Composition 20- Naama Tsabar

Photo: © S. Banos

I was in Manhattan's former Meat Packing District (one of the most gentrified areas imaginable) during the magic hour one late Spring day, when I heard this loud "ambient" music coming from... seemingly everywhere. It was "atmospheric" yet edgy, and I was immediately drawn to it (unlike so much of music today)- so I set about trying to discover its source. Eventually, I realized it had to be originating at The Highline, and so it was. With Composition 20, what one eventually realized was that Naama Tsabar had devised an open environment in which one could travel directly within an ever changing musical landscape, as opposed to a single wall of sound aimed directly at you. 

The tiny snippet below of the entire 3 hr experience is more "traditionally" melodic than the portion I stumbled upon. But it was quite the experience walking in between the musicians, walking in between the music, as it incrementally changed from corner to corner, side to side, musician to musician, as one traversed the entirety of the area- the "back" side playing a considerably different tune from the "front," while the more harmonizing midground somehow balancing both. One of the more memorable, interactive and public musical/art experiences I'll remember in my hometown...

PS- Hopefully, there will be a high quality recording of the event available in the near future... but it just occurred to me- how would it be mixed? Since several melodies were being played concurrently, which one anyone heard at any one time depended on where they were situated...

New Year, Same Story...

Where common sense continues to be an outlier,  and hope (small h), remains the dream...

Getting It Wrong/Getting It Right

"But I will admit that it leaves a bit of a funny taste in my mouth to see a body of work centering on the invisibility of poor or non-white people in a space where, well, the same applies."  -Jorg Colberg

Before we get into what's wrong, lemme just say that that's one of the most rare and truthful statements you'll ever hear uttered in any photographic art forum. So... who am I to call out these photographic greats on what I perceive to be major lapses in their artistic judgement? The same guy who has justly praised and admired them on many another occasion- does that make me right when it comes to the former? No. But at least, it shows I ain't carrying a grudge (sorry, Cindy).

Paul Graham- Films

Like anyone else, artists, and photographers sometimes get it wrong, really wrong- and to be fair, it comes with the territory. The quote above comes from a piece that centered in part on Paul Graham and the wave of photographic experimentation he's ridden the latter part of his career. I've commented previously on what I thought of his experimentation: the overexposed prints, the shots before and after what may or may not have been "the decisive moment," the entire book on... close ups of grain! And it all just strikes me as something every photographer contemplates, experiences and yes, comes to terms with in the field or in the darkroom, as they become knowledgeable with the art, the process, the craft. We study and learn how over and under exposure affect not only the finished print, but our emotional empathy as well; how timing is so crucial and critical to composition and meaning; yes, we've even considered the effect of grain. Does that mean we can't play with it further, of course not- but then, by all means show us something... new! Eamonn Doyle showed us a gorgeous "new" take on street photography utilizing the most basic of visual elements (a different viewpoint, literally)- not so unlike what some guy called Graham did when he first used color to document the social landscape.

Bruce Davidson- E.100st.

Another guy that "recently" came to mind is none other than one Garry Winogrand. My ears certainly perked up on that video as he took none other than Bruce Davidson to task for undertaking- "a personal misunderstanding" of Diane Arbus. He was particularly referring to E100st., the seminal photographic work which he also insinuated he had no business photographing since the subjects were of a different social, economic and cultural background. The thought of Davidson doing a bad copy, or some kind of wayward Arbus homage is truly beyond ludicrous. All due respect (love the guy), but... one really has to wonder what far flung region of his anus ol' Garry conjured that Arbus analogy from. His second criticism is one that definitely merits discussion- particularly in a day and age when we have photographers running "workshops" during major catastrophes. Except, of course, that Davidson is amongst the least exploitative photographers one can possibly name. His respect for his subject matter is always forefront- or as one photographer of color said a few decades back on this very topic, "Damn, argue what you want- I just wish I could have done as good a job as he did!"

You Can Observe A Lot By Just Watching...

I'm not as much drawn to sports as when considerably younger, but even then, I was particularly drawn to those who transcended their sport, who exhibited signs of life beyond their sport, those who either impacted life head on like an Ali, or simply displayed a certain sense of irony or humor as in the case of Yogi Berra (to whom one can attribute the quote above).

And speaking of astute observations, particularly when it comes to life and its passing moments on the streets we tread daily, the name of photographer Cristophe Agou most certainly comes to mind- a good tribute here.

