Pelicula 64

"FABRICATED"

2012-01-30T11:31:00.004-05:00

I am very excited to be a part of a new exhibition "Fabricated", curated by Melissa Stafford. Formerly of Carrie Haddad Gallery and now her very own Stafford Contemporary, Melissa has assembled a terrific array of photographers, for this really though provoking show. If you are looking for a day out in the country and want to view some truly original photography come on up Saturday Feb 11th, to the Tremaine Gallery, on the stunning grounds the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, CT. This is going to be a good one!!

Click Stafford Contemporary for preview of exhibition

SHERRY-NETHERLAND HOTEL, NYC, SELECTED RECENT WORK, 2011

2012-01-25T08:33:00.001-05:00

PIERRE HOTEL, NEW YORK CITY, 11.09.11, 4:36 P.M.

2011-12-08T12:00:00.004-05:00

LOWER MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, 9.07.11, 2:37 P.M.,

2011-11-29T11:03:00.000-05:00

ARCHITECTURAL LEADERS TODAY

2011-11-21T09:31:00.014-05:00

Images © Ber Murphy 2011

HALLOWEEN SNOWSTORM, CANAAN, N.Y., 10.30.11, 9:47 A.M.

2011-11-07T08:08:00.002-05:00

RESIDENCE, SAG HARBOR, N.Y., 7.28.11., 9:07 A.M.

2011-10-19T07:54:00.002-05:00

NEW YORK, NEW WORK

2011-10-19T07:52:00.000-05:00

It was a nice surprise to be walking through West 4th street subway this week and find the (AIANY) American Institute of Architecture New York, have their "New York New Work" competition postered down the lenght of both walkways. A fantastic array of New York architects with newly commissioned work from around the world. Searching the wall, I found some old friends, FX Fowle, with their amazing new "Museum of the Built Environment" in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Some new friends Bade Stageberg Cox, with their fab "Grafted House". A personal fav, the crazy 245 Tenth Ave, just off the Highline, and right there next to that, Narofsky Architecture's awesome "Sag Harbor Residence", designed by Stuart Narofsky and shot by yours truly. See following post for the selects from that shoot. If your in the neighborhood, take an extra couple on minutes and enjoy some of New York's most creative minds at work.

OLDCASTLE QUARRY, LEE, M.A., 5.20.11., 11:19 A.M.

2011-09-30T09:43:00.000-05:00

METRO TERMINALS, NEWTOWN CREEK, BROOKLYN, N.Y., 5.17.11., 6:47 A.M.

2011-09-22T09:39:00.001-05:00

SKYSCAPES SERIES, LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., 9.23.05., 6:58 P.M.

2011-09-15T10:08:00.001-05:00

This photograph is the reason why photographers need outside opinions on their work. I found this in the Skyscapes "REJECT" box. Really!! I may need some help.

GOOD NIGHT IRENE

2011-08-29T22:06:00.000-05:00

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., 8.28.11. 6:45 P.M

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., 8.28.11., 7:36 P.M

Hurricane Irene could not have left the NYC metropolitan area in a more beautiful fashion. Thank you for not hammerin' us and thank you for
this!!!

Images © Ber Murphy 2011

RESIDENCE, GREAT NECK, N.Y., 06.01.11., 7:13 A.M.

2011-08-25T12:04:00.000-05:00

IMAGES: © Ber Murphy 2011

ARCHITECTURE: Narofsky Architecture
INTERIORS: Ways2design

RED BULL ARENA, HARRISON, N.J., 7.22.10, 8:17p.m.

2011-07-25T15:17:00.080-05:00

Image © Ber Murphy 2011

Major League Soccer's All Star Wednesday is upon us and this year it is being hosted by the local boys, New York Red Bulls, in their brand new footb.... soccer only arena, designed by Rossetti Architects. If it wasn't for the fact that it is being played in Harrison N.J., a stones throw from us here in the city, I don't think too many people around here would be so interested in new Summer Classic?, but the 25,000 seats are sold and I'm sure the hometown fans will be cheering on their heroes. Differencing itself from the usual All Star games, this one suits up MLS's best, not against each other but against a visiting eleven. Usually a European or South American powerhouse, this years team is.....ohhhh I get it now, tkts are gone, Becks is in town playing his childhood team,.... second best team in Europe as of May 28th,...... is.....Manchester United. Best of luck with that lads!! Anyway, last year we made it out for one of the opening games and left nicely impressed with this new addition to the New York City's rich stadium history. The two and a half hours to get out of the parking lot, not so much impressed.

ASTORIA TURBINES, QUEENS, N.Y., 1.22.11, 9:43 A.M.

2011-07-19T09:04:00.003-05:00

Image © Ber Murphy 2011

VERNON BLVD POWER PROJECT, LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., 5.19.11 11.13 A.M.

2011-06-29T10:09:00.001-05:00

Image © Ber Murphy 2011

2011-05-25T06:22:00.000-05:00

1 WORLD TRADE CENTER, N.Y., 10.28.10, 11:27 P.M.

2011-05-13T11:52:00.016-05:00

With all of the chatter surrounding the the worlds # 1 terrorist last week, I thought people might find it interesting to see what is happening on a day to day basis at the the World Trade Center. These photographs were taken at eleven o Clock in the evening and the amount of activity in the hole was astounding. From my elevated view, it looked like Fritz Lang's Metropolis, movement on every level and yet all blurred into one working unit. On ground level its hard to see whats going on behind the fence, but after almost nine years of insufferable politics, this thing is "movin on up"

PEPSI COLA SIGN, LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., 3.12.11, 5:52 P.M.

2011-03-29T08:11:00.001-05:00

Not to bore everyone with my personal and the chronological history of the Pepsi Cola sign again, you can read all about it in the previous post here, but suffice it to say, my original shot from the last year needed some extra oopmh. Many people have such an affinity for the sign that I was asked on numerous occasions for prints. Problem. It was shot with my newly bought iphone and not my trusty 8x10. Not everyone was pleased with the offer of a 1.6mb file print. Option?, lets do it again for real. I trotted off to re-shoot only to find many factors working against me. No lights on the sign at Dusk, no lights on after midnight, no lights on at 5:30 A.M. So after checking the meta data on the phone from the original shot, for all the elements to come together, I realized would have to retrace my footsteps to a tee. Not my forte. But in serious photographer fashion, I waited another three months and sixteen days to return at the exact time and date as the original, one year later. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Image © Ber Murphy 2011

MASTRO'S OCEAN CLUB, LAS VEGAS, NV., 2.25.11, 4:08 P.M.

2011-03-07T11:33:00.050-05:00

Mastro’s Ocean Club, has a new location in the 500,000-square-foot "Crystals" development at CityCenter, Las Vegas, Nevada. Amidst a collection of luxury retailers, the Restaurant, recognized for its award-winning collection of sophisticated classic steakhouses and seafood locations, opened its newest location on the Strip, February 5 2010. The soaring centerpiece of the bi-level venue is an 80-foot sculptural tree house made of hand-crafted mahogany beams and sapele wood, designed by architect David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group. Restaurant design by KAA Design.

Image © Ber Murphy 2011

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, 1.25.11 4:57 P.M.

2011-02-25T08:47:00.001-05:00

Image ©Ber Murphy 2011

THE SHERRY

2011-02-06T16:14:00.016-05:00

To be considered an Historic Hotel and in the National Trust for Historic Preservation one has to fit a certain criteria
1) Dead Old
2) Still Standing
3) Still doing business
4) Revered
My newest commisioned job is for The Sherry-Netherland Hotel in New York City. It is a thirty eight story, Neo-Romanesque landmark. Sitting on Fifth Ave and 59th street, it faces West and guards the East side entrance to Central Park. It meets all the above historic standards and then some. It was Built in 1927 by Schulze & Weaver and Buchman & Kahn, for Louis Sherry the ice cream magnate, and at the time was the tallest apt hotel in the world. It featured, and still does, travertine marble facing on the base and an soaring elaborate Gothic-inspired minaret, a widow's walk atop an asymmetrical roof reminiscent of a French chateaux, all in green aged copper. Unique touches include the whimsical griffins with hanging lanterns that guard the exterior. Along with the Bergdorf Goodman building and the Plaza Hotel, "the Sherry" created a triangle of opulence on Grand Army Plaza.
I was approached by TGI Global along with The Sherry Chief Operating Officer Michael Ullman and Rooms Division Manager Kristina Kinet, to create a new set of images for the hotel. Mr Ullman felt from our first meeting that the tone of the series should be set with one of the hotels favorite artifacts, The Sherry Clock. By using the antique time piece in a modern setting, he wanted to reinforce the idea that even though the hotel is historic, lives on land marked streets and offers intimacy and grace from another era, it is still an integral part of today's hotel culture. He wanted the clock to be seen as both a wonderful iconic piece but also as a beacon for the Sherry guests, in the maelstrom of midtown activity. I felt the clock itself needed little help from me as the hero. My choice was to shoot it at dusk, so as to capture the surrounding activity at rush hour, while leaving the face lit, standing tall among the surrounding furor. Just like The Sherry itself. We all feel we achieved the desired goal on this one. The hotel has so many features that the shoot is still on going, ending with a climb, yes Climb, with the hotel engineer, to the Minaret, for the uninterrupted 360 degree view of Manhattan. Oh Yeah.
Image ©Ber Murphy 2011

WOOLWORTH BUILDING, NYC, 10.28.10, 8:49 p.m.

