Currently viewing the tag: "photography"
Panasonic announces an optically-stabilized 12-35mm F2.8 Micro Four Thirds lens. The 12-35mm lens is equivalent to the 24-70mm focal length on full frame cameras while maintaining a constant F2.8 maximum aperture. The lens includes a nano surface coating for suppression of flare and ghosting, and has a near silent operation during video shooting. The 12-35mm is extremely compact at less than 3″ and weighs in at under 12oz (~300g).
(via 43rumors, pics by DSLRmagazine)
Could this be the end for Video DSLR’s? The Blackmagic Cinema Camera ($3000) features 13 stops of dynamic range, 2.5K sensor, SSD recorder and touchscreen display.
Read the rest of All I Own: Swedish Students Photographed With All Their Possessions Show How to Live With less
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Post tags: All I Own, anticonsumerism, Art, ikea, Photography, Possessions sculptures, Sannah Kvist, swedish photography
Do these ladies look a tad stiff? What you’re looking at is one of Swiss-Italian artist-photographer Christian Tagliavini‘s “cardboard ladies,” a series of portraits showing women’s fashion through the ages, made out of cardboard. From ruff-collared Elizabethan gowns to 1950s ensembles, Tagliavini’s portraits show the transient nature of fashion. Click through to Ecouterre to see all of the cardboard ladies.
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Post tags: Art, cardboard ladies, Christian Tagliavini, Fashion, Photography, portraits
Life lessons from legendary photographer Mick Rock on the eve of his New York exhibition
Mick Rock is probably not the first name that pops to mind if you're thinking about seeking some career advice. Dubbed the world over as "the man who shot the Seventies," Rock is known as much for his own rock star reputation—he claims his biggest achievement is that he's still standing—as he is for the photographs he took of countless lead singers and wayward musicians during the indelible era of punk. While that might be the timeframe that catapulted his wild success, Rock has endured through it all and continues to be one of the most sought-after lensmen in the music industry today, shooting everyone from Lady Gaga to Tommy Lee.
However, when we caught up with the man himself to discuss the opening of his NYC exhibition at the W Downtown—aptly titled "Rocked"—the legendary photographer inadvertently shed some light on the keys to remaining so relevant over the years. Describing himself as "some leftover from a forgotten era, way before rock 'n' roll ever showed up," his surprisingly humble attitude sends an even more powerful message.
One of the most valuable snippets of wisdom we gleaned from the conversation sums up the passion that Rock's portraits exude. He sagely imparts, "Follow your obsession, because at worst you'll build up a collection. Down the road that collection could have a value. You might make piss-all money right now, but one day you might make a bundle." Rock's obsession found him touring with bands like Thin Lizzy, be-friending Syd Barrett and becoming David Bowie's official photographer. His personal relationships with the bands undoubtedly played a part in his success, but for Rock it's as simple as this: "I like to shoot, it's good for my psyche, it's good for my fucking soul."
For a fan of music in general, photographing any budding musician can still be an exciting moment, but it's not their actual tunes that pique Rock's curiosity. "I'm not looking for the truth, or reality, I'm interested in their aura, what the music gives off, and what their consciousness gives off as performing agents, as artists." Despite his genuine ability to connect on a creative level, occasionally paying the bills is also a factor. Another lesson Rock offers is essentially to learn the dance but don't sell out.
Likening himself to an "uptown prostitute" at times, he extends this insight: "As like any great hooker, if you pay her enough money she will be in love with you for a certain amount of time. Well, I can be in love with you." The magic he seems to impart while shooting, the work he allows himself to take, all of this boils down to a man who knows his craft extremely well. Claiming his rich career was in no way built by design, he also claims you have to study your profession and be willing to compromise.
Arguably a huge part of what allows Rock to transcend time is his ability to go with the flow. He doesn't totally even completely understand his own celebrity, but rather than become reclusive or keep his surplus of unpublished photos to himself, he rolls with the hand life continues to deal him. Slightly puzzled at the recent French Vogue feature on his oeuvre, he embraces his "ghosts of yore" and says poetically, "The past has paved the way for me to come again."