Thanks, and RIP guys...

Digital vs. Analog

I had the biggest laugh of the day while shaving the other morning and first hearing about Volkswagen's special emissions reduction software that works only when... being tested for emissions. Brilliant! 

Reminds me of the time when Hyundai had to cut the weight of their cars in order to meet US gas mileage standards. Solution: take the stuffing out of their fenders. Classic!

The Open Road...

The Open Road: Photography and the American Road Trip from Aperture Foundation on Vimeo.

Greatest Hits compilations whether musical, photographic or otherwise are usually uneven affairs; the usual played out, super hits squeezed under one rock for those who must have been living under one, and the mixed bag compilations containing a few of the aforementioned thrown together with a few B tracks or outtakes. I opened this delightfully designed book and it most certainly didn't have that run down, retread, let's milk the very last penny out of it feel. Yes, it does lead with the best and brightest usual suspects in the genre, but the graphics, layout and editing make for one impressive presentation! I anxiously leafed through a world class collection, all under one roof that made me want to purchase it right then and there- even though I already had many of the photographs in separate monographs (save for Inge Morath's impressive showing); beautiful reproductions that often contained one or two "new" finds (at least for me) for each photographer featured to add some zest and make it all the more worthwhile. Why then did I leave it lying on the shelf?

Two thirds of the way through I was pretty much besides myself at how solid a find this was; the damn thing had no weaknesses, no filler, no questionable additions whatsoever- and then... and then, the inevitable weak links finally surfaced as the book progressed in its timeline (ie- the eighties and beyond). More recent photographers with their own post modern versions of reinterpreting, reinventing and reconstructing the great American road trip. Not that they were necessary all bad: I do love Doug Rickards' A New American Picture, but Todd Hido's recent work (good as it is) looked kinda pale in comparison, and dare I say it, even Ryan McGinley's selected photographs weren't as bad as expected- but if ya even have to go there... not to mention the few I had no interest in whatsoever (so much for a clean sweep). Pity it didn't include Lizzy Oppenheimer's remarkable Rest Stops- it could have ended on a much needed high note!

Final verdict? A must get if you don't already have the monographs of included favorites- it's one beautiful, well laid out compilation, no doubt about it. And still worth getting, if ya got the idle cash to spare... better yet- save it, and take to the road!

Long Live Film

Personally, I don't give the proverbial rat's ass what anyone shoots. I've never (really) been tempted to shoot digital simply because there were no digital cameras that appealed to me... until now. And since I can't afford what I want, I'm damn lucky that I do like shooting film- the look, the more deliberate process,  the satisfyingly more tactile feel from start to finish... Well, you can skip the darkroom part actually- romantic as hell (granted), but way too much pain and frustration on my part to get things just right (esp w/35mm). Despite its own trials and tribulations, scanning and digital post provide (in most cases) a very viable, hybrid option in the majority of instances.

Anyway, didn't know what to expect with this documentary, but since I am an avid film fan, was hoping for a fun ride... and let's just say it didn't start off well when the first guy up was sporting some silly ass hat thing that screamed pretentious (wannabe) hipster. You'd think by now that the last thing you'd want to portray film camera enthusiasts as is some subcult of pretentious  twenty year olds. And yet that's exactly how this documentary commences as we're presented with about a dozen twenty to thirty yr olds, all pretty much repeating the same thing in their own words, that film: looks different, slows one down and makes you concentrate more. True that, but...

Dang guys- if you want us to get excited about the medium, then ya gotta make the effort! Show us how film looks and feels different, show us the variations and results of different format analog cameras, show us just how tactile and sensuous they are compared to their amorphous, carbon composite, digital brethren. Let's see the the glistening chrome and hear the wondrous pop of a classic Hasselblad, make us feel the refined elegance of a Leica shutter and advance lever, the precision workmanship of a Rolleiflex;  make us revel in the tactile pleasure of wood, metal and leather, the joy of loading film. And how can you have a documentary dedicated to film and not even tease us with the magic and romance of the mystery called a darkroom? What the? Sure all this stuff is briefly alluded to, but... Show Us Goddamn It! You're supposed to be visual story tellers! You're certainly not gonna win any converts by endlessly repeating a three minute mantra. And it certainly wouldn't have hurt to include one or two actual masters of said medium, you know... old farts who have actually lived it their whole lives and have made the shit sing in ways these newbies are just starting to figure out.

Giving Tuesday

AMEN.

