YES MASTER

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.

SHE WALKED THROUGH THE FAIR

If you are in NYC this weekend make sure to pop by both these events. Arts Under The Bridge, is Dumbo Art Center's 11th annual art fair. On the West Side is The NY Art Book Fair, where art books, art catalogues etc are for sale. Book Fair first, then train to Dumbo late afternoon, plenty of high jinks till the wee hours. Of course call into my friends Steve West's "Jay Street" bar on Jay Street. It will be jammers, usually live music and tons of fun.

IT WAS A GOOD DAY

Spent a nice afternoon in Billyburg last week visiting galleries including A. M. Richards Fine Art. This great space is on the second floor of a Brooklyn brownstone, with beautiful Afternoon light. The main attraction of the visit was old friend, painter Susan Wanklyn's new work, who along with Jessica Weiss form the the bulk of the exhibit. Both artist's work play off each other wonderfully in this setting. But a nice surprise was to find Jill Freedman, standard bearer for New York photojournalists for the last 30 years or so, be part of the last exhibition. After speaking with owner Ann Marie for awhile I find out Jill has not one but two books on Ireland in publication, one better than the next, A TIME THAT WAS & IRELAND EVER, with forwards by the now world renowned McCourt brothers, non the less. The images are terrific and feel like a continuation of "Dorothea Lange's Ireland", 20 years later. Yet in some respects the country had changed so little in those years it feels like they could have been shot simultaneously. Andrew Hetherington's "Made in Ireland" series feels like the bookend to the trilogy, now that I think of it. Life's funny, if you head off with good intentions on one road its amazing how many different roads open in front of you, wanted to see some great work by a specific person and end up overloaded with incredible work by many different artists. Oh and by the way check out photographer Andrew Garne, who has some beautiful work up at Ann Marie Richards also. Good work people.