2010-12-17T00:03:00.032-05:00

The Woolworth Building was commissioned in 1910 by Frank Woolworth, designed by Cass Gilbert and opened in 1913. It is 57 stories high and became a National Historic Landmark in 1966. It was the tallest building in the world until 1930 and is still among the 50 tallest buildings in United States. I took this photograph on Oct 28 2010

Image ©Ber Murphy 2010

COOPERSTOWN 2010

2010-10-22T10:16:00.024-05:00

End Result

2010-10-14T13:31:00.000-05:00

Up & At 'Em Early

2010-10-13T08:14:00.010-05:00

First Break of dawn was 6:46am:

Yes that is a bus coming Straight at me, with two feet to spare:

Toyo Studio 8x10 with wide angel bellows
Schneider 160 Super Angulon and 300MM lens
Provia 100 Chrome

Posted

2010-07-13T10:19:00.006-05:00

Only in a newspaper like The New York Post, with the most dubious of credentials to begin, would one get the back handed compliment of almost glowing exhibition reviews but not actually crediting the creative. Apparently Matthew Brady himself rose from his post Civil War grave and coerced David Byrne into a portrait session. What do you expect!!

Visions of Mount Lebanon

2010-07-06T09:40:00.009-05:00

In celebration of the Shaker Museum and Library's 60th Anniversary, the museum has brought together photographers from all genres to document their historical landmark, Mount Lebanon Shaker Village. For 160 years, from 1787 to 1947, the Shakers at Mount Lebanon led the largest and most successful utopian communal society in America. With over 6,000 acres and 100 buildings, Mount Lebanon Shaker Village was a driving force in the agricultural, industrial, commercial, and institutional activities of its day. The Site was named a National Historic Landmark in 1965, and was recognized by the World Monuments Fund in both 2004 and 2006 as one of the 100 most significant endangered historic sites in the world. Invited to photograph the Village, the photographers were given free reign to shoot anything within the Mt Lebanon parameters and use their own vision to create a tableau of this majestic landscape. The exhibition is installed by noted museum designer Jeff Daly, with the participation of guest juror Jeff L. Rosenheim, curator of photographs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Also on view are historic photographs of the site from the Museum's collection, as well as from the National Park Service's just-completed Historic American Landscapes Survey. Among the photographers participating are Uli Rose, Michel Arnaud, Paul Lange, Mimi Forer, Jane Feldman and myself. My contribution is below "Facing West 6:45 pm". The show is up now but the benefit event is this coming Sat July 20th at 5:00-8:00pm, so if you feel like giving to a terrific historical cause please come to the Mount.

Exhibition portfolio catalogs are available. Please contact Geoff Miller for more information.

"ITS ON", '66 & '70 Redux

2010-06-26T04:12:00.004-05:00

TYPE 55 and some cross processed

2010-06-25T09:30:00.004-05:00

To end the Polaroid week, how about this, assisting days 4x5 Type 55 Pos/neg portrait by Robert Maxwell. Thank you for my new profile pic Bobby.

Type 59

2010-06-24T09:00:00.003-05:00

Polaroid Record

2010-06-23T09:31:00.003-05:00

Estimate $10,000 - $15,000.

SOLD $245,000

Inside 20x24 Studio

2010-06-22T11:25:00.006-05:00

Its all Polaroid all the time it seems. Not only do we have Polaroid: Instant Joy on Friday but the large Polaroid Auction is at Sotheby's all this week and now here is the BBC with an inside look at the 20x24 Studio with Jennifer Trausch. Freakin jealous!!!!

The Chocolate Genius and the Talking Head

2010-06-21T10:10:00.012-05:00

These are the two images I will be showing this weekend at Polaroid: Instant Joy at A.M. Richard Fine Art in Williamsburg. They are of musicians David Byrne and Marc Anthony Thompson. David one time leader of Talking Heads and Marc founder of the music cooperative Chocolate genius Inc. I created this series at the rehearsals for the Tibet House concert series at Carnegie Hall. Shot on Polaroid only, combining the 8x10 809 and 804, a cross processing of Color and Black & White film. Everyone has their own favorite Polaroid and this is mine. This was not that long ago, 2005, but even then this was one the only ways to get the acquired look of sepia, unlike today's digi effects.
I shot on Polaroid because I knew I wouldn't have much time and wanted the subjects to be as comfortable as possible quickly, also its expensive so it was either one or the other. 8x10 is a real ice breaker especially when people, musicians, actors etc are(were) used to much smaller versions. Today they would think you were insane to show them 2 1/4 Polaroid. So we pinned them up and more and more of the musicians showed up for their shot and I did it two years running. Still love the shots and had an awesome time doing it.

Polaroid: Instant Joy!

2010-06-16T08:08:00.005-05:00

I was thrilled to get the call from Photographer and curator Andrew Garn to be a part of his new group show, Polaroid: Instant Joy, which will be opening on July 19th at A.M Richard Fine Art in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Included in the show are illustrious Large Polaroid practitioners, William Wegman, Chuck Close, Bill Day (his Warhol to the left), Jennifer Trausch, Barbara Mensch, Sally Mann to name a few. Andrew is a unique character who most certainly marches to his own tune. His last show "Lost Amazon", his work in the Brazilian Rain Forrest, was a combination of images and video. Moving and thought provoking, Andrew showed up dressed in a full Has-Mat outfit. His shows are a full contact experience. For this upcoming one covered in Polaroid goo is a possibility I am told. Please come on over and see some great large and small format artists using one of the worlds most enjoyable mediums.The opening reception will be Fri June 25th 6-8pm. To Coincide with the show, over the next week I will be showing Polaroids amassed through the years, of all sizes and embarrassing hair stages.

BRAZIL '70

2010-06-14T22:00:00.006-05:00

Brazil open today and here they are, 40 years ago, perhaps a couple of years younger when the cards were made, but none the less, the most exciting and beloved international team of all time. O.K except for England '66 and maybe Holland '74 and Ireland '90. Forget it. We loved 'em. The best. And of course Revilino has no tache in the card!!! This is how we loved him

ITALIA '70

2010-06-14T09:46:00.008-05:00

Seeing as the World Champs are opening today it would seem only fair to mention that the Azzuri was the other team that played in the 1970 World Cup Final in Mexico. A Tremendous team, who many thought might be able to shut down the high powered Brazilians. Gianna Rivera, Luigi Riva, Faccechitti and of course the great Dino Zoff, who for that whole summer I called Koff cause I got my Ks and Z's mixed up. A slap on the ear from Brendy Murphy, " ya eeejit", changed that quirk quicker that any teacher could. These cards are from James Doyle's original collection. His mother Rita mailed them to him last week. James is not quite sure if this was from "Shoot" magazine or "Sweetie Fags". Either way we didn't get any of the double entendre as kids in cloistered Ireland.
Thanks Rita. Click on the image for a closer look at pre hippie, late sixties Euro hairdo

Polaroid: Instant Joy

2010-06-14T09:27:00.009-05:00

I was thrilled to get the call from Photographer and curator Andrew Garn to be a part of his new show, Polaroid: Instant Joy, which will be opening on July 19th at A.M Richard Fine Art in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Included in the show are illustrious Large Polaroid practitioners, William Wegman, Chuck Close, Bill Day (his Warhol to the left), Jennifer Trausch, Barbara Mensch, Sally Mann to name a few. Andrew is a unique character who most certainly marches to his own tune. His last show "Lost Amazon", his work in the Brazilian Rain Forrest, was a combination of images and video. Moving and thought provoking, Andrew showed up dressed in a full Has-Mat outfit. His shows are a full contact experience. For this upcoming one covered in Polaroid goo is a possibility I am told. Please come on over and see some great large and small format artists using one of the worlds most enjoyable mediums.The opening reception will be Fri June 25thth

My First Time.

2010-06-10T01:00:00.009-05:00

Everyone remembers their first time. Where you were, what it was like. How your heart raced right up to the minute it started, hoping it was going to be everything everyone had said it would be. You have been waiting for this all your life. All those long, long seven years. The boys jump up and down at the center circle, the ref blows the whistle and your off. Mexico '70. That was my first time. My first World Cup.
With the onslaught of the 2010 World Cup media attention, the images of my first have been feverishly replaying in my mind of late. It was the year the greatest international football team of all time, Brazil, came together and meshed perfectly like the scab on a healthy child's knee. Tostao, Jairzhino, Gerson, Carlos Alberto. The revelation of the tournament, he of the 70's detective tache, Rivelino. Kieran Healy in Cork still wears one proudly today in tribute to the great Corinthian. And of course, #10 Pele. The Black Pearl, he was that precious. It was the tournament of the Adidas Telstar football, that of the black and white diamonds, so you could see it better on TV. Every kid had to have Adidas boots and ball after that. It was the year I watched my idol, Bobby Charlton, look like the old man he was becoming under the sweltering Leon sun, and holding back the tears after England were knocked out by West Germany. "There will be no cryin for England in this house" someone muttered loudly enough for me to hear. I ran out into the street looking for consolation, found Timmy McCarthy who was jumping for joy. "The English were beaten" he screamed. "But we support Manchester United" I said, "and Bobby Charlton is one of ours", "So Whaaat" he sneared. I was absolutely lost. And actually this a very good synopsis of 100 years of Irish-English relations.
It was also that summer, for the first time, my father left me stay late up to watch something on TV. I didn't even know the match was being televised but my father woke me at 11:00pm, our grainy black & white box brought up to our bedroom, rabbit ears searching for the signal. My two brothers, my father and I all sat on the bed watching the worlds greatest sporting event. Tea and cream crackers for everyone. It came to light in a roar of fuzz, a hazy mish mash of movement. There was something there alright, yeah a football, is that the crowd? - that's Clodoaldho!!!! And the names, could they be more exotic? I don't think so. Then, clear as day it appeared on the screen, the two South American giants pushing the ball around as if we were all playing five-a-side up in Cassidy's Avenue. Cool as cucumbers. Could it even be real. Brazil vs Uruguay, Semi-Finals, watching football, in bed, at night, Live!!!!! This is the life isn't it?. Even though it wasn't in color I still remember the harshness of the afternoon light on the players, and the sweat. Real man sweat. Summer in Ireland never saw a sun like that day in Guadalajara. Couldn't we do this every summer? Why was it four years apart, no wonder Bobby only played two tournaments, and why was this my first time to glimpse the artistry of Edison Arantes do Naciemento, Pele. But in the end the Gods made it right, its the intervals between the tourny that make the event so much sweeter and special. The expectations for ones country to do well, or even qualify. Having those years to smolder, waiting for the first whistle to blow, to sound a new generation of Football Gods. Nobody remembers every single summer, or every game of every World Series, but everyone remembers their first like it was yesterday. Their first World Cup. The 19th World Cup kicks off in South Africa today. We will all be at Slane pub NYC tomorrow for England vs USA.