The Maier Conundrum(s)

Recently, Petapixel linked to a couple of items of note concerning Vivian Maier, the more mundane of the two concerned this post from The Online Darkroom:

Vivian's photography is of a standard that I imagine I or most readers could have produced given the same opportunity...    
-Bruce Robbins

I think the key word in that statement is "imagine;" anyone's free to imagine they're as good as anyone else. No, she's not HCB. but she definitely deserves every accolade she's earned for the plethora of quality images she created in a time when such artistry was not exactly plentiful. Certain photo critics, historians and gallerists will snub her talent and/or work due to the lack of original prints, and don't take into account the most obvious of factors- how on earth was she then able to assess and improve her work without actually seeing it? And yet, that's exactly what she did- that alone is some unique kind of extraordinary genius in and of itself! Ironically, no one snubs HCB for not doing his own printing.

The author then goes on to assert that she must have had money to burn since she owned a Rolleiflex and shot a lot of film. Huh??? Maybe that's why she couldn't afford (to make) prints, she saved every penny of her meager nanny's salary to acquire basic, but top notch shooting equipment- and simply had to sacrifice on the other end. Not that hard to figure, especially if you've had to live on a tight budget- something's gotta give...

One of the main problems with Ms. Maier is that her extraordinary life story sometimes tends to trump her incredible legacy of work and talent- both are equally remarkable. Interestingly, would we know anything of an HCB, or Eggleston, or... if they hadn't been born into $$$?

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The other issue, the one of considerably greater concern, is found within this article in the NY Times. This is where the Maier saga finally transforms into modern day, capitalist horror story via hostile takeover courtesy of none other than that classic 19th century villain reassuming his rightful position as 21st century scum of the earth. Enter (the oh so appropriately named) Mr. Deal, lawyer and leech of the lowest order, crawling in after the fact, seeking whatever crumbs he can wrest free and acquire. 

In truth, it was the one and only factor that has been missing from this fairy tale of art and longing- up until now we haven't had a real villain, a true foil to Maier's innocence and Maloof's quest to anoint her. The stage is set, the final act has commenced, as bullshit writ large strides in demanding its cut of money and notoriety. This chapter will only add to the legend; unfortunately, when lawyers ride in on the back of the law, the conclusion can be anything but happy.

Korla Pandit- The Original Self Invented Man

Never heard of him till yesterday, and ya gotta give this guy his (major) props- son of a bitch fooled 'em all... Hook, line and sinker. The original self made man!

What Can One Man Do?

Lead us, show us, point the way...  but as with all the greats, they do it with the strength of will from their own two hands...

The Morgan Cowles Archive Party!

All Photos Courtesy The Morgan Cowles Archive*

The Morgan Cowles Archive

Honestly, have no idea how I wondered unto the Morgan Cowles Archive and The Center for Land Use Interpretation, but sure glad I did- despite the infuriating lack of captions that accompany their photos. These ain't "art" photos per se (more your vernacular blend), but many are pretty much just that save perhaps for the slightest difference in angle or lens selection, others still just downright funny. This collection is filled with the roadside sideshows that make a successful road trip both rewarding and memorable going to and coming from whatever main event you have had in mind (particularly when the latter just doesn't add up as is sometimes the case).

Just looking at these gets me plenty jealous and riled up to rush out, grab a rental with the Nikon, wife and Tri-X, and leave the rest behind (before global warming floods us into 100 mi squares of never ending conflict)! Haven't done that in too long a while... 

In the meantime, I'll just have to content myself with some quality time perusing these at leisure- and guessin' where the hell they were taken. 

UPDATE: The good people at CLUI were kind enough to direct me to their Database where you can access the photo locations- Thanks Guys (it'll due till the intern writes up the captions)!

* Haven't seen too many photos lately of a 'lynching' that could make me smile.
 

The Morgan Cowles Archive

The Morgan Cowles Archive

We Destroy Around Us Everything...

Yes, we can do this, it can still be done; we can save what remains of our home (planet) even this late in the game. But we won't- at least, not in time. We rather destroy whatever's left for the next iPhone, the next mega plasma HDTV screen, the next bright and mesmerizingly shiny new object that will occupy the next five minutes of our attention span. Plant a tree??? There's a sale on high capacity magazines! Lohan, Kardashians, I'm a Belieber...

350+

This is some scary shit, and it affects each and everyone of us- there's no hiding, no running away, no ignoring. And it will bite us all- BIGTIME!