In addition to the traveling exhibition on view at the W, for which he specifically shot Janelle Monae, Theophilus London and several other contemporary stars, Rock plans to publish a set of limited-edition books that will unearth archived photos. First will be a dedicated book on Thin Lizzy (for which he's chosen to get the approval of Phil Lynott's daughter Sarah before publishing), followed by a book with Lou Reed called "Believe It or Not: Transformer" and finally a book on the godfather of punk rock, the iconic Iggy Pop. In the 1970s, there wasn't an abundance of outlets like today's blog-fueled industry, so for Rock, this is a chance to "get all these pictures out there that people haven't seen."
"Rocked" will be on view through 29 December 2011 at the W Downtown before moving on to W Hotels in Washington, D.C. and Seattle.
Build your own digital lomography camera using parts from a gutted “craptastic 5 megapixel vivitar vivicam” and Olympus OM series interchangeable lenses.
An alphabet book illustrated entirely with stones found washed up on the shore
Ten years in the making, Leslie McGuirk's latest children's book, If Rocks Could Sing is now available. A simple A-is-for-apple approach to learning the alphabet is enhanced by the artist's imagery of rocks that take form of both the letters and the words they describe.
The project started when McGuirk moved to Florida and began taking long walks on the beach looking for shells. "All I found were rocks," the artist recalled in a recent chat. "But then I found one that looked like a letter and the idea for the book came to me instantly." From there she began collecting letters and shapes. She recently found a K-shaped rock—the last holdout—and the project was complete.
If Rocks Could Sing is available at Amazon.
L.A. Times photographer Mark Boster shares tips and his new travel series
Most days find Los Angeles Times photographer Mark Boster on what he affectionately calls "the crash and burn shift," taking photos of courthouses, accidents and crimes to accompany the news of the sprawling metropolis of Southern California. But ask Boster about travel photography and you'll get a twinkle in his eye and his unabashed enthusiasm for the subject. Born and raised in Fullerton, Boster has lived in California all of his life and considers traveling around the state to be one of the best ways to see diverse topography and unique vistas. His love for adventure led him to his latest project, a feature series for the Times showing the Yosemite's seasonal changes that will run on the first day of each new season.
With almost as much relish, Boster's eager to talk shop with just about anyone who will listen. Last month that was a large audience at the L.A. Times' Travel and Adventure Show, where, armed with a slide show of his favorite images, Boster talked about everything from how to follow the rule of thirds to not forgetting to pack extra digital cards, batteries and chargers. We followed up with Boster to learn how football, Cesar Chavez and nature has inspired his career.
Do you remember your first camera?
My first camera when I was in college was a Minolta SR-T 100x film camera—it was just a big metal tank, but it was great and a lot of fun. My fist big serious camera was a Mamiya RB67, which was a big giant 15-pound camera. After that I had a series of Nikon cameras.
What do you shoot with now?
All Canon digital. Canon EOS 5D Mark II and a Canon EOS 7D because they both shoot 1080p HD video as well. I transition both of those back and forth between video and still.
Can you remember the first image you took that inspired you to think, "I really want to do this"?
I went to college to play football at Cal State Fullerton. I started messing around with photography and I really loved photojournalism. I thought photography was more fun than getting my head bashed in everyday on the football field. I met people in the photo department who I thought were cooler than cool. Those days a long list of well-known people visited college campuses, including Cesar Chavez, Jane Fonda in her Hanoi Jane days, Russell Means from the America Indian movement. They all came to campus and we got to practice our portraiture.
During my college years I ran into Chavez again on the streets of San Francsico. I started photographing these people and my friends. I met Buckminister Fuller. I couldn't even tell you where all of the pictures are right now, but it launched into what I am doing now. My photography started progressing and football became less and less in my life and photography became more and more important to me. I dropped one for the other because I got a really bad concussion in football and the doctor just flat out said, "You're done or you are going to be a vegetable."
