Stephen Gill

I first saw Stephen Gill’s work at this year’s New York Photo Festival where a group of his black and white still lifes of folded toilet paper made an amusing point in the Kathy Ryan curated show, “Chisel”. But
it was a glimpse of three pictures from his “Russian Women Smokers” series on the blog I Heart Photographs that really caught my attention.

While he is not essentially a still life photographer, these pictures, simple studio shots of discarded lipstick-stained cigarette butts, are at once a reference to the famous Irving Penn photographs and a brilliant series in their own right – elegant, narrative, and redolent of another world and era. While they may not have been possible without the precedent of Penn’s insight, I like Gill’s pictures better.

A visit to Gill’s website shows a fertile mind and active lens, presenting 25 different (or related series) - from a group of prints buried in the earth (to see the effects of decomposition) to several series taken in Hackney, an area of London now undergoing Beijing-like redevelopment in anticipation of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

I particularly like the series “Hackney Flower Portraits” – pictures of people wearing different floral motifs. All these pictures were taken with a camera Gill bought for a dollar at the Hackney market!

Arles

Royal horse guard, England, 2004. Charles Fréger

A sneak preview of images from the Rencontres d'Arles - the annual photo festival which takes place each summer in the south of France when the town becomes host to dozens of photography exhibitions, workshops, seminars, and film screenings.

Every other year a guest curator takes over several of the festival's
major exhibition spaces, and this year's curator is fashion designer Christian Lacroix. It's the first time that the guest curator has not been a photographer, but Lacroix is known to have a deep interest and commitment to photography, a fact I can attest to having met the designer a year ago at France's other photo festival - Hyeres.

While photographers chosen for the festival include some of the big names in fashion photography - Richard Avedon, Peter Lindbergh,
and The Sartorialist -Lacroix has also selected new photographers whose work deals with social, political, and conceptual ideas, as well as vernacular photography and archival photographs relating to the town's history. Some examples above and below.

For those eager to jump on a plane, the festival runs from July 8 to September 14, but the real action starts tonight.

Karen Elson, "English Sunbathing" Northumberland, England, 2001. Tim Walker

Vanités - Allégorie de la caducité, 2007. Guido Mocafico

The most beautiful day of my life. Jean Christian Bourcart

Emma Cruch, known as Cora Pearl. A.A.E. Disdéri, c. 1860

Observations

No. I'm afraid this blog has not landed a six-figure advertising contract with Estee Lauder. Just some observations on their new campaign for Sensuous, shot by Craig McDean (who I'm a big fan of). According to Aerin Lauder, “Each model represents a different side of sensuality. Hilary (Rhoda) conveys youth, while Carolyn (Murphy)'s classic look communicates elegance. As an actress, Gwyneth (Paltrow) brings an emotional range to sensuality and Elizabeth (Hurley) portrays confidence and wisdom." Clearly ethnic diversity was not high on the sensuous value scale. The message I got was the younger you are, the more you can reveal under your classic white shirt!

Meanwhile “New York City Waterfalls,” Olafur Eliasson’s $15.5 million quartet of man-made waterfalls along New York's East River, says to me that not all public art projects work, and what we have here is a strong case of the Emperor's New Clothes. My favorite quote was from the young viewer who said it looked like the Brooklyn Bridge was leaking. Out of the mouths of babes!

Lastly, to finish off our Wimbledon coverage, a final that was played with such commitment, courage, and sportsmanship, it brought a lump to my throat.

P.S.
I forgot to mention that the recent Milan men's fashion shows took up the P.J.s as day-wear in a BIG way. This look, clearly inspired by the postings on The Year in Pictures, from Bottega Veneta.

Weekend Video - Cactus Cuties

I've been waiting for this weekend to share my appreciation of the Cactus Cuties, a Texas based vocal group ranging in age from 8 to 13.
A quintet when this video was made (featuring Andi Kitten - 11; Baylee Barrett - 13; Madeline Powell - 8; Tatum Lowe - 11; Blaire Elbert - 10) they're now down to a quartet. But I won't conjecture why Tatum Lowe is no longer with the group. Of course you worry about the wisdom of having children perform and be commodified this young - but hey, it's
a free country and they sure can harmonize!

A Summer Album

As we head into the 4th of July weekend, a summer album of photographs that are either cool or cooling or hopefully both!

Above one of my favorite anonymous pictures - a summer picnic in which the photographer has resourcefully included herself.

Below - taken at the Central Park Zoo by Magnum photographer, Thomas Hoepker.

Irving Penn's "Frozen Food".

Edward Weston's refreshing photograph of his wife, Charis.

Ryan McGinley's "Dakota".

A rare Giacomelli of the "pretini" (student priests) taken in the summer of 1968.

Arthur Elgort's "5th Avenue".

Elizabeth Taylor by Roddy McDowell.

Steve and Neile McQueen by John Dominis.

A great tennis shot from the current Wimbledon. Unfortunately I
did not note the player or photographer when I grabbed the j-peg. Apologies to both.

Camera Advice

Received this query a few days ago:

Hmm, just lost my camera and am going on Safari in two weeks...I would like a good zoom and fairly light and unobrtusive possibly low light also? Any advice?