"Carbon in the atmosphere greater than 350PPM is not compatible with life on earth. Today we are at 395..." Now watch it in earnest---

They Reveal Their Brilliance Gradually...

(get used to the phrase: posthumous digital reproduction scanned from original negative)

So said Tod Papageorge regarding the genius that are Garry Winogrand's photographs, as he spoke for a good two and one half hours (the closest I'll ever get to the Yale MFA photography program) at SFMOMA about his good friend and mentor. Few bowl you over, but they definitely deliver the goods with a very definite but subtle delivery system that has you scouring throughout the frame for the poetic ironies, quirks and humor that Winogrand delighted in. Not a particularly subtle person in real life, his photographs nonetheless reveal a nuanced balance between suggestion and affirmation that many a street shooter well into this new century clumsily imitate, exaggerate and often never convincingly incorporate.

I have yet to see the show itself (which Mr. Papageorge states is a landmark photo exhibit), but I did peruse the rather extensive exhibition catalogue with its 401 plates. Those expecting a vast new treasure trove of Winogrand wonders produced from his latter day archives will be sadly disappointed. There is "new work" to be seen here for sure, but (and this from a ten minute perusal of said book) seems a good half of it is from the late '50s/early '60s, the other half split between his peak years and his post NYC days. Off hand, I'd say a third of the "new stuff" is classic Winogrand that would have (possibly)* met his stringent standards, the other third consisting of "almosts" divided between his formative and mid career years, with most of the later, unseen work (compromising the last "third") not really up to snuff- including the one predominantly plastered on the back cover of said catalogue. Seems they really did get the cream of the crop from that latter period in Winogrand: Fragments From The Real World. Can't say I heartily recommend the current book, but if you're short on his work- it's more than well worth the fifty! Look forward to seeing the show, and all the old friends I grew up with (come April 9th when the museum's free)!

BTW- What did (ahem!) Walker Evans think about Winogrand's work... "tasteless."
* Mr. Papageorge stated Garry wasn't one to miss a photo in the editing process. 

Cancellations- Art On The Easy!

Photo: Thomas Barrow

At Dusk, the two book set by Boris Mihailov is easily one of my all time favorites. The books consist of panoramics, one in which the prints are heavily sepia toned, the others certifiably blue. The extreme color casts have a pronounced effect, both aesthetically and psychologically. Personally, I could do without them, and appreciate them all the more if printed to standard, cold tone, B&W exhibition quality standards. Mihailov stated that the colored prints more closely reflected remembrances in his own life that the subject matter mirrored in his present. The fact is, it doesn't matter if the quality never rises above work print, the added color effectively masks the any darkroom shortcomings and imperfections (making printing a blessed and absolute ease) and becomes an intrinsic part of the overall aesthetic. Regardless, the quality of Mihailov's compositions will simply not be denied. Great when you can get away with it- he can, and he does.

Thomas Barrow's Cancellations consists of sepia toned prints with a huge X (etched into the negatives themselves); often times it works, usually when the photograph is already good enough to stand on its own without the additional artifice. Sometimes the X effectively serves to join together disparate elements throughout the photograph into a more cohesive composition (I find a black border works wonders for that). Then there are times when it just looks like what it is (with or without a giant X)- a work print of a reject image with blown out highlights and deep shadows devoid of detail that would not make an interesting image even if printed well.

At Dusk's photographs work no matter the printing method; Cancellations looks like Barrows had a few winners (like the one above), a few almosts, and asked himself what he could do to spice things up a notch to present them as a finished package. He needed a hook; I'd call it a gimmick. He claims it's all about bringing attention to the fact that a photograph can also be an art object in and of itself, like any other art form, instead of just a representational artifact. Uh-huh...

Dump Citizens United

This was fun doing. Now, if only enough Americans would get together to ditch this abomination...

(I'm in the M in Dump).

Insects and Donkeys & ... Lisa M. Wood

Lisa Wood (aka- "The Wife") has been on a roll of late, recently getting one of her pieces in the Oct/Nov of American Craft Magazine, her collection of Girls on Donkeys photo postcards on Obsessionistas, and her otherworldly insect dioramas featured in the October issue of The New Fillmore. Nice knowing there's at least one artist in the family (who actually sells stuff)...

American Ingenuity...

Gotta give some of these guys their props- USA! USA! USA!

So... What's New?