Lets hear it for the Boys

2010-06-09T23:01:00.016-05:00

With the 19th Fifa World Cup starting tomorrow on the other side of the globe in South Africa, and all the glamor and glitz that goes with it, lets not forget the lads who show up every weekend for some basic, good old fashioned footy. Who dreamed they would be on the big stage one day, with their hero's, but only made to the field down the road. Doesn't matter, their still playing. And let's not forget photographers like Duchman Hans van der Meer who's project European Fields the landscape of lower league football has become my favorite sports monograph. No screaming fans, no wags, no world renowned stadiums. Just guys, a ball and a pitch. And if your lucky, sometimes a ref. And if your really lucky a pitch that doesn't slope.

All in a days work

2010-06-01T10:48:00.011-05:00

Back in the saddle again, the old song went. Among the days jobs, were shooting at the dawn in Maspeth Queens, the railway lines still functioning behind me as a mode of transportation for the innumerable factories and plants dotted along the creek just beyond. Then collecting the 17 students from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta GA, along with Professors Simon Sparks and Guggenheim recipient Alan Loehle , we charted the progress of my "Sleeping Giant | 11101 rezoned" project. The students visit was dubbed "And just what does count as art ...?", I hope they weren't looking for any answers from my direction. It was a great day and made me realize once again that even though it can be a struggle some times, its all about keeping the dream alive.

HSNY Photo Benefit.

2010-04-26T15:23:00.012-05:00

The 3rd annual Humane Society New York auction is tonight at Diane Von Furstenberg studio on 14th Street and I am happy to say I will be donating the above piece from Sleeping Giant. Now if you show up you will have quite a few choices. There will be my image and then there will be the "portrait session" with....Patrick Demarchelier, yes indeed. The starting price for the session is $50,000.00. My piece comes sintra mounted, with UV plexi and framed by Clint Downing Of Downing Frames in Bklyn. The portrait session DOES NOT come with hair and makeup. Its a tough one, I know!!! You could do both, nobody would think any less of you and sure its for the cause isn't it? I wonder if there's going to be anyone we know at this thing

Which Came First?

2010-04-15T09:12:00.011-05:00

This sort of thing happens once in while I guess. As I was checking out some bookmarked websites, I have been been a little remiss, I came across French photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre. I dig their work, totally my bag. As I was perusing their gorge large format images I happened upon their newish work set in Detroit (the new Cuba or Chernobyl seemingly), and found it awkwardly familiar. Shit did I shoot something like that? Last time I was in Detroit I was there for Superbowl and no, large format shooting was not in the cards. Did a friend of mine shoot something, that's hard also, if your the one bringing it up, "hey did you see so and so's piece in so and so", waiting the barrage of profanity down the phone line. No, nobody I could come up with, till I remembered Conscientious doing a piece on one of my faves, Andrew Moore. Yep that was it.So I scrolled through both sites. Wow, what do you say. Looks like a conveyor belt of Motor City photo op ruins. Who gives out the tickets for this.
Skewed differently in there photographic visions, the french duo hanging tough with their Architectural slant and Andrew venturing out to feel the more human element, still it must be hard to see similar images, if not downright exactly the same ones, as you have poured your heart and soul into a project. Cant say I like one series over the other yet but I don't agree with Joreg's "ruin porn" comment, I prefer Merchand & Meffre's
The state of ruin is essentially a temporary situation that happens at
some point, the volatile result of change of era and the fall of empires.
Both are books already out in the case of Andrew's "Detroit Disassembled"and M&M "Ruin's of Detroit"
Deep down I wonder if one or the other doesn't feel like , "like bollix I should have seen that".

Big Thanks Spencertown

2010-03-22T10:56:00.009-05:00

Our opening "Changing Landscapes, Cities in Transition" went off without a hitch on Sat evening. Great feedback, lots of good gab and a whole slew of new friends including my co-exhibitors, Karen Halverson and Charles Baum. A special thanks to co-curators Gwenn Mayers and Nancy Van Deren for showing all our work in such great light and extra special thanks to Spencertown Academy director Mary Anne lee, for bringing us all together and keeping the torch burning for the arts in these tough economic times.

From left M.A. Lee, Ber Murphy, Karen Halverson, Charles Baum.

Sleeping | Giant goes North

2010-03-11T09:55:00.004-05:00

I was thrilled to get the call from Mary Anne Lee, director of Spencertown Academy for the Arts, in Spencertown N.Y., to be a part of their initial exhibition of the 2010 season. Changing Landscapes is a collaborative show featuring renowned Landscapes photographers Karen Halverson, Charles Baum and myself. The show will contain work from individual series, Karen's China on the move, Charles's Atlantic City and my own Sleeping Giant. The opening reception is on Saturday March 20th. The Academy itself is in bucolic Columbia County, so if your in the mood of a country jaunt why not come north and see us at the the opening.

New Home for Pepsi

2010-03-02T07:53:00.008-05:00

In the 70 years that the Pepsi Cola sign has been in existence only Pepsi employee's have been able to view the sign from the Queens side of NYC, them and smallpox victims on Roosevelt Island. The Sign was planted firmly on the roof of its bottling plant and stood 20 ft from the East river. That is until now. The landmarked sign has a new footpath, as part of Gantry State Park, that one can Promanade through and almost get to touch the historical show piece. People riding over the Queensboro bridge have always been able to view the 60 foot high sign but it wasn't till the evolution of the Queens West waterfront and the moving of the sign, (Pepsi moved their plant to College Point) that we are now able to stand in Queens County and view one of New York City's most adored cultural icons. I first saw the sign from the Beekman Tower, a 360 degree cocktail bar across the street from the UN. I marveled at the "Skyline" only to be told I was looking in the wrong direction, east faced Queens, west faced the real Skyline, Jaysus what did I know. To me it was all New York, and that monstrous red illumination meant I was definitely not in Kansas anymore. Over the years that sign, in all its Americana neon glory has stayed with me, as it has for millions of New Yorkers, as much a reference point for coming home, as for its cultural importance. It now has found its new home planted firmly on the East side of the skyline, for all to view.

2009-08-28T11:49:00.007-05:00

This feels like a companion piece to the Ray Mortensen post from earlier in the year. New York Times Columnist David Gonzalez's gives us - Revisiting the South Bronx, 35 Millimeters at a Time - images he created 30 years ago on returning to the South Bronx after graduating college.

Benefit for Nicole: A Postcard Show

2009-07-20T22:20:00.002-05:00

Postcard show and sale of original postcard-sized pieces of artwork created by both emerging and established artists to benefit Nicole Gagne, a fellow artist seriously injured in a staircase collapse in LIC.

Artwork will be sold at $40 per piece. Artists who donate will get excellent exposure in a show in NYC, and collectors walk away with a great piece of original art. All funds raised will go to help Nicole with her immediate expenses.
Submission Deadline: July 23, 2009

Event Location: Priska Juschka Fine Art, 547 W. 27th St. New York City. http://www.priskajuschkafineart.com

Event Date: Thursday, July 30th, 2009. 5:30P to 9:30P

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=97224180094

Exhibition follow ups

2009-05-15T11:59:00.005-05:00

Two pieces on Sleeping Giant came out the same same day. Both Editors picked two different images they wanted to use. Very interesting

TONIGHT AT FXFOWLE GALLERY

2009-05-07T08:33:00.003-05:00

T Minus and Counting

2009-04-16T08:12:00.005-05:00

So we have just under one month to go before the opening reception for my solo exhibition, Sleeping Giant | 11101 Rezoned. May 7th has been slated for the event, which runs through June 19th, at FXFowle Gallery in NYC.
At the start of this taking photos as a career business, it is in the back of ones mind that one day your work may be seen hanging on a wall somewhere, with the right people musing and nodding their heads in appreciation of the images you broke your heart creating. It rarely seems to work out that way, as photography, just like most everything in life, is a lot of hard work, and actually paying the bills gets in the way of this great affection for your artistry. But Sleeping Giant has been an interesting journey so far, because at the start of this project the ultimate objective was possibly a show. Well low and behold an objective in photography attained. The hallelujah chorus comes after the opening I'm sure. The project itself has been reasonably smooth sailing to this point. Conception-shooting- printing- Blurb Book- to the Noguchi Museum here in NYC, picking it up for their book store. But the production of this show seems as hard as any commissioned job. I have seen friends and other artists get gobbled up in negotiating the time frame it takes from signing the contract to getting everything on the wall, so I have bee trying to timetable this down to the nth degree. You are of course relying on many other people to come through for you as opposed to running the whole shoot yourself. With Printers, Matters, Framers, Galleries, Cards, you have to be so ahead of the curve. Add in a little Murphy's Law for good measure, and this thing will creep up on your ass, and quick. Next thing you know, its heeere. One thing you learn when your shooting on the road or in the studio is be prepared. The arse will fall out of everything now and again but if you know this, the surprises aren't so...surprising. I have also been good about reaching out to people. Asking for help is not my forte but everyone I've asked has been more than willing to help the cause and it as been a great comfort to know people have your back. So major shout out to, Steve West at Moma, George LaCovera at Atelia4, Clint Downing at Downing Frames, Ken Allen at Ken Allen Studios, Aaron Rezny and of course the good people at FX Fowle, Brien and Andrea who as we get closer to the day will be sick and tired of me.
At this point all the prints are made. They are being mounted as we speak and will then go the framer, with about 2 weeks to go before the show goes up, all should be complete. That's the plan but I am absolutely positive one of these places will burn to the ground, sorry guys I prey not, and leave me holding the bag with a couple of days left to fix it all.
So if you hear a howl through the blogisphere in the next three weeks I'm sure it will probably be me, screaming at the photo Gods for playing such a shitty joke on me, but until that part of Murphy's Law raises it ugly head, its full steam ahead to May 7th.

