Nick Knight's SHOWstudio Shop is now open for business...
How about a stuffed tiger for € 57.000,- ??
...or a UnionJack customized by John Galliano for € 28.000,-
Friday, July 17, 2009
SHOWstudio Shop
Nick Knight's SHOWstudio Shop is now open for business...
How about a stuffed tiger for € 57.000,- ??
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Albert Watson on FotoTV.com
.. continuing my "series" of reviews and comments on the interviews with some great photographers on FotoTV.com, a photographers photographer, Mr. Albert Watson !
It's really true what Mr. Watson is saying in this interview, a lot of photographers have a deep respect and admiration for his work, I'm one of them !
Whenever his name comes up in conversations with colleagues there is usually a short silence and then an exclamation of some sort....
He's really a photographers photographer !
I really sympathize with his refusal to get boxed in and labeled ".........photographer" or "........photographer" which surely must have cost him something.
But in the end I cannot help to notice the sparkle in his eyes when he talked about "change" and how that excites him and moves him.
I guess, at the end of the day, he's happy with the position he's carved out for himself and wouldn't want to change that.
I also had to notice how aware how his own images he was using the terms Iconic and Heroic to describe the red thread through his imagery.
A lot of people I know don't seem to understand what their images are all about but Mr. Watson impressed me with his insight.
(For me) the next project on the horizon is always the most exciting and what You did last week is already old news, and I believe Mr. Watson feels the same way...
Whenever his name comes up in conversations with colleagues there is usually a short silence and then an exclamation of some sort....
He's really a photographers photographer !
I really sympathize with his refusal to get boxed in and labeled ".........photographer" or "........photographer" which surely must have cost him something.
But in the end I cannot help to notice the sparkle in his eyes when he talked about "change" and how that excites him and moves him.
I guess, at the end of the day, he's happy with the position he's carved out for himself and wouldn't want to change that.
I also had to notice how aware how his own images he was using the terms Iconic and Heroic to describe the red thread through his imagery.
A lot of people I know don't seem to understand what their images are all about but Mr. Watson impressed me with his insight.
(For me) the next project on the horizon is always the most exciting and what You did last week is already old news, and I believe Mr. Watson feels the same way...
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Ed Ruscha at FotoTV.com
Ed Ruscha on FotoTV.com here
It is great to see a "photographer" who sees himself (herself) as more than just a photographer. I sometimes find "photographers" narrow minded when it comes to their medium (or other mediums)...
Some photographers are scared to death of blurring the lines between different ways of expressing themselves and end to cling to photography as to a life-vest that will save them from all of these unknowns out there...
I really like the idea of someone as a "image-maker" as opposed to a more narrow description.
You can hear echoes of this sort of reasoning when people dismiss some expression just because "it's not .......(fill in the blank) anymore"
It seems to be easier to discuss the category (photography - non-photography) than the actual merit of the work.
It is great to see a "photographer" who sees himself (herself) as more than just a photographer. I sometimes find "photographers" narrow minded when it comes to their medium (or other mediums)...
Some photographers are scared to death of blurring the lines between different ways of expressing themselves and end to cling to photography as to a life-vest that will save them from all of these unknowns out there...
I really like the idea of someone as a "image-maker" as opposed to a more narrow description.
You can hear echoes of this sort of reasoning when people dismiss some expression just because "it's not .......(fill in the blank) anymore"
It seems to be easier to discuss the category (photography - non-photography) than the actual merit of the work.
Back again ! (Iconic Girls)
Hi all !
I'm back online after 3 days of black-out due to kids (or thugs) "breaking and entering"
...here a short movie using printouts from my recent Iconic Nordic shooting, dispersed in the Berlin cityscape.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
XOOOOX at CircleCulture gallery
Above, girl-about-town, Minu Barati for Park Avenue Magazine, outside the amazing Boros Collection, a must-visit if You happen to be in Berlin.
"The mystery surrounding the Berlin street art phenomenon XOOOOX continues to provoke questions. The seductive,
introverted-looking women stenciled on building facades and construction fences have fascinated passers-by from Milan to New York City, but what exactly do they mean? And who is hiding behind the name – a man, a woman or a group of young street artists? Since being arrested for graffiti vandalism in the late 1990s, XOOOOX has refused to reveal an identity to avoid trouble with the law.
The second solo exhibition at Circleculture Gallery in Berlin will once again highlight XOOOOX’s unique understanding of the contemporary fashion world.