New? In the last decade? The one which has probably witnessed more technological innovation in the field of photography than any other period since its inception? How 'bout the fact that most photographers were still using the now antiquated medium called film? It's been a veritable technological sea change: digital capture that surpasses film quality, smart phones with sophisticated cameras, the ever evolving world of multimedia, photo editing software that defies reality...

Then there's the not so insignificant matter of the technology that disperses and promulgates all these images, in some cases instantaneously- of which you know better than I. Not to mention blogs, Facebook and Twitter (allowing us common folk some small voice in all that's happening), and perhaps last and not least, what some are currently referring to as "The Golden Age of Photography Books," brought on by the surge of independent publishing.

And all of that is great and good and wonderful, each of us "free" to pick and use whatever within our means and interests. But despite the glitter of technology, the most significant meaningful trend in the act of photography itself has been how some photographers have chosen to deal with their subject matter, particularly in documentary and photojournalism when dealing with the people that make up their story- not as fodder for mass consumption, but as real live human beings with lives that extend well beyond a picture frame and a deadline. As technology evolves and increasingly speeds us along, some have elected to purposely slow the process down, sometimes long enough to realize that those in front of their cameras also have eyes that see, and voices well worth listening to. These are the photographers who choose to give of themselves as their subjects give to them, those who do long term projects, projects that not only record visually but also investigate causes and seek out solutions. Ideally, the latter would also include empowering indigenous peoples to become media savvy themselves.

This more humane and responsible manner of documentation is not without precedent. Gilles Peress, Simon Norfolk, Susan Meiselas, Jim Goldberg, Sebastio Salgado, James Nachtwey, Ken Light, Mary Ellen Mark, Shelby Lee Adams and Fazal Sheikh all helped pioneer various kinds of multi-faceted, long term documentation well before the digital revolution. And while all the above have continued their work well into this century, other, newer names have committed to expand and further that very legacy:

 Aaron Huey's documentation goes well beyond the extremes of simple romanticism or blatant voyeurism and strives for solutions.

Taryn Simon's multilayered work unveils hidden myths and truths that allow making real life (and even life saving) connections.

Zoe Strauss learned, practiced and exhibited her photography on the streets of her hometown.

Eva Leitolf's deceptively subtle and stunningly beautiful images serve to accentuate the horrors they disguise.

 

Mr. Thomas creates controversial images that can literally shock us into awareness and recognition (or descend us yet further into denial). Pity we don't have more great art that examines its relationship with money, rather than art created solely to make it. 

Matt Black's old school B&W triumphs when it comes to depicting today's troubled economic and environmental landscape.

Brenda Ann Keneally- The strength and passion of her commitment is surpassed only by the quality of her photography and the trust of her subjects.

Hopefully you're already familiar with these names, and their accomplishments- I've surely made some major omissions, so please feel free to include your own additions... I also think Benjamin Chesterton* of Duckrabbit blog should be mentioned for championing this very kind of dedicated photography not only on his blog, but in practice- through his advocacy, workshops and multi-media productions.  * In the interest of full disclosure I do "know" Mr. Chesterton, if only through the interweb. 

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And then there are those who commit themselves to the long term visual documentation of the slow and sorrowful denigration of our very planet; a planet being wantonly stripped and scoured of every last ounce of its resources- 90% of the "big fish" in our oceans have been fished out and our climate would continue to increase in temperature for years even if we immediately shut down every coal plant on earth and stopped driving each and every single car, truck and airplane. And still, we continue to do... Nothing! We're approaching the very tipping point before ecosystems worldwide begin a nonstop cascade to oblivion. Photography may not offer answers, but it can help shine a light on the enroaching threat(s) surrounding us all, threats that will continue to endanger us well beyond the distractions of today and tomorrow's dessert and celebrity photos.

The following photographers are producing the kind of photographic documentation, and evidence, that if not willfully ignored, would make believers of the most ardent deniers. The plethora of highly detailed and comprehensive work created by the first three photographers have expanded into film, the last two photographers are perhaps less known but provide exemplary images of an environment and world community in crisis...

 James Baalog

Chris Jordan

Edward Burtynsky *

Bruce Haley

Daniel Shea

*I criticized Mr. Burtynsky years ago for not being "critical enough" of the criminals responsible for the desecration depicted in his photographs- in a word, I was wrong. There's no way he could continue to have the access he needs and maintains if he was, in fact, so openly critical. It's up to us to have the sense to notice, and the willingness to act... if only to save ourselves.