Where did you work before the Times?
I have worked for three other newspapers. I did a nine-month internship at the L.A. Times in the Times Orange County Edition. From the L.A. Times I went to work as a staff photographer at the Whittier Daily News for two years, then graduated to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for two years. After that I went to the Orange County Register for 4-1/2 years. I have been with the L.A. Times for 28 years.
How did the Yosemite project come about?
The Yosemite project came about very innocently. About a year and a half ago I went there on vacation and the water was gushing. The waterfalls were full. The rivers were roaring and I took a bunch of pictures for myself and really had a good time documenting the water. I went back and showed them to the editors at The Times. They suggested that I go back for all four seasons. Then it went from being really fun to being really serious and I thought, "this is pressure!" Now I realize it is going to take the rest of my life to really do it justice. There is so much there. There are photographers who live there and specialize in photographing Yosemite.
Where do you love to go in your off time to shoot photos?
Besides Yosemite, I really love the Carribean Islands. I love traveling here in California. There are so many amazing things to explore here. California is my place, I love it here.
Can you share some advice for people who want to improve their travel photographs?
—Buy a good camera and familiarize yourself with it before the trip. Don't forget to bring extra batteries and digital cards.
—Invest in a good camera . You've paid a lot of money for the trip. Make sure you have great equipment to document your adventures.
—Keep the camera steady. Buy a small light tripod that you can throw in your suitcase.
—Take the time to think in black and white. Since black and white employs the use of subtle tones, gradations, and contrast can be more mysterious and dramatic.
—Embrace the light. Sunrises, sunset and nightfall are the best and usually render more interesting colors.
—Organize your old photos including scanning the ones with slides and negatives.
—Store everything on Gold discs to ensure they last.
Bike-powered sewing machines, the secret iPhone tracker and eggshell carvings in this week's look at the web
1. The Bicycle Cap by peSeta for the New Museum
Spanish bike accessories brand PeSeta tells the charming story of how their clever bike-powered sewing machine came to be, as well as all the details of the biking hat for the New Museum that they made using it.
2. The California Deck
An homage to the Golden State of skateboarding, the California Deck is a handcrafted board made of 100% Canadian maple in the shape of the state.
3. Symmetry
This fantastic video, a sister piece to Radiolab's recent podcast, explores symmetry in a series of split-screen images that just might make you think.
4. A Tiny Day in the Jackson Hole Backcountry
Impressive for its length and accuracy, Tristan Greszko's tilt-shift film is the culmination of Photoshop, After Effects and Final Cut Express skills. Set to Pink Floyd's classic Dark Side song "Time" (the Pretty Lights Remix), "A Tiny Day in the Jackson Hole Backcountry." really captures just how epic skiing a massive mountain can be.
5. Audi A7 Papercraft Model
This video documents graphic artist Taras Lesko making the Audi-commissioned model of the A7 (the brand's new "first grown-up car" model) using 285 sheets of paper.
6. Par Avion
Sherwood Forlee and Mihoko Ouchi, who form the design team The., apply the stylings of a classic airmail envelope to a ringspun tee for an entirely new way to "go postal."
7. Keith Haring at MOCA "Art in the Streets"
Of all the reasons to check out Deitch's mega-show, the extensive collection of works by Keith Haring (including a car covered in his trademark squiggles) may be the most appealing.
8. iPhone Tracker
When two app developers stumbled across a secret iPhone log containing its complete location history, they released this free app to let you view and track the data—not that there's any purpose for it...yet.
9. Eggshell Carvings
Instructable user Bbstudio decided to discover the limitations of nature's greatest design, the eggshell. After experimenting with how much shell could be carved away while still retaining the egg's shape, the resulting visually stunning sculptures seem to defy gravity.
