Yes, I know - it's a tough life. I am currently in Paris visiting the Paris Photo art fair, meeting with photographers, curators, etc. and was just doing the same in London.
Lots of images to upload when I have a minute, but having left Christies' after-exhibition party at 1 in the morning and with two important meetings early tomorrow, you'll hopefully excuse me.
Daniel Gordon is having his moment. A 2005 Yale MFA grad, Gordon’s photographed sculptural collages (see first image below) are one of six groups of work featured in MoMA’s current “New Photography” show which addresses the concept of image collection and creation in the studio or darkroom. I have to say I’m not crazy about these pictures. (They’re a little too violent for me.) But this past Saturday I just managed to catch the last day of Gordon’s exhibition at Leo Koenig – a sampling of a much earlier project of “flying” pictures - which I really liked a lot.
A group of self-portraits taken starting ten years ago in the Hudson Valley and the Bay Area, the extremely athletic artist recorded himself flying — if only for 1/125th of a second at a time. The images are both landscapes and performance documents, humorous and surreal, playing with the notion of how photography can deceive and enchant.
What was particularly refreshing was to see something that was new and gutsy both conceptually and physically. The laws of physics mean that he does after all have to crash. But how nice to see something vibrant and life-affirming and unexpected.
More flying pictures:
I'd like to know how many Republican (or indeed other Democratic) Senators can do this! Al Franken, the comedian turned Senator draws a map of all 50 states from memory during an appearance at the Minnesota State Fair this fall. Lambasted by the right for being a liberal lightweight, this demonstration of cartographical knowledge, dexterity, and drawing skill certainly impresses me! (Forgive the annoying music on this clip or turn it down!)
AP Photo/Australian Antarctic Division, Murray Potter
Looking more like a work of earth art or a cross between a Lynn Davis and a Sugimoto than a natural phenomenon, this large iceberg was recently spotted about halfway between Antarctica and Australia, a rare sight in waters so far north.
Australian Antarctic Division researchers working on Macquarie Island, about 930 miles southeast of Tasmania, first saw the iceberg last Thursday about 5 miles off the northwest coast of the island. The iceberg, about 160 feet high and 1,640 feet long, is probably part of one of several larger icebergs that broke off Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf between 2000 and 2002.
Scientists believe the iceberg will break up and melt rapidly as it continues its journey north. So get moving if you're interested in this particular photo-op!
The iceberg as seen from Macquarie Island.
It's always an honor to have a show mentioned in The New York Times, and even more of an honor to be the subject of The New York Times Magazine picture editor Kathy Ryan's first ever blog post! Click here to read her entry and see the pictures she was so enthused by.
I was walking along 23rd Street when my eye was caught by a poster of what was clearly a Shepard Fairey work. Before you let out a groan, let me quickly reiterate that I've always been a fan of Shepard's art. That was what drew me in to researching his sources in the first place. But let bygones be bygones. I love this piece and the way Shepard creates a ground of collaged old newspapers to add depth and resonance to the simplicity of his graphics. (Click on the picture above to see it in more detail.)
The work is currently on display at Deitch Projects in Soho - part of Stage 09 - a benefit exhibition with all the proceeds going to Lance Armstrong's LiveStrong Foundation. For a quick online view of the full exhibition click here.
Oh, and I nearly forgot, as you can see from the detail below, Shepard is now crediting his photographic sources. In this case, Los Angeles wedding photographer Dina Douglass of Andrena Photography. This link is obviously to a different picture than the one Shepard used, but it's all good positive stuff!
A lot of good images that were new to me popped up over the last week. Above - "South Downs Way, West Sussex, 8th October 2007." By Simon Roberts from his new book "We English".
Then "2nd Class Girls, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2007" by Rachel Papo.
Charles Trainor, a photographer from the Miami Herald came to photograph me for a story they're doing on dealers getting ready for Art Basel Miami Beach. Before he left, he mentioned that his father had also been a photographer. As you can see from the picture above of Elvis in 1956 and The Beatles and Ali in 1964 - that's certainly an understatement!
Finally, last week I was asked at the very last moment by my friend Jean-Jacques Naudet to drop by a reception for an old Paris Match photographer at the Oleg Cassini mansion off 5th Avenue. I didn't know what to expect but went out of courtesy to J-J, only to meet the most elegant and courteous photographer - Benno Graziani - and revel in his pictures of the jet set. That's his photograph of Jackie and the paparazzi, Port d'Amalfi 1962 - below.
And Gianni Agnelli and his yacht-guest Heidi von Salvisberg, Beaulieu 1967 - above. Talk about the swell life!