2009-03-06T12:16:00.004-05:00

Mary Ann Fahey of Umbrella Arts along with Juror Harvey Stein have sounded the call, National competition everyone - NYC gallery - subject "BED", go here for submission details.

http://www.umbrellaarts.com/content/view/12/26/

FROM HERE TO THERE, in less than 5 hours

2009-02-23T17:32:00.006-05:00

On the left Anguilla, British West Indies and on the right Columbia County, New York.
Images taken the same day.

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK photos of Ray Mortenson

2009-02-19T23:31:00.010-05:00

I came across artist Ray Mortenson through his show at the Museum of the City of New York, where I worked for all of two days about 16 years ago. Those were the days when nobody in photography had yet really discovered 601 west 25th street and its amazing size loft spaces, the museum used a space the size of a football field just to store extra art. Which brings me to said Mr Mortenson's exhibition at one of our most underrated Museums. Broken Glass, photographs from the South Bronx, are images taken between 1982-1984. This is the era right when I arrived from Ireland, all googly eyed about the city. The images are an amazing document of a city in the throes of guess what, a social and economic crisis. The heart of the Regan years. So to say this show is prescient might be hyperbole but..... The then city, still struggling to regain its footing after the Blackout of '77 and the "Drop Dead" from President Ford, has never looked so desolate. Ray's work focuses on the miles of post apocalyptic neighborhoods, drained of almost any human nurturing, the poster child for urban decay. The buildings seem to stare back at you, the windows just empty eye sockets, black holes. The once proud brownstones, rooftops, facades demoralized past recognition. Snake Plisskin was not that far off. My first subway ride in NYC was from West 4th street to 205 street in the Bronx. I took the local at rush hour in the middle of September. Air conditioning!!! what air conditioning, the windows were open weren't they. I remember distinctly, being jammed into the car but able to see out the window, the shells, remnants, of what used to be neighborhoods, block after block. I didn't know the politics, but I did know it scared the shit out of me. No wonder nobody went to Yankee stadium. Of course I was on the wrong train and didn't realize till I got to the wrong destination, the mantra "take the 5 stay alive, take the 4 dead for sure" playing in my head. Which brings me back to the work. If anyone feels that they have a handle on New York, masters of their own universe, good for you, but take a trip to MCNY and have a gander at a time when the "capitol of the world" was becoming an also ran in its own country, one step ahead of the bank. A collection of the beautiful and mournful images in one of our saddest times.

The Colorama

2008-11-19T23:32:00.006-05:00

This is a great piece in the Times today about advertising in Grand Central Station or the lack there of. For about 40 years the east balcony was filed with a giant photographic mural, actually a 60 ft. chrome called the Colorama. Described as the worlds largest photograph, I remember it vividly the first time I arrived in the venerable station, the size that is. The image I believe was some birds?? I don't think I had ever seen an image that size before. You were really in New York now. By the time it was ready to come down it had lost its glory and to say it was dated would be kind. Kodak was the brains behind this, see all the various images through the years here. I love that photographer David Dunlap took both shots and by god he got pretty close to his original.

BLACK WATCH

2008-11-13T14:51:00.003-05:00

If your still need some political psycho drama in your life, now that the two year vetting process for president is over, get you ass over to St Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn for the National Theatre of Scotland's production of Black Watch. Not only is it one of the most exhilarating nights of theatre you will have but it will also keep your blood boiling and break your heart to hear the first hand recounting of how these Scottish boys ended up in this man made mess, that is the Iraq war.

LYNN DAVIS

2008-11-13T13:48:00.004-05:00

Lynn Davis's show continues at Edwynn Houk gallery until December. Again quality of the work is superb but I feel like I may have seen some of these images before.

BIFAS

2008-11-12T10:56:00.005-05:00

The Boston International Fine Arts Show is starting on Thursday. I didn't recognise many of the galleries but Iris Gallery from Great Barrington MA, did contact me, they represent David Burdeny and their Boston gallery now has a show featuring Blurb Book winner Beth Dow. They should Have some interesting stuff. So if you are in Bean Town this weekend give it look.

ALL HANDS ON DECK AT DAWN

2008-10-02T10:13:00.006-05:00

Echo and the Bunnymen made a triumphant return to NYC last night with a concert rendition, accompanied by orchestra, of their classic 1984 album Ocean Rain. The band are celebrating 30 years in the business and along with their home town of Liverpool and the Royal Albert Hall in London, they recreated the sound of our generation here in NYC. If they weren't THE seminal band, Joy Division were, they certainly were my favorite. This album, though not my favorite of theirs, HEAVEN UP HERE & CROCODILES are, contains one of my favorite lines ever, from the final song ocean rain "all hands on deck at dawn". If I play it I will sing that that line in my head for days. I just love the rhythm of it flowing off your tongue and the imagery of our Liverpudlian shipmates lost in a foggy sea of forlorn love, "sailing to sadder shores". I bought Crocodiles, their first album, my final year in high school, and wore the grooves out. This was the direction our music was going?, an 'aha' moment. Nobodies voice soared and drowned with melancholy quite like Ian McColloch's and nobodies hair soared quite like the Haystack he produced in the late '70s either, but here it was last night making a modest return like an old friend. Mac himself was in great form, compared to the surly crank that showed up at their last concert in Irving Plaza many years ago, this time joking and remarking on how great it was to be here, wondering if "Billy Crystal" was in attendance. Actually this is up for some conjecture as only a handful of people could understand what he was saying, but his singing voice was crystalline, seemly no different than the first time I saw them in 1982. The crowd jammed the famous old hall. Full of expats, half the NYC photo and film community, they didn't sit all night, the bar being open till almost the end of the show also help to fuel the crowds regressing to their formative years. Images were shown on both sides of the stage on large screens, taken by guitarist Will Sargent, at the beginning of the Bunnymen journey. Man they were so young, Christ. Not unlike Corbjin's in the quality, deep grained B&W, they were quite moving as they included pics of drummer Pete Defreitas who died many years ago. I remember seeing some of those images for the first time in music mags as a teenager and being spellbound by the bands seemingly natural abilities to play to the camera, now in hindsight they seemed like happy go lucky kids, pups, all mood and drama posturing. Fantastic. The sound was fab, or though the drums could have been harder, and the album sounded as new and fresh as it did twenty odd years ago. So it feels our favorite scousers have another couple of years left in them, great, as long as their calling for all hands on deck it gives us all a little more time to make our mark.

FLAK ANDY

2008-09-24T11:01:00.003-05:00

Andy Adams sure did get around last week. I love when someone comes in from out of town, just has an allotted amount of time to see people.... and off they go. Andy is the creator of FlakPhoto, where he designed a terrific Blog on photography. To call Flak a blog is a disservice to the Site as Andy is far more advanced in the tech dept. than most of us photo bloggers. The site Curates an image a day as well features on individual, group shows, and in Print books. He coraled not only myself, but Amy Stein, Andrew Hetherington, Jonathan Larson, Joshua Lutz to name few. He was all inquiries on how the business model is working for us and how can we move forward in the new tech /photo age, and brought and outsiders opinion to our struggle, which is always eyeopening. He also likes a little Jameson which endears him to almost everyone. Hope to see him for the photo festival in May

GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK

2008-09-08T13:30:00.001-05:00

So after forty four years the curtain is finally coming down. The Stadium that William Shea built to bring National league baseball back to NYC will close its doors for good. Shea Stadium along with Yankee Stadium will both be demolished at the end of the season, to make way for gleaming new/old ball parks. As a Metropolitan fan since arriving here from Ireland, obviously Shea's ending has a far more personal effect on me than the decrepit place in the South Bronx. Actually many times I prayed that the Babe's house would implode all on its own, but I digress. After spending many a night out in Flushing I went on Sunday, probably for the last time. The auld joint was buzzing, the game was great, but I found myself reminiscing, to myself and anyone else who would listen, about specific nights that had Shea as its backdrop. All were baseball related but not all the stories were between the lines, like the night after too much crap beer I fell asleep on the subway and woke up in Coney Island, fell back to sleep and woke up in the last stop in Queens, and, you guessed it all the way back again. The night I was chased all the way around the upper level by Cardinal fans after I called Terry Pendleton something reminesent to McCains wife name calling. The night I saw Ronnie Darling pitch a complete game to win the pennant. The day I tried to figure out when they would clinch the pennant, I had a rain delayed ticket, only to be off by a day. I show up for the day game anyway with 5,000 other poor souls, watching the triple A team play in a cow patch. The sod had been dug the night before by the rampaging fans, BG, before Giuliani, when you were aloud to invade the field to show you gratitude for 14 seasons of ineptitude. The night I took James Doyle to his first game, we got stoned and couldn't find the car in the parking lot. To this day I think he holds it against me for introducing him to the blue and orange instead of pinstripes, as he has wallowed in the many years of woe along with me. My favorite players, Doc, Lenny, Wally, Coney, Piazza, Mex, Seaver #41 the Franchise, Mook. The craziness from the '86 team - Ojeada and the hand, Hernandez and Stawberry throwin punches. "The worst team money could buy" in the '90s. The bad trades - Lenny for Juan Samuel, I almost cried in the car when I heard it, my brother on vacation from Ireland howling with laughter at me - Nolan Ryan for Jim Fragosi, Cone for Ryan (5 tool,tool is right) Thompson and Jeff Kent, the worst trade in Met history. And of course we don't mention last year, never mention last year. Shea was the first stadium I entered in the US, its colors so vibrant, its size immense, I had never seen anything like it and yet I felt like I had been coming here all my life. But for all its pennant futility it still gives me the greatest of pleasure to say I'm a Met fan. To put the radio on in the middle of a summer night and hear Howie Rose float faintly across the airwaves could not make me happier. Goodnight Bob Murphy and Gill Hodges, Hello Citi Field.
Click on image for enlargement.

