I while ago I received these images from Didier Bizet he created while he spent some time in Mongolia and they made me long to pack my backpack and hit the road. When we are in a new environment we get to see things from a slightly different angle as all is new to us. Our senses are are on alert and everything is just a bit brighter, shinier. I live traveling for a purpose of taking images and it is about time I hit the road again – just to find myself along another dirt road.
The other week I stumbled upon Sanna Kannisto’s work and was absolutely delighted. Not only does she get to call herself a “visual researcher”, but she gets to explore the rain forests in Brazil, Costa Rica and other stunning destinations alongside biologists. As a photographer she is documenting evidence – which is measured, probed and essentially documented. I love the fine line between science and art and the combinations are endless.
Ok, so today you get two instead of one post as I am a little bit excited. This afternoon I was more then surprised when I opened a package – thinking it contained a folder I should redesign and it was a book – hurray. Not only is Simon Harsent’s book “Melt – Portrait of an Iceberg” nicely designed, printed and has a great debossed cover, it also contains the most outstanding images. Not sure about you, but I have never had the chance to stand in front of an iceberg to witness their majestic power, but with Simon’s images I can almost feel the cold, fresh air lingering around me. I got lost staring at them and it took me a while to choose a few to show you, but here are a couple of my favs. Ok, so I should have photographed the book to give you a good impression, but I do not think I would have done the book any justice by photographing it with my iphone, so I borrowed my favorite images from Simon to show you. You can purchase his stunning big (42cm x 30cm) book for $60 here. Oh and make sure to read his bio here and look at his great portraits here. And thanks for the lovey note Simon.
Who thought garbage can look so good? Sasha Tamarin’s “Flotsam” series is a collection of garbage and leftovers he started collecting in different parts of his country. By photographing the items on a clean white background he added a pristine lab condition to his images which removes it from where he initially found them. I am always intrigued by what people get inspired and what makes the go out and photograph. I believe in the end it never seems to matter what it you photograph – as long as you are invested and it is important to you.
There is change in the air, but I am not sure which way it is blowing yet. These days I struggle to find words, let alone make sentences. I started playing scrabble because I thought it might help to find words, but I cant write a sentence with those…. Maybe I need to take some time off to rethink/refresh – dream about what we can do better and different. There is an ever increasing numbers of great blogs and some (not so great) out there and I begin to wonder about the necessity of all of us writing and showcasing different artists. Also to do it well – as you know – takes a lot of time and dedication…. and at the moment I am short on both accounts. Plus every time I start my own project I always prefer not to look at anyone’s work and just go about it my own way. We get influenced on a daily basis and sometimes it is necessary to turn off the computer and get out of the door, even if it is raining. But I am here now, so may I introduce Matthias Heiderich. I discovered his amazing BW work a while ago and waited just for the right moment and mood to show these.
Sorry it has been a bit quiet here recently but I have been busily preparing a brochure, and a 976 page slideshow and am attempting to put together another slideshow for a panel meeting. A while ago I was asked to present UYW at the Cortona on the Move Festival in Tuscany, but unfortunately – due to lack of finance I couldn’t make it, but Fabio Severo a long time collaborator and friend will be there…. So along with supplying Fabio with visuals and brochures, I also needed to sit down and go over UYW with a tooth comb. I always thought it is so very simple, but to explain it to someone else is a completely different matter. I even did facts and figures and while UYW still has a smallish following – I was happy with the outcome. Now I only wish I could be there to enjoy the exhibitions, talks and not to mention the Tuscan sun.
But, on a completely different note – I came upon Scott Hocking’s work today, completely by chance. He had an image of a $25G check on facebook and as all the comments made me giggle and one thing always leads to another – I found his website and his great series “Garden of Gods”. Here is what he says about his work:
GARDEN OF THE GODS is an installation built on the collapsed roof of the Albert Kahn designed Packard automobile plant in Detroit. Only a handful of Kahn’s cast concrete columns remain standing among the rubble, leaving a site reminiscent of both the Roman Forum and Bernini’s Piazza San Pietro. Using the columns as pedestals, the twelve gods of the classical Greek Pantheon are replaced and represented by wooden television consoles found elsewhere in the building. Completed in December of 2009, the new pantheon of gods was documented through the seasons as the structure collapsed, and the TV towers were destroyed. In March 2010, another portion of the roof collapsed, and by April, a 4-story collapse created a semicircular cliff. A few TVs remain, and the structure is rumored as slated for demolition.
