Photographs that I have taken #1

In another life, I was a photographer. Recently I went through some of my old photographs, primarily taken during the late 1980s-early 1990s in Washington DC, Texas, France, and in various locations when traveling the US. I thought I might post some of these from time to time. I was very influenced by old school photographers such as Robert Frank, Walker Evans, Garry Winogrand, Diane Arbus, and Lee Friedlander. I also loved the look of grainy, blurred, contrasty film, and played a lot with "blind" shots and slow shutter speed and fill-in flash. The surrealism of the American landscape and public events really fascinated me at the time. I shot these photos with a Canon AE-1 on negative film, which I processed myself and subsequently printed, all using classic "wet" darkroom techniques. These are scans from 35 mm slides documenting 16 x 20 black and white silver prints. 

Colour Photographs from Pre-Revolutionary Russia

These photographs are getting widely circulated due to one of my favorite Blogs Dangerous Minds, but I thought I would repost the link here, as they are absolutely mindblowing. According to the accompanying article: 

The pioneering color photographer Sergey Prokudin-Gorskii was born in Kirzhachsky District, Vladimir Oblast, Russia in 1863. His parents were of Russian nobility with a long military history. The family moved to St. Petersburg, where Prokudin-Gorskii began his studies in chemistry. He was also interested in the arts, and enrolled for studies in painting. Prokudin-Gorskii’s interest in chemistry and art fused with the study and practice of photography. By 1905, he had formulated a plan to use the emerging technological advances in color photography to document life in Russia.  Using different techniques, including those first formulated by Scottish pioneer James Clerk Maxwell, Prokudin-Gorskii started taking color pictures of his homeland in 1909. Tsar Nicholas II supplied Prokudin-Gorskii with a specially designed rail-road carriage which had been converted into a darkroom. Prokudin-Gorskii’s intention in documenting Russian life was to educate children about their country’s rich history and culture. In 1917, the Russian Revolution put an end to Prokudin-Gorskii’s plans, and the photographer left Russia in 1918, eventually settling in France."

Colour Outside the Lines at NZ Film Archive Auckland

Sharp looking invites circulating around these parts for a new exhibition curated by Paula Booker for the Film Archive in Auckland. Opening tonight 8 May at 6 PM with live music "organized by Kraus, featuring ducklingmonster, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Meg & Mog." The exhibit celebrates "music and alternative culture in New Zealand in May, NZ Music Month, Colour Outside the Lines will focus on the staging of outdoor festivals, the Summer of Love, New Zealand hippiedom, alternative theatre and music." Grooovy!

No Meat Puppets shows in New Zealand

I'm very bummed out that the Meat Puppets won't be playing at Bar Bodega in Wellington (nor in Auckland) later this month as had been planned. One of the most intriguing bands of the heyday of SST punk of the 1980s, and nearly indie pop stars in the 1990s, they've reformed in the past decade, and from the sound of it, they're playing with great energy. Thought i'd post links to some Meat Puppets clips and here's hoping that they'll make it down here next year. Below is a recent full concert from Brooklyn, NY, and a short news feature (in two parts) from ABC TV in the US runs down an overview of the bands' history, including interviews with founding members brothers Curt and Cris Kirkwood. And give a listen to Meat Puppets II, arguably the best album released in 1984. Still sounds fucking weird.

Paid internship in Auckland with EyeContact

The Artists Alliance Internship Programme is calling for applicants for a fixed-term paid internship working with the Auckland online art publication EyeContact. For more info please see all the details here. Applications must be submitted by 4 PM Friday May 16th. Sounds like a great opportunity for emerging writers with an arts background. 

Cutie and the Boxer: Noriko and Ushio Shinohara

The excellent Oscar-nominated documentary Cutie and the Boxer (2013) records the daily lives of Japanese artists Noriko and Ushio Shinohara. The title stems from the fact that Ushio (now over eighty years old) makes “boxing” paintings, using a visceral and energetic performative approach, as well as wildly imaginative sculptures of ordinary objects like motorcycles made mostly with corrugated cardboard and other prosaic materials, while Noriko has created an illustrated series of autobiographical adventures of “Cutie” and “Bullie” based on the couple’s long (and often difficult) relationship. Ushio has gotten much more attention for his eye-catching distorted pop concoctions, but both artists have struggled, often living on the verge of impoverishment. Although latter day success is increasing, as shown by visits from Guggenheim curator Alexandra Munroe, whom they hope will purchase Ushio’s work (she eventually did), and two other NY gallerists in the process of mounting exhibitions of their work. Director Zachary Heinzerling’s film is a gripping, yet subtly drawn portrait of two devoted and memorable artists. 

Peter Brötzmann in Wellington!!!

The veteran free jazz saxophonist Peter Brötzmann is playing in Wellington Wednesday evening at 8 pm at Old St. Paul's, 34 Mulgrave St., tickets available from undertheradar.co.nz. Brötzmann may be legendary but he is still tremendously noisy and vital from the more recent tracks I've heard. His Machine Gun from 1968 is still as sharply focused as jazz attacks get. Hope a good number of folks turns out--what better way to fight the increasingly dreary local weather than to hear some ear-blistering old school skronk? Below are a number of great video clips and concerts, to whet yr appetite if you are so inclined....

Dan Arps at Robert Heald Gallery

A reasonably kind person unkindly buttonholed me Thursday evening to ask the meanings behind Dan Arps’ recent show Snakes, tanks, and drapes currently on view at Robert Heald Gallery in Wellington when I caught the tail end of the opening. I initially gave my boilerplate answer, “I’m off the clock…” meaning not assigned to review this show, not working in any capacity, trying to get my head around the art without any undue pressure, maybe even to enjoy it tranquilly. Of course the pressure came from the kind/unkind person, as Robert sidled away and I was left grasping at things to say to this particular individual about the art until I myself had an opportunity to slip away as well. But at any rate, I’ve decided that Arps’ show is worth seeing, some kind of creepily weird amalgam of kandy-colored childlike materials and iconography: intentionally clumsy clay sculptures, printed images of Barney the dinosaur, assortments of appropriated bits gathered together in aquarium-like vitrines. There, that’s about it, my brief report … now back to being slothful and uncritical.

Artist Peter Trevelyan at Massey's Engine Room Gallery

Artist Peter Trevelyan's exhibition of sculptural works created during the course of his doctoral studies is currently on view at Massey University's Engine Room gallery through the 9th of May. 

The Engine Room

East end Block 1,

Massey University

Wellington Campus

63 Wallace Street, Entrance C

Tasman Street, Entrance E