BLURB & SLEEPING GIANT

2008-09-05T14:04:00.001-05:00

The self publishing Giant Blurb have decided to have a competition for all the newly pubbed photographers, that's insider publishing talk. Yours truly has entered Sleeping Giant, and many counterparts have also put their wares for judgement. Blurb has also added a peoples choice award, where one can go to the web site, here, and vote for your favorite. If your reading this blog you may then want to go and vote for me. Pure shill, so what, well were all sick and tired of trying to be coy. Go vote. I don't know what the award is but it will be coming to me, so there.

GOODFELLAS AND SLEEPING GIANT

2008-09-02T09:17:00.008-05:00

Henry Hill and Juniors!!!!! Yes indeed, the leading figure in the tell all mobster tale Goodfellas is a devotee of Juniors restarurant. Now many people may think that its the Juniors diner chain that have been dotted around Manhattan for years, but one would be wrong. Chris McLallen pointed this out to me as he noticed, while scouring the BBC, that it was the little family owned, heavy on Italian joint, in Long Island City. He remembered the shot from my project SLEEPING GIANT. I have looked at that building many different ways while working on SG, trying to find my quintessential angle, but could never get over the fact that here was a restaurant with silos emerging from its roof. I read the book Goodfellas long before the movie came out and Henry Hill was so clear and concise in his retelling of the crimes and there proximity to where I lived, I felt as if they happened just down the street. Well I'm sure some of them did. Now that Signora Hill is apart of the local lore, that image takes a slightly different tone for me. Listen to the interview, don't know if its just bravado or lunacy but that guy is still not someone to mess with. And of course look for the shoot of him outside Juniors

IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!

2008-08-26T08:09:00.006-05:00

I think maybe its time to knock the whole self publishing problem on the head. After Joerg's post and APE's intervention, in regards to the hazards associated with trying to reproduce a Rizzoli product for $30.00, here's where we stand. In the same place as yesterday and the same place 15 months ago. Its self publishing for Christ's sake. Nobody has the perfect answer. For $20 to $60 what do you really expect. You have a book in your hand that that you didn't have a week before. Could that have happened 3 years ago, NO. Some people thinks its great, some don't. Its just another tool. If you cant get the color right, try another company. Is that a pain and really quite disappointing, Yes, but since when has anything come easy in the arts and especially in photography. Only a few months ago I had to go back to my printer 4 times to get a print right that I was making, and these guys are one of the best in the city, and I was standing next to the to the printer. It happens. Oh, in case you wanted to shell out more that $30 you could go to LeLivre d'art, and get the most beautiful color reproduction. I'm sure there wouldn't be any bitching and moaning. You got $10,000.00. It is what it is.

SUMMER PROGRAMES, continued

2008-08-07T14:33:00.012-05:00

Early last month I listed some of the great galleries and shows in Upstate N.Y. for this summer, well on that thread here are two long running programmes that I have never had the chance to attend until this week.
The first is in Garrison N.Y., a little ways from my upstate haunts, but really worth the effort, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. The group performs on the grounds of Boscobel, one of the finest examples of Federalist architecture in the country. It is quite breathtaking to walk onto the grounds and have the Hudson river greet you in such a a majestic manner. The stage is situated so that when you are seated the backdrop is the panoramic Hudson valley view in the image above. Very dramatic. The rest of the season is Twelfth Night, go if you can.
The other event I have been remiss in attending is the Music and Film night, back in the city, at Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City. A banner turnout Wed night for the Red Balloon, their largest in their 10 year history. Along with the Museum of the Moving Image, the Socrates gang put on a very intimate big city evening. It has 4 more showings into Sept. I have to say we are very lucky to have such terrific organizations working for us locally.

McCARREN POOL (over and out)

2008-08-06T13:44:00.010-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I started to shoot some work in McCarren Park, Brooklyn, and posted some images with the feeling that I could put together some sort of project or at least create a collection of interesting images. Not long after, word came back that the Architecture agency, who were getting the designs ready for the new look pool, they weren't so crazy about my project anymore. Whaaaat??? The police had asked a member of the management team to leave the premises even though he had keys and id. So another project falls through, wasn't the first wont be the last.I then find out yesterday that the reason behind all the police activity is.... DEAD BODY in the park. Nobody is quite sure who it is yet or how long it was there but I had stuck my head into a few if the old changing rooms, just to have a look. That would not have been fun. The Gothamist blog reported it back in July. I have only come across one other dead body in all my time in New York. I took a photograph. It wasn't my best day. So, the remaining images of McCarren Pool circa 2008 will be some nimrod, in a stone cold stupor, shakin his ass to a reformed Devo. Wooooooo

NOW AVAILABLE AT.........THE NOGUCHI

2008-08-05T21:51:00.002-05:00

After spending quite some time diligently shooting, cataloguing and producing SLEEPING GIANT | 11101 REZONED, my Large Format project on the urban uprising in Long Island City, N.Y., it is with great pleasure that I can announce that the uber prestigious Noguchi Museum in New York has decided to to carry my self- published book in its museum store. I feel very honored that this weighty institution sees this project as one that fits their artistic sensibilities. The book itself is 13x11 hardcover, made by Blurb. As we all know feedback is the litmus test for our work and so far it has been terrific.
Some history on SG's new home. Created by Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988), the Museum opened in 1985, presenting a comprehensive collection of the artist's works in stone, metal, wood, and clay, as well as models for public projects and gardens, dance sets, and Akari Light Sculptures. The Museum--chartered as The Noguchi Museum--is housed in thirteen galleries within a converted factory building and encircles a garden containing major granite and basalt sculptures. In addition to housing and exhibiting a collection of Noguchi's works, the Museum also serves the international art community by loaning works to other institutions for special exhibitions, organizing traveling exhibitions, and offering scholars access to the artist's extensive archives, including his records, correspondence, manuscripts, and photographs. The Museum also collaborates with The Isamu Noguchi Foundation in Japan.
Great thanks to Bonnie Rychlack and Douglas DiNapoli for making this happen.

THE CLARK

2008-07-07T11:45:00.008-05:00

If anyone is in the Upper Hudson Valley or the Berkshires this summer, you will certainly not want for cultural distractions. Besides the myriad of galleries dotted around the country towns and villages, this area also plays home to some innovative and classic museums. MASS MOCA, where my wife and I travelled up to see Beth Orton on Sat night, ( by the way she stunk, beware Prospect Park) is one the countries premier museums. Their courtyard feels like a Yorkshire creamery at the turn of the 19th century, awesome. BERKSHIRE Museum, The NORMAN ROCKWELL Museum, tons of fun, OLANA, home of Fredrich Church of the Hudson River gang, is open for tours. But its THE CLARK that stands out in my mind from the rest. Situated in Williamstown MA, nestled among the surrounding hills, its an ideal setting for one to step back in time and reflect on the works of some great masters. Small and intimate, easy to navigate, and very little in the way of crowds. Certainly not avant garde, in terms of the work being shown, its a little like watching TMC on a rainy afternoon. Of course we have moved on, but look at how we got here, brilliant, luminous and still working its magic. The buildings themselves are quite modern and beautifully designed. Right now "LIKE BREATH ON GLASS the art of painting softly" is showing. The works of Whistler, Innes, Homer, Steichen etc. Steichen's inclusion is wonderful from a photographic point of view as you can see exactly where he put his palate down and picked up his camera. There is almost nothing lost in the crossover and with so many photographers using modern techniques to achieve the look portrayed by this work, it seems pretty relevant today. Well worth a summer trip to the country.
PS Walk out back in the next two weeks, while he lillies bloom for their recreation of Monets Lilly pond at Giverny.

MOTHA-NATURE

2008-06-20T09:06:00.005-05:00

Around 7:15 pm on Tuesday evening the skies darkened and made like the end of days.

VOTE FOR DICK

2008-06-19T08:59:00.013-05:00

Trying to survive the day to day trials of our fair city is hard enough without taking on the good fight against all things commercial, but reading the Op Ed page in the Daily News today I felt quite ashamed that I hadn't jumped on Dick Zigan's band wagon before now. Dick is the unnofficial mayor of Coney Island, Brooklyn. A modern day PT Barnum, he is the founder of CONEY ISLAND USA, CONEY ISLAND CIRCUS SHOW, producer of THE MERMAID PARADE and has been a figure in the dark arts since I arrived in the City. He wrote and produced one of the first plays my wife appeared in, our cat is named for the mythical "Feejee the mermaid", from said show.

He is also director of the CONEY ISLAND DEVELOPMENT CORP, which has being trying to save whats left of one of the most famous resorts in all the world, The Coney Island Amusement Park. His eleoquint piece on the saving of New York's National institution, while remaining cognasent of the need for city input and the bullying pyranha to have their say, seemed so ...evolved. Read the Op Ed page for the complete detailed account of the ten year journey. But of course as always in these type of negotiations, once one sides gives, the other tries to take advantage and so again the the city just seems to want suck up every last inch of city soil in its quest for the Vegasing/Disneying of NYC. Just when the CIDC thinks it has achieved a morally and commercially viable solution, that would save what's left of the working man's oasis, up jumps the mayor and his cronies with more slabs of luxury living.

Dick and his troop are the very heart and soul of what makes NYC the capitol of the world, and I don't mean venture capitol of the world. They have carved out a niche for themselves in an area that politicians, as well as everyone else, had givin up on as a poster child of urban blight. Now the visionaries that run our city see that a lifestyle that seemed so you outside the norm twenty years ago, is possibly what will save and revive this great area to its former glory. So what is the other sides offering in moral high ground, lets fuck em and take it for ourselves. Lovely. Contact the CIDC to give whatever help you can before Dick takes his show and goes home.