10. Ziiiro Watches
With an inner swirl that tells the hour and an outer swirl to tell minutes, Ziiiro watches poetically tell time in either turquoise or fuschia.
11. Spiral Ballpoint Pen
Designers Han Chi-hoon, Kim Yeon-soo, Park Byong-gon and Kim Sung-geun collaborated on a new ballpoint ink cartridge in a spiral form, an innovation that holds twice as much ink as a traditional pen.
12. WeFund
Like a Kickstarter specific to the artistic community, WeFund, a new web-based program, links creative projects with potential funders in exchange for non-monetary incentives.
A Parisian photographer's objective take on small towns in a dual retrospective
by Isabelle Doal
Upon first glance Eric Tabuchi's photographs merely feature disgraceful gas stations lost in no man's land, Chinese restaurants in improbable settings and skate parks where dull gray tones consume the entire landscape. His subjects seem like superfluous outcasts with to no real place in in the world. His curiosity instead explores the metaphorical confines of belonging to nature, by portraying these humble, fading buildings and objects he reveals realities about our surroundings with new eyes—as a foreigner would do—showing how the outskirts may tell something about the center.
Influenced by the works of Bernd and Hilla Becher, a German photography duo known for their depictions of industrial buildings as typology, Tabuchi—who formally studied sociology—draws attention to the tiny signs located in the margin of normality. He demonstrates how eventually, if not on purpose, things end up looking like each other through instinctive use of the same symbols and aesthetic.
An echo to each photo's outstanding simplicity and stark surroundings, the neutral positioning of his subjects tells about Tabuchi's point of view and approach, which is to remain objective and refrain from creating any amount of melancholy within the picture. He feels the best place for a picture is in a magazine, where it is printed, seen and thrown away. For Tabuchi, pictures are nothing but common everyday life items.
As a delayed secondary effect, the loneliness of these oft-abandoned remnants reaches the observer with their familiar shapes, like how going back home would do. For that reason, when Tabuchi exhibits his photos he always tries to merge them among other objects and forms so that it, as an overall picture, makes a new landscape and in the end a new picture.
The French photographer is also known for his books—most notably for "Alphabet Truck" and his interpretation of Ed Ruscha's "Twentysix Gasoline Stations." With both books and all of his works, Tabuchi did extensive traveling, documenting what looks a lot like America but is actually all shot "within a 250-km radius from Paris."
Tabuchi's extensive repertoire is on view at two galleries in Strasbourg, France. Creating one unified retrospective, "Mini Golf" opens at La Chambre 11 March 2011 and runs through 8 May 2011 while "Indoor Land" is currently on display at Le Maillon and runs through 29 April 2011.
Leather Factory Roberu in Japan has developed three stylish leather and canvas camera straps available in white, blue and black. The canvas straps are all handmade using the highest quality Kurashiki Hanpu’s 6SHIKI No. 9 canvas.
Our interview with ink doyenne Marisa Kakoulas on her grayscale tattoo magnum opus
Originating on the streets and in prisons, tattooing's shades-of-gray genre initially often told the stories of tribal affiliations and conquests or were homages to the deceased. Methods of inking spanned readily available tools and homemade machines could be as random as "a guitar string, cassette motor, Bic pen tube and India Ink," explains Marisa Kakoulas, co-author of the heavyweight book on the subject "Black & Grey Tattoo".
The three-volume tome explores how the artform evolved in technique, materials and popularity, as well as how scale and scrutiny increased with time. Released several months ago, the box-set took a year to put together, which Kakoulas says was mostly spent "researching artists and attending international tattoo conventions," a process that was "exhausting but lots of fun."
We asked Kakoulas—who also founded the tattoo blog Needles and Sins—to lend a little more insight into the style she describes as "art that has a buttery shading on the skin that can appear almost organic on the body."
What schools of Black & Grey tattoo exist today?
There are various sub-genres of the Black & Grey style, and we rather unscientifically broke down the material we collected