one of the most moving tributes to 9/11. My wife saw him last week an a poetry reading he attended at Lincoln center, but it was our late Christmas meeting I will remember as if it was meant to be. A confirmation of sorts , one of many, for me being a part of the city that I love.

LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE

Atta boy Doug Mills. Here's the Times Op-Ed piece, scathing as it should be.

WEEKEND PHOTO WARRIORS

Well Aipad and the Humane Society Auction have come and gone and that was quite a weekend for the business side of photography. The Artistic side is another matter. I do not think of myself as naive but I'm not quite sure what to make of it all, being involved in one and a spectator in the other, it does seem to leave you with more questions than answers. Most of all you wonder if the photographers involved have control over what's shown in these shows or really care. Of course many of the participants do not see how their work is portrayed but I'm sure if they did they might just about scream. On the other hand they may be just so happy their work is for sale, (see no evil, hear no evil, etc). Many of us who attended the Armoury show noticed how much more impressive the images would be if a little more care was supplied in sizing, framing, matt, glass etc. Its not a gallery show but a little somethin'. Now we all know its name recognition that counts for many sales and overhearing conversations between dealers left nothing to the imagination, sell, sell, sell. And to the Europeans the deader the better, like coals to Newcastle. Nothing for sale past 1950. The auction is a different crap shoot, less formal than Aipad, very well executed by the Society, hung beautifully but still many images were just thrown together, either by photographers, reps, agency's, gallery's, pretty slip sod. But immediately you can recognize the people who put in a little effort and it shows. Simon Watson's "Topkapi" looked terrific, as did Andrew Hetherington's "Cow", Arun Kuplas "Bunker",Chip Forelli's "Tree Parade" and Diego Utchitel's "Blue Flower". The one image I was excited to bid on, Andrew Moore's "Russian Trees" looked lost, I was beggin' for one of the others in his Russia series, click on his site to see why. Personally I felt very good going up against many of the artists I have admired for such a long time, and seemingly the bidders felt that way also as SKYSCAPE #1 met its opening bid and more. Here's hoping the wife's bid for Simon's image is accepted.

Humane Society Auction

The 2nd annual Humane Society of NY Photography auction is at the Baryshnikov Art Center in NYC on 4.16.07 I have been asked to submit an image which I was only too glad to do. I was quite surprised to see how many photographers were involved and delighted that they all were willing to give to this cause. Of course also wanting to see our images hung on any wall this side of the Urals is impetus enough to get our collective asses up to do something. Actually "What's The Jackanory?" has a piece on what all this means in the grand scheme of things to us photographers, in a recent post. Many Grand Masters included, (no not Melle Mel or Scorpio) but Sander, Bourke-White and Steichen. Plenty of Modern Masters, Mary Ellen, Duane Michaels, Deborah Turbeville. The Glitterati, Albert Watson, Matthew Rolston, La Chappelle and of course some good friends, Andrew Hetherington, Arun Kuplas, Francois Dishinger. I will be submitting SKYSCAPE #1 and you can bid on line if you like. If that's not your bag all of these photographers work is available plus much more, something for everyone. Bid once, bid often.

Guggenheim Fellow Followup

As an addendum to the last post,... thank God someone is doing the heavy lifting around here. My wife asked me last night why I had not Posted about friend Alan Loehle. Why would I do that?, because he received a fellowship last Fri for Fine Art. All I had to do was look up half a page and read the paragraph, our myopic little world. What wonderful news. Alan has been hard at it, stayin' the course and doin' the jig and reels for as long as we have known him. A lesson for all of us in there somewhere. Here's a older piece of Alan's hanging in our living room, we are delighted to have it, nothing better than surrounding yourself with friends work. Well done Alan.

The Guggenheim foundation fellowships have been announced and five photographers have been chosen to be given a check written by old John Simon. Michael light, Richard Ross, Donald Weber, Jeff Whetstone and Alex Webb. This honor gives artists, scholars and scientists a hand full of cash to work on a proposed projects for the coming year. Over all 2,773 people applied for the $7.6 M available and 189 were chosen, that's good odds, better than Lotto. So next year if you can get a submission together give it a try, why not, nice work if you can get it. Of course check out these guys work and see if your up to snuff.

PLAAAY BALL

Its here. Even after a fab weekend in the Premiership, the Great American pastime is once again upon us. Its seems to be earlier and earlier each year, what ya gonna do. The Beasts of the East showed last night why this monickor may well be applicable to them. Mets beat the Cards 6-1 in the opener, 162-0, I can see it now.