McCarren Pool, Brooklyn, New York

2008-05-30T10:30:00.008-05:00

After working like a dog for what seems like months straight, missing all of the photo Festival because of it, and enjoining Manchester United's glorious night in Europe for what seems like a week, I was more than happy to rise with the dawn to travel into neighboring Greenpoint, after been offered keys to the much maligned McCarren Pool .The pool opened in July 1936. One of 10 large city pools built by Robert Moses with federal Works Progress Administration funds, the six-acre pool could accommodate 6,800 swimmers and was said to have been among the largest public pools built at that time. The design, by Moses’ architect Aymar Embury II, features a striped arch, more than 38 feet high, that served as a bathhouse.
The other nine WPA pools still function, but McCarren closed in 1983 for renovation. Some residents, claiming it had become a magnet for raucous kids and illegal activities, opposed reopening it.
Now, 25 years later, it remains shut. It has been opening in the summer for concerts and movies but in a very indie sort of way for the past few years. In 2001, the city presented a $26 million plan for the pool but nothing ever came of it. “Right now, it is the city's most poignant ruin,” Francis Morrone wrote in the New York Sun last year. “For more than 20 years, it has been a monument to shame.” But word has it that the Dept of Parks along with A major architecture firm are restoring the grand old summer outlet to its former glory. A full six acres of urban aqua fun, and restoration of its magnificent diving pool. We will see. Personally it looks like there might be some sort of project here. Why? just because it deserves it. this ruinous version is part of its history also and quite beautiful in its own right. Here are some images, though the early morning light was brutally harsh and gave me nothing that I wanted.

SAY NO MORE!!!!

2008-05-23T11:28:00.005-05:00

RIVER LIGHTS

2008-05-02T09:36:00.008-05:00

Last Saturday Night, in North Adams, home of MASS MOCA, a new art installation was launched by local artist Ralph Brill. Using various pieces of light artwork and sculpture, artists from around the world came together to create a unique light display in the concrete channels that house the Hossic river. Brill,also in collabaration with the Rennsellaer Polytechnic Lighting class, and whose gallery in the Eclipse Mill, came up with the idea for the Hoosic River Lights Project two years ago after searching for a way to rediscover what he calls "the lost river". The Hoosic was the life of this mill town … and the whole notion of the river in Adams and North Adams has disappeared from our minds," said Brill, pointing out that local tourist maps fail to note the river in the city at all. "We drive right over it and it looks like nothing but concrete chutes." A major success in terms of the amount of people in attendance, some felt the light show a little lacking. Personally I think the Hossac left its game face at home as the lighting was terrific but the river needed a little more oomph to transfer the artists vision of moving light.

ART RACE

2008-04-18T11:25:00.000-05:00

This sounds hysterical and really fun, if you are about twenty.

"Gallery HD and Illuminations Media are looking for two Fearless, Charismatic, Intelligent, Sassy, Witty, Passionate & Informed ARTISTS to take the definitive chutzpah road trip.

Two Artist/Art Racers must cross the US in 40 days, surviving only on Art. Armed with art materials, cameras, and a $1 dollar budget, the Artist/Art Racers must "trade" art for food, shelter and other art-works.

Starting on opposite coasts (one in NYC, one in LA), the Artist/Art Racers' odyssey culminates in a home-city exhibition of all the works they have created and collected along the way. The winner is the Artist/Art Racer who sells/trades the most artwork. Or at least the one who survives.

No prior on-camera experience required but must be a Great Communicator who interacts well with all types of people in all sorts of situations and can make smart commentary as life happens.

If this is you, please submit the following ASAP to: subs@barbarabarnacasting.com

--recent photo (not older than 6 months)
--bio or resume
--sample of your art (photo reproductions okay)
--short essay explaining why you are an Art Racer
--be sure to include your full name, phone number and city you currently live in.

**PHOTO ATTACHMENTS OKAY -- ALL OTHER INFORMATION MUST BE IN THE BODY OF THE EMAIL**

hard copy submissions to:

Barbara Barna Casting
249 Smith Street PMB 122
Brooklyn, NY 11231

Art Racers must live in the greater New York City/tri-state area, be at least 21 years old and a US citizen or legal alien resident.

ART RACE shoots May 26 - July 11 for appx 40 days on the road + up to 5 add'l shoot days & voice over.

The production company is Illuminations Media UK http://www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/

ART RACE will air on Gallery HD in the US -- http://www.voom.tv/galleryhd.html

• Location: New York City
• Compensation: $25K flat
• Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
• Please, no phone calls about this job!
• Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests."

TO FLICK OR NOT TO FLICK

2008-04-18T09:17:00.003-05:00

After the furor over APE's choice of to use Flickr as his tool for his showcase, I came up against some of the same Flickr discrimination myself last week. After meeting a very nice photographer at the Blindspot auction, I emailed him some images based on a conversation we had on regards to alternative process. I sent him a number of images of mine using Flickr. Private, only he could see them, but he emailed me back and from the tenor of his comment was shocked and quite perturbed, that I would take the time to shoot 8x10 but then put them on Fkickr. We joked back and forth about it, but the underlying feeling was that this tool was so beneath me, I should be ashamed to be seen in its company. I was a little dismayed at this but it made me read over the Jackanory's comments about the resentment in some quarters to Rob using this program. What are people thinking? Its reminds me of the hue and cry on Photoshop's arrival."No way, I shoot everything in camera" Wonder if those guys are still saying that today. ITS A TOOL PEOPLE. Use it accordingly. Use your noggins. Nobody has to know you have stuff up on it. There are plenty of times when I need to put something together fast, other than my website for a potential client. You have another tool to show them work, that may tip the scales in your favor, great, thanks. Personally I think clients couldn't care less, they have a lot more shit to think about than Flickr. Use it for what it is and move on. Lets get pass this to more pressing and interesting subjects, like ......Polidori in Versailles. Now where's Soth when you need him?

HAIRCUT HAIKU from laurena

2008-04-16T21:43:00.003-05:00

"no way about your hair!
is that a recent cut?
and do you think you have enough hair?
that is not your hair
did you get a blow out?
now i really have to see you."

laurena

Seriously, Who got the best haircut here

2008-04-11T09:16:00.003-05:00

2008-04-08T10:51:00.012-05:00

Found these sitting in drawer, with tons of other chromes, with the tag TO BE SCANNED. Never got to it, till now. I'm glad I did. How many of these do all of us have sitting in boxes, just that bit to busy to get to them. You happened to be in the right place, right time for nature to give you a private display but your working on a project and these just don't fit in, so they get relegated to some obscure part of the office, only to be happened upon years later. Happens to us all. These kind of finds make me happy.
Click on to enlarge

SURFIN' IRL

2008-04-02T23:35:00.003-05:00

I saw this image and story, "ON FRIGID CELTIC WAVES" in the Times on Thursday and couldn't help but laugh. I Love the photo but the incongruous nature of Ireland and surfing makes me howl. Isn't everyones idea of surfing somewhere between Frankie & Annette and Big Wednesday. This is the home I left because the unemployment line trailed from one end of the country to the other, now scads of people are coming with the highest of techie surf gear, hangin' ten, checkin' the gnarly surf in the most remote regions. Well done. It takes a brave soul to go to Bundorran at the best of times, look at that image , doesn't that look fun. Glad to see the rain still keeping its word, that no matter what sport you take up it will be a willing partner

NOTHING IS FREE, and if it is, is it worth it?

2008-04-02T13:35:00.004-05:00

1,314 photographers saw something last week and did something about it. Not to disparage our cities surveillance advertising, but that was some turnout for Rob " A Photo Editor". Now all we have to do is wait for Rob's decree and in the process do like CNN or MSNBC and break down the social experiment aspect of the whole schbang till we are blue in the face. But seriously, it was very interesting to see who showed up for the dance and why. There were some old names I hadn't seen in a while, quite surprising. Plenty of names that were not familiar at all, but it was what people decided to show, not who, that was so interesting.... actually confounding. Andrew Hetherington wrote about taking part in the experiment and what he felt were the ups and downs of such an exercise, all of it I felt was really pertinent to how we behave as professionals in our business. Sometimes our business feels like high school, not quite professional, but what you gonna do . What I found mystifying is how people made their decisions on what to show. Over and over people put up images that had no real connection to the work on their websites. What in heavens name is that about. Yes its Flickr but do you really think that someone editing is going to pour over your trip to Italy, even though you shoot high end Still life in the real world. Get a grip. Have people learned nothing from reading these blogs in regards to producing and submitting coherent bodies of work? Some people decided to partake but made the images private, isn't the whole idea for people to see your work, or is it only the right sort of people are given the privilege. And then some people sent their images to Rob via email so as not to dain mixing with the Flickr riff raff. Egalitarian my ass. Maybe its the free aspect, I would like to talk to someone at PDN and asked them if a $40.00 entry fee makes any difference. I don't mean to be doggin anyone in particular here but if I read one more blog about how hard it is to find work and how can we get in the door, and this is how the business responds to a free "get in the door", well. Lets hope it turns out to be what it truly was supposed to be, but as they say the proof will be in the pudding. I am excited to see the outcome but I'm positive we will not have heard the last of this once the envy'd list is revealed

OLAF OTTO BECKER

2008-03-12T08:37:00.005-05:00

Olaf Otto Becker has a sublime show finishing at Cohen Amador in NYC on the 14th of March and then heading West to Stephen Cohen Gallery in L.A..This is well worth the visit. Jorg has nice interview with him here.