On display are delicate stenciled works and installations in an arte povera style that consist of weathered and decaying materials. In these works XOOOOX distinctly contrasts the glamour of fashion culture with existentialist themes such as vulnerability and transience. The life-size stencils of professionally styled photo models form the leitmotif of the figurative “studies” and scrutinize the worship cult and the seduction techniques of haute couture. Beguilingly beautiful, XOOOOX’s women convey a sense of melancholy and introversion and allude to the growing displeasure with the uniform, consumption-driven hype of the fashion industry.
Using transitory media such as exposed building facades, worm-eaten wood, rotting fabric and rusty metal, XOOOOX grounds this apparently glamorous theme in the street, but the artist’s aim is not to deconstruct fashion culture. XOOOOX pays homage to traditional haute couture while levelling criticism at the over-industrialization of fashion as a cultural artefact of our time.
A signed, limited print edition of XOOOOX’s work will be published on the occasion of the exhibition for a price of 95 euros. It is available at www.circleculture-gallery.com or at the gallery."
"The mystery surrounding the Berlin street art phenomenon XOOOOX continues to provoke questions. The seductive,
introverted-looking women stenciled on building facades and construction fences have fascinated passers-by from Milan to New York City, but what exactly do they mean? And who is hiding behind the name – a man, a woman or a group of young street artists? Since being arrested for graffiti vandalism in the late 1990s, XOOOOX has refused to reveal an identity to avoid trouble with the law.
The second solo exhibition at Circleculture Gallery in Berlin will once again highlight XOOOOX’s unique understanding of the contemporary fashion world.
On display are delicate stenciled works and installations in an arte povera style that consist of weathered and decaying materials. In these works XOOOOX distinctly contrasts the glamour of fashion culture with existentialist themes such as vulnerability and transience. The life-size stencils of professionally styled photo models form the leitmotif of the figurative “studies” and scrutinize the worship cult and the seduction techniques of haute couture. Beguilingly beautiful, XOOOOX’s women convey a sense of melancholy and introversion and allude to the growing displeasure with the uniform, consumption-driven hype of the fashion industry.
Using transitory media such as exposed building facades, worm-eaten wood, rotting fabric and rusty metal, XOOOOX grounds this apparently glamorous theme in the street, but the artist’s aim is not to deconstruct fashion culture. XOOOOX pays homage to traditional haute couture while levelling criticism at the over-industrialization of fashion as a cultural artefact of our time.
A signed, limited print edition of XOOOOX’s work will be published on the occasion of the exhibition for a price of 95 euros. It is available at www.circleculture-gallery.com or at the gallery."
Friday, July 10, 2009
Suzy Menkes report from Berlin
As earlier mentioned, Suzy Menkes, of Herald Tribune / NYTimes. covered Berkin FashionWeek for the first time this serason...
Her account here.
Her account here.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Paris Haute Couture
MJ tribute, Stockholm by DanceCollective "Bounce" vs. flocking starlings in England
Truly amazing !!!
I love the viral growth of the dancing crowd...
"These are two performances made at Segels Torg and the Central Station. The dance collective Bounce came up with the idea and invited the public to a short choreographed session before hitting the streets..."
This phenomenon is called "flash mob" and has it's (rough) mirror image in nature click here to watch amazing imagery about flocking starlings
Commercial work is the new editorial...
I have been "teaching" and speaking to Young photographers for some time now and one of my pet-peeves is talking about the shift of "image" from the editorial field to the commercial...
It used to be that editorials where the "strong/cool" things to do where You build Your image and later on the commercial work would follow as a reward.
I argue that that hasn't been true for a long time now and the example that I always bring up is the Teller / Jacobs collaboration that has been going on for over a decade now.
I'm blown away by the consistency and courage of this campaign.
I wouldn't say I'm super impressed by the images but it's more the doggedness that hits me...
"For over a decade Juergen Teller has worked with Marc Jacobs on the advertising campaigns for each of the Men’s and Women’s Marc Jacobs collections, Marc by Marc Accessories and perfume lines. This unique collaboration started eleven years ago when Marc suggested Juergen should shoot his friend, Sofia Coppola with his bags in a snowfilled Central Park. Setting a precedent for future campaigns, this formed the beginnings of a signature style using friends and extended family as models in various settings, creating an extension of both Teller’s and Jacob’s worlds.
Models have included: Charlotte Rampling, Meg White, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, Michael Stipe, Rufus Wainwright, Harmony Korine, Cindy Sherman, William Eggleston, Samantha Morton, Winona Ryder, Roni Horn, Victoria Beckham and Juergen Teller himself among others.
Teller’s idiosyncratic visual style and use of unusual models has been instrumental in establishing what has become one of the pre-eminent fashion brands of our times.