Yes. The new Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K is a smallish 9 megapixel camera with an incredible 10x (equivalent to 280mm) zoom. It also shoots high definition video and you can zoom while shooting. The quality of the video is impressive.

The camera is rated four and a half (out of five) stars on Amazon averaged over 90+ reviews (and you know there’s always one person who hates whatever is being reviewed). So having both used the camera and been on safari, I’d highly recommend this. And make sure to get it in black. Silver glistens in the sun and can scare off animals.

P.S.
Just to confirm I have no relationship with Lumix. I just like their cameras.

Fred Woodward

Two more weeks to catch Fred Woodward’s show “Going Over Home” at 401 Projects in New York.

Taken in 1986 to illustrate an article by Nicholas Lemann for The Atlantic Monthly on the northern migration of African-Americans, the photographs deal with the everyday life of Canton, Mississippi - the people, the churches, the homes, the feeling in the air. It’s a moving and classic show, a little bit old-fashioned but powerful nonetheless. And 401 Projects, a funky rough hewn space off the Westside Highway, is the perfect place for this exhibition.

What not everyone who comes to see the show would know, however, is that Woodward is also one of the most creative art directors in the business. The design director of Rolling Stone from 1987 to 2001 and GQ from 2001 to now, Woodward’s blend of type, photography, illustration, and design make his pages works of art in their own right. I don’t usually open a Woodward designed product without getting some rush from the imaginative execution of an idea. So it’s an interesting experience to see some of his creative as well as personal roots. (One of Woodward’s pitches to get the job was that he came from Noxapater, Mississippi - population 500 - not far from Canton.)

It would be hard to say that Woodward’s heart only belongs to photography because looking at his work and his life, he appears to have a big heart, but I have a feeling it’s what makes him tick. This suspicion is nurtured by the fact that one of the most beautiful photo books of the last decade was quietly and without hype designed by Woodward. It’s “Dune” – a compilation of the sand dune photographs of Edward and Brett Weston as lovingly designed as the relationship and subject it covers.

Some more photographs from "Going Over Home":

My favorite of Woodward's book designs.

Some sample Woodward layouts from Rolling Stone:

And GQ:

Zimbabwe Election

"We were just told to go and vote, so we had to. All night they were singing in the street, revolutionary songs, and chanting that we must go and vote. We were intimidated to vote." --Stella, 35

This group of pictures from Saturday’s New York Times showed Zimbabweans on their election day where they were forced to vote for the only candidate, President Robert Mugabe, for fear of punishment unless they could produce a finger colored by red ink as evidence they had cast their ballot.

According to the newspaper, the subjects agreed to be photographed and interviewed on the condition that their faces not be fully visible while the pictures ran uncredited for fear of reprisal against the photographer.

Given the information provided - the first name and age of each subject as well as in many cases, enough of the person pictured to make them identifiable - I'm not sure the story holds together in quite the way the front page treatment suggests. However, as testimonial to the freedom we often take for granted, as well as a creative use of photography, they were a striking group of pictures.

"I put an X on both candidates to spoil my ballot because the result will be the same. M.D.C. has withdrawn, so the result is obvious: ZANU will win. I just wanted ink for security reasons. I fear victimization from the ZANU-PF militia. It is obvious they will come door to door. If they see you don't have ink, they will know you are M.D.C." --MacDonald, 33

"I'm not voting at all because the outcome is still the same. Mugabe still wins. I'm not worried about having ink on my finger. Ink or not, it is the same -- they will beat us." --Agnes, 25

"I spoilt my ballot because I wanted to vote for Tsvangirai. I went to vote because I fear victimization if I don't have ink." --David, 32

"I'm registered in Chitingwiza, but there is no use in spending money on transport to get there when the result will be the same." --Loraine, 27

"I spoilt my ballot because this election is not free and fair. It is a one-horse race." --Sidwell, 34

"We have no choice; we must vote. It doesn't matter who I vote for, the result will be the same." --Mary, 43

"I just wanted to finish the process which was started. I don't want to say who I voted for. I just wanted ink on my finger." --Judith, 65

"I did not register. I moved into town recently. This is a one-man race. It is a waste of time." --Edna, 25

Weekend Video - Flashdance

For some reason, the 25th anniversary of the film “Flashdance” is passing by without the usual fanfare accorded to such decade defining films. So to redress the balance a montage of scenes set to the film's Oscar-winning Best Song “What a Feeling” (music by Giorgio Moroder, lyrics by Keith Forsey and Irene Cara).

For those in need of narrative assistance, a brief re-cap: “Flashdance” featured Jennifer Beals as Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel-mill welder by day, and exotic dancer by night. Harboring dreams of a career in ballet, she is supported by her hunky but kind-hearted boss Nick (Michael Nouri) and her tough but big-hearted instructor Hanna Long (Lilia Skala). Will Alex get in to the prestigious dance academy? Will true love bloom? Will leg-warmers stay in fashion?

Controversy ensued when it was revealed that many of the film's signature dance scenes were largely performed by Beals' dance double Marine Jahan, but the film went on to dominate the summer box-office.

Can we start talking revival here?