How to Succeed in Advertising When All You Have Is Talent

2008-03-06T10:24:00.016-05:00

Alright, so you want to be a big time advertising shooter, get some of that cash that's floating around. Sick of editorial day rate and PE's yankin your chain, well here's a story of how it can get squirrelly when you play with the big boys even if you have 20 years experience.
A friend of mine who has been in the advertising game for that lenght of time has a client, national brand, six quality shoots a year. Nice base to keep his Manhattan studio open and collect other clients along the way. Nice working relationship with the agency and client, though just like any work relationship, one month they love you, next cant stand you, one day your a genius, next a hack. But this has been going on for years and everyone gets what they want. Sooo, the brand gets bought out by another company about six months ago. Will that have any effect on my friends job security? who knows, but he's been doing this so long that if things get hinky he feels he will be able to suss it out. Along comes another shoot, nothing strange, this one quite big, keep three weeks on hold. That means 20 freelancers. This is a pretty fair amount of responsibility and production to get this together. Now its getting closer to the supposed shoot day, stylists are calling hourly to know if the job is officially booked. At this point it hadn't been, which is a bit strange, but no biggie. He uses 5 stylists, 5 assistants, 2 producers plus numerous other people depending on the shoot. Some are beginning to get other jobs which means trying to find replacements, the core group stays but they need to know whats happening, like now. He's shooting another job so all these people calling becomes a royal pain. Anyway, a couple of days before the job he gets a call from the agency. Are you free this week, the client wants a SHOOT OUT, between him and 2 other photographers. A shoot out, how fucking corporate can you get, a nice way of saying you might be getting the chop. The new people at the top want a new direction. They want to see what you can really do, as if the last six years working on this account was shot by some imposter. What a crock, but you gotta play the game up to a point. Some of you might say you've had your run, move it, but its his living and he's worked damn hard to get where he is. You got to pay the bills. But he tells them not a hope, knowing that he is the incumbent and hasn't a chance of winning that game. If the client feels the need for change or the agency is feeling the heat, your dead. Apologies all round, but still the agency wants to keep the hold, (in case the other shooters suck). Imagine calling all the freelancers up and telling them you want to put them back on a three week hold but my job is in jeopardy and there is a really good chance its not going to come in anyway. Click!!!!, is what you hear on the other end of the phone. So sorry my guy says, can't do the SHOOT OUT, everyone has to move on and get other work. He leaves with his dignity and a couple of months short in mortgage payments. He's feeling some serious pressure though. How will this play out with the client, how are the agency going to feel, freakin landlord's going to looking for his, etc. Everybody who has been waiting around for weeks for this to happen is pissed but that's the nature of the game. Its called freelance for a reason.
Fade to two days later, he gets am email from the agency seeing if he was available for a Pre Pro the following Tuesday. "Of course the first week is off, can't get layouts together, but we will have the meeting and firm everything up". Emails back, "that sounds great". Now to any normal person this would sound like game back on right?, he stood his ground and they blinked. But this is advertising photography a little bit like black magic, lots of deceit cloaked in fairy dust. He stops short of trying to get everyone back on hold till he hears from the client. Good thinking, because the Tuesday comes and goes and not a dickybird from anybody. Wed. Thur. Fri. also. After some back and forth he finds out the agency went ahead and shot with someone else. Led him on to think everyone was working feverishly on the said layouts. Not one call from anybody at the agency, or the client , who he is on very good terms with. Not a care for all the people who lost out on other jobs while waiting for the OK. If he had not been so savvy he could have been out serious cash, not to mention the mindfuck of trying to figure out if you have lost your bread and butter for good. Of course there is always the chance they will go to another shooter when you call their bluff but still.... give the guy a call.
Maybe you have noticed I really haven't once mentioned photography in this post, not a word about cameras, prints vs web, film vs digital. It all has little or nothing to do with the time of day, its business pure and simple. So if you like the idea of twenty of thirty people screaming at you and blaming you for the loss of their income, the downfall of their product, and not having the imagination to follow their Michelangelo like layouts, then for sure, this is the career for you.

DEATH IN THE FAMILY

2008-02-11T08:25:00.000-05:00

The news that Polaroid had decided to close down their Massachusetts site didn't come as any great shock but as practicing Large Formatist it broke my heart. There are plenty of people still in the business who remember the days before instant film but for myself Polaroid was thriving and King when I entered the game. I remember my first job at a big time advertising studio, putting the the order to Alkit for the new batch and had to ask the first assistant three times, if in fact this was correct. I couldn't imagine anyone would use that much 'roid. And the price, suffice it to say they spent more on Polaroid in one order than on my salary for half a year. We ordered Type 55 B/W Pos/Neg, we had to have the neg. How could you tell it was in focus if you didn't close down to 32 or 45 and pull the neg and look at it on a light box. When I was first shown this I thought this is the game for me, all these little nick/knacks, love it. Type 59 Color, Type 809 Color and the great Type 803 B/W. Cross processing the B&W and Color became a bit of a thing for many photographers. Robert Maxwell, Jose Picayo among others were all great practioners. Whenever I shot people I always tried to get the people in charge of the dough to try cross-processed. Can you imagine if you based your look solely on that, you would be up shit creek? But most people were smart enough to see all this coming. I stopped using 803 on my personal work a while back, because a) with Time exposures it was kind of pointless, and b) the real reason, I just couldn't afford it unless someone was paying for it. I adopted the slogan ©Polaroid is for Pussies, you should know how to expose at this point, but that now seems a little harsh in sight of our great loss. My fave Polaroid story comes from a few years back, I was shooting Lou reed, who would rather have been anywhere but getting a photograph taken. He wanted it done at the double. No problem, only two shots I told him. Great!. Only one camera, no back up so this was it . Ready and......Anyone who has ever heard Polaroid getting stuck in the processor rollers knows from where I speak. Think large cats in heat but with a little added crunch. This did nothing to bolster Lou’s view of me and when my assistant put it in the second time and it happened again, this only louder and longer, you can only imagine the faux look of "no big deal ' on my face. He's a mean bastard Lou, so I had to grab a quickie while he wasn't looking. Not my greatest, but these things happen.
Now it seems like I also now have 3, door stop like Processors for sale. Who knew it would all end like this. From the heady heights those greats have fallen.

Mr New York

2008-02-06T10:50:00.000-05:00

The Museum of the City of New York has many photo goings on this month, but front and center is the work of iconic New York photographer Rudy Burckhardt, his show Street Dance opened Feb 1. Also added to this is a film series of his, 15 shorts he had made over his illustrious career, this Sunday coming. The above image is from his book Afternoon in Astoria, a project near and dear to my heart. Check out the cool MOMA album designed in 2002. Could that image have been shot anywhere in postwar Europe? Wow. No its Queens. Antonioni eat you heart out.

50th Anniversary

2008-02-04T17:01:00.000-05:00

2008-02-02T22:40:00.000-05:00

Stan B over at Reciprocity Failure read my post on Azo film and recommended looking at the work of Joseph Mills. He uses outdated paper with a specific toning technique which includes varnish and achieves a beautiful washed out look, not unlike 8x10 cross processed Polaroid. His work Inner City can be seen here, represented by the Cohen Amador Gallery in NYC

SNOWJOB

2008-01-30T23:33:00.000-05:00

With the blizzards Upstate today it reminded me I hadn't posted our own New Years Eve snowfall.

BLACK MAGIC JOHAN: Santana comes to NYC

2008-01-29T23:31:00.000-05:00

My last posting on the New York Mets was in reference to their historic meltdown at the end of last season, so I'm sure this will once again be the kiss of death as the best pitcher in MLB, Johan Santana, in his prime comes to the Mets in a four way trade from the Minnesota Twins. I say this because just like the Democratic party the Mets have a way of shooting themselves in the foot, of turning a sure winner into something, completely...not a sure winner. Visions of Frankie V "Sweet Music" Viola, come churning into my head. The last great Twin to arrive back home with all the credentials for an amazing run. Twenty game winner, Cy Young Award winner, World Series winner, New Yorker and a lefty, what could possibly go wrong? Lets hope we don't have a 36 degree April day and Willie decides to leave Santana out there to pitch 158 go 'rounds. A late season collapse of 2-11 in his second year does not a joyous homecoming make. As Dylan says "Don't fall apart on me tonight babe, I just don't think that I could handle it". So here's to our new arrival and may all the good magic, whether it be white, black or from Carlos himself, be with him and our team.

ABOUT FACE

2008-01-21T16:09:00.000-05:00

Putting together a cohesive body of work can be daunting and end up taking what seems like forever but here is Bill Bernstein with not one but two completely different portfolios, both coming out in under a calender year. One of my first posts was for his Paul McCartney show last Feb in Soho. His new one is at the Bowery Mission opening on Thur night called "About Face", an essay on the men who daily try to turn their lives around using the Mission as a starting off point. Bill has volunteered at the mission for many years and knows many of the men personally so look forward to seeing this intimate insight into what can sometimes be a heartbreaking or heartwarming endeavour.

OUT OF DATE

2008-01-12T10:37:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of using all sorts of outdated film, paper etc, just to see what you will get, most of the time not much, but its worth a try. This present from my friend Lori was even too much for me. Check out the date.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: THE CHRISTMAS CLASSIC

2007-12-21T11:13:00.001-05:00

For all, not just the Irish, who will not be going home for Christmas. Fairytale of New York in twenty years old this December. I know you've heard it a million times already but you can watch how all the boys looked in their prime, yes TWENTY YEARS. I have very fond memories of the song itself as I returned to Ireland, for the first time in five years, the year it was released. There was little or no crossing of the cultures at that time, very little MTV, little in the computer world and certainly no Internet. I had not heard it in NYC. I don't know if it was even released that first year so to arrive in Ireland and find some old mates with the # 2 song in the UK, #1 in Ireland and for it to be set in my new home town, in the middle of Christmas, seemed right and fitting indeed. It was being sung in every pub by every man, woman and child who had any kind of a voice at all. The fact that it has held up so well is a testament to Jem Fenner and Shane for writing a brilliant and poignant piece of music. That it has reached the heady heights, in terms of its Christmas legacy, makes all us Pats and exPats and New Yorkers a little proud, a Christmas song of our own. It was voted the #1 Christmas song of all time in the UK the last 3 years running. And of course here's to Kristy, who must be looking down on all this and wondering how that old " cheap lousy faggot" is still alive and singing that song. She must be thinking "Happy Christmas me arse" is right.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE REMNANTS

2007-12-19T17:40:00.001-05:00

Here are some of the images from my series of the California wildfires. I set out on this project with very little preconceived ideas about what it might look like except I wanted to shoot large format(naturally) and give it my own spin. Shot over a period of three days, just as if it was an assignment, I covered a fair amount of territory and captured varying degrees of destruction and how it affected its surrounding environment. My wife's family and many friends all live close to the firing lines so I'm reasonably familiar with these deserts, which was a help and it also made it more personal as we followed the coverage very closely as the fires themselves were raging. Unlike Katrina, this is such a personal almost individual catastrophe. Not everyone was touched by the blazes, the randomness at which the fires touched down meant people from the same street shared very different experiences. Your house burned to the ground, your next-door neighbor's fine, not a scratch (plate 1). How do you get your head around that? Living in the desert the blaze could pass you by 10 feet and your safe, or pick you out like a heat seeking missile and torch you (Plate 3). On the photographic side, after looking at 30 or so images I found some familiar threads running though this and my previous series which was pleasing, but it feels unfinished so a return in the new year is in the works.