This book brings together a selection of images from all the campaigns into a collection that marks how significant this collaboration has been in both fashion and visual culture."
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Berlin Punks and their dogs... a meme ?
Why are all (Berlin) punks always accompanied by a few ragged, semi-stray dogs, forming a loose rag-tag band, the pure definition of a Motley Crew?
Is this a meme ?
Is it some sort of remnant of vague animal-rights affiliations ?
... some sort of "traveller-gypsy-thing"
Please let me know if You have any theories about this !
Free the movement of people over national borders, please...
I came across two pieces of interesting info in the same day relating to the benefits of free movement of people over national borders and the fact that immigrants in study after study are found to commit less crime than native-borns...
This is something that both the conservative left and the conservative right have enormous trouble with...
Basically a country or area that shuts itself off from the rest of the world will stagnate.
The free movement (of money, goods, people...), trade, exchanges of new ideas are essential to the development and welfare creation.
"Numerous studies by independent researchers and government commissions over the past 100 years repeatedly and consistently have found that, in fact, immigrants are less likely to commit crimes or to be behind bars than are the native-born. This is true for the nation as a whole, as well as for cities with large immigrant populations such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Miami, and cities along the U.S.-Mexico border such as San Diego and El Paso."Firstly Radley Balko, Reason Magazine (via Johan Norenberg) an article about the city of ElPaso with a very high percentage of immigrant poulation, and the fact that the city is one of the safest and "happiest" cities in the US.
Here, as a pdf, a letter that was sent to President Bush by numerous academics specializing in immigration issues
Secondly, even the monarch of Sweden, H.M. King Karl XVI Gustaf seems to be a free trader and anti-protectionist.
In a press meet with, among others The Economists "Charlemagne" he spoke on the importance of not closing borders but in fact ease the flow of ideas, goods, people and money...
"The world is experiencing the worst economic crisis since the 1930s. While taking measures to overcome this crisis we need to safeguard the free movement of goods, services and, most importantly, people across international borders. Some see the movement of people as a threat to our security and a challenge to our societies and economies. I do not agree. Time has come to look at mobility of people as an opportunity to enrich our societies and make Europe stronger and more prosperous. We must guarantee the individual's human and legal rights. We must avoid building walls between people and strongly support measures for satisfactory integration of all into our societies."
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
"One & Other" by Anthony Gormley
Antony Gormley on the Fourth Plinth from One & Other on Vimeo.
Watch the project here on SkyArt...
... again, on example of "open source" in reality !
"Every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days without a break, a different person will make the Plinth their own. If you're selected, you can use your time on the plinth as you like. One & Other is open to anyone and everyone from any corner of the UK. As long as you're 16 or over and are living or staying in the UK, you can apply to be part of this unforgettable artistic experiment."
"This summer, Antony Gormley’s One & Other takes over London’s Trafalgar Square in one of the biggest public art projects the country has seen. 2400 people will get their chance to make their mark in the glare of the public eye and our cameras. We will be streaming everyone’s hour of fame live on our dedicated One & Other website."The Lens (4 websites worth visiting)
Ny times blog "Lens" (dedicated to visual journalism) highlights 4 websites worth visiting here...
Monday, July 6, 2009
Araki = Fearless
... after watching a great interview on FotoTv.com with superstar photographer Araki I was completely blown away by the his fearlessness.
True, he seems to be breaking every rule, especially the photographic ones...
Is it that the older You get the less You fear things ?
In Araki's case I certainly think so...
Of course success plays a role as well, You keep on doing what You're good at.
Araki, as well as Duane Michals stresses the fact that You need to pour Yourself into what You shoot.
In Araki's case he's essentially chronicling his own life dashing around, frolicking with nude, and semi-nude geishas, and obviously having a great time.
Anything is a worthy Araki subject: cityscapes, genitals, toy dinosaurs and his beloved old cat Chiro...
His collegue and friend Moriyami, in being asked to describe Araki, simply put it "Araki is a camera"
...the world is a much better place now !
"Modern dairy practices require considerably fewer resources than dairying in 1944 with 21% of animals, 23% of feedstuffs, 35% of the water, and only 10% of the land required to produce the same 1 billion kg of milk. Waste outputs were similarly reduced, with modern dairy systems producing 24% of the manure, 43% of CH4, and 56% of N2O per billion kg of milk compared with equivalent milk from historical dairying. The carbon footprint per billion kilograms of milk produced in 2007 was 37% of equivalent milk production in 1944."
Modern technology will make things better !!!
(I saw this at Alltid Varför (in swedish) which in it's turn got it from the Journal of Animal Science)
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