THE WEEKENDER (Yuletide Edition)

2007-12-18T11:36:00.000-05:00

The Weekender and wife took the ludicrously scenic Route 22, up New York State, instead of the Taconic to Old Queechy last Saturday in hopes of procuring all thinks Kringle. On leaving Millerton and coming over a hill we were offered this Grandma Moses vantage of the most beauteous Taconic Hills. It really doesn't get any more Yuley that this. Go here for larger view

A CHRISTMAS TRADITION

2007-12-15T00:45:00.000-05:00

This is one of the many thing I love about being a New Yorker. I heard this show the first year I arrived in the city and thought I'd found everyone I had been looking for.

"Just before Christmas in 1970, Jonathan Schwartz decided to do something a little different for his morning show at the late, still-lamented WNEW-AM.

He asked his father, songwriter Arthur Schwartz, to fly in from London and join him to talk about music, play some of that music and sing songs.

Thirty-eight Christmases later, Arthur Schwartz is gone. But the show goes on, and Sunday on WNYC (93.9 FM), Jonathan will host what has now become his annual Christmas talk-and-music gathering, noon-4 p.m.

This time around, guests will include Andrew Bergman, John Wideman, Charles Osgood, Tierney Sutton, the John Pizzarelli Quartet, John Guare, Jessica Molasky, Tony Monte, Mark Simone, Hillary Kole, Mike Renzi, Jay Leonhart, Judy Carmichael, Harry Allen and various members of the Schwartz family - which in a real sense, says Schwartz, describes everyone there.

"It's a show that's about family," he says - a family that makes music and talks about a wide range of subjects in a way that makes the listener feel part of the family, too.

It's one of New York radio's warmest holiday traditions." NY DAILY NEWS.

Along with Phil Schapp he has probably the greatest encyclopedic mind for American Popular Music but in terms of broadcasting he has no peer

This is simulcast on XM Satailite radio

Along with Aimee Mann's 2nd Christmas Extravaganza on Friday night, this will get me totally in the spirit of the season.

FALLING MAN IS ON THE BEACH

2007-11-28T22:39:00.000-05:00

With the Jackanory out of town I guess someone has to step up to the plate, especially with his Master's Voice in town. Richard Misrach spoke on his newly released book ON THE BEACH at Strand bookstore tonight. He was wonderfully eloquent, very forthright about his new use of digital manipulation, his newly acquired method of cropping for the book and the prints, and in his explanation of the work in general. As I said in the previous post, from what I had seen of this new project, I wasn't too jazzed. Of course the beauty of the composition, the light, you name it, all there in spades but the subject matter I find only vaguely interesting. Well the man himself stood up and explained that all of this work came from his fear and alienation after 9/11. That the singular humans floating above and within the abyss were metaphors for that ugly day seven years ago, and for life in general. Free falls, fleeing, drowning, escaping, all the movement within the frame can in some way be traced back to images we have seen in the media from that September day. OK. Enough said. As my wife said everyone owns 9/11 in his or her own way, process it how you will. I think everyone was a little stunned at the admission as the Q&A was a little week to say the least. The title comes from a post WWII book of the same name where the world is annihilated by a nuclear explosion. That was the serious part of the night, now the lowdown. They wheeled the books in on carts; you could extend the Great Wall with size and the amount. The line for signings was quite long but I figured lets do it, he's here and the book itself looks very impressive. I'm getting antsy in the wait; the wife needs both a drink and her dinner and who jumps the line for the autograph, in true NYC 1980's fashion, none other than Sylvia Plachy. My one is ready to rip her a new one, hypoglycemia kicking in and considering Sylvia's abysmal display on the ovation show I was about to let her do it. But as I got my signed copy and handshake, I was able to deftly move away the wife from the oblivious Plachy and swiftly leave the premises. I could see others in the line beginning to fume as she for the second time hogged the limelight with the maestro. We then went to our fave Cafe Loup on 13th St and had soup.

YES MASTER

2007-11-27T14:28:00.000-05:00

Very excited this week as we have two nights to catch the Master, Richard Misrach himself, appearing on the East coast. His new book is out, ON THE BEACH, signing at the Strand book store on Broadway and 12th street and then Pace/MacGill has an opening for the very same, the next night. Everyone has one of those photographers that when you see their work for the first time you go, aaah yeah, THATS what I've been trying to do. Misrach is one of those for me. After getting out of school it was great to see someone who was actually alive using an 8x10. Misrach is one of the Large Formatists who continued the view camera tradition long after it was out of vogue in the late 70's & early 80's. He was able to combine a modern social ethos with an archaic tool and create a new photographic palate. His Desert Cantos work shot him out of the mainly photographic world and on to the art stage itself. He worked solidly through the 90s culminating with two books in 2000 & 2001 Golden Gate and The Sky Book. Golden Gate blew me away when I saw the work at the opening. Such breadth and dept of color from our natural landscape, amazing. But like all idolatry, there comes a time for a let down and I think it maybe tomorrow night. Just like the team that breaks your heart by not making the playoffs on the last game of the season ON THE BEACH may be that defining moment for me. I can't wait for the prints, excited about the book but in all honesty I'm just not that crazy about the subject matter. Maybe seeing it all together will be the answer. If you have a chance try to get to one of the events, do, he doesn't show up that much on the East coast, and see what all the fuss is about, it should be worth it.

AND ITS FREE, kind of

2007-11-20T10:53:00.000-05:00

Free Health Care Fair for Artists. This organization has been extremely present lately in the community and this forum seems very prescient, especially at this moment when both our democratic front runners seem bamboozled by the whole health care system. If any artists are in need of health care this would seem to be an event you must attend.

ON THE ROAD

2007-11-13T12:15:00.000-05:00

I spent last week in Los Angeles, part of a 8 day stretch of work on the West coast, and then seg wayed down to my wife's old home town of San Diego. While I was there I began to research the wild fires and its devastation for the unfortunate ones who lost their homes . Not on a New Orleans size or scope but the individual randomness of it all. These blazes were so disprit, one house standing the next one incinerated, all based on the direction of the wind and some errant ember. I felt queasy about going in to document what had transpired, not really my cup of tea, but at the same time had not seen anyone tell this side of the story. So out of my bubble and comfort zone and .........I haven't seen my effort yet but I will have something to show reasonably soon I'm sure. Anyway that's me with the mother-in-laws ladder, cant really carry one on the plane anymore, so you have to borrow as you go. Thanks to Joanne and Evan Bloom for all their help down there.

HOUSE AND GONE

2007-11-07T19:15:00.000-05:00

Ran into old friend photographer Francois Dishinger (see Francois's GQ spread in last month's issue) last night and he told me House and Garden magazine was closing in December. Francois has done oceans of work for them through the years and was feeling for all his compadres who will be out looking for new work. New people at new magazines means new work. He didn't feel so bad after that. Anyway, Lots of large format guys have cut their teeth on that magazine and found ways into the Conde Nast labyrinth of work. My lasting memory of the mag came last December. Everyone was blogging and talking about Robert Polidori's opening at the Met, for his book on New Orleans. The scope of the tome he had produced had people apolectict, and now the work was being elevated to the Holiest of sights. The MET. But there was Big Bob out in someones garden doing his three page spread for H & G. When your working your working.

HEART AND SOUL

2007-10-19T21:05:00.000-05:00

The history of Joy Division sounds like it would be one of those crazy, sordid rock n roll THS. Eclectic artist commits suicide amid working class carnage of the Thatcher regime in 80's Britan. But it couldn't be further from that old chesnut. Partly true. Suicide, wastelands of young Englishmen searching for a vent from an right wing administration that had left them for dead. But Joy Division's anger was as much personal as political and their sound crafted by the band and producer Martin Hannett struck a different chord among the angry young men of the 70's music revolution. Ian Curtis, who died may 18th 1980, left a far more moving legacy than most rock deaths. Not a live fast-die young and leave a good looking corpse suicide, his was one of doom and desperation. One that many an unemployed youth could eerily identify with. The two albums, recorded a year apart, Unknown Pleasures and Closer, redefined not only the musical landscape of the time but how young men perceived themselves in the chaotic days in the height the Tory regime. Bleak, and unremitting, these guys tapped into a much more mature ennui. Once they had released She's Lost Control and Love Will Tear Us Apart, the days of Teenage Kicks had been put to bed forever. To be perfectly frank when I heard Closer for the first time, it scared the shit out of me. They were talking about life and death and love in a truly profound way. A scary way, real. A new voice that seared into ones soul. They created a sound that would be emulated, copied and revered for the next twenty five years. To say they are THE most influential band of the last quarter century is no hyperbole. They are. To see their legacy just look at the bands littered throughout the last quarter century, including the big ones, U2 and REM, and here the nerve jangling guitar first created in Factory Studios, come searing out of every pore and every chord they play. Look at New Orders critical and commercial success, to see their vision realised. "Here are the young men the weight on their shoulders"
All of this comes about with the advent of Anton Corbijn's film Control.
I am thrilled that the man who created a photographic style all his own based on his love of this one band, got to make this film. I was ready with my sweaty $10 to be first in line and but on writing this entry two weeks ago I became wistfully blue, the thought of my youth long gone, it all seemed too much to go through again, so I left it to my compadres to evaluate the film which by all accounts is just... great. Thank you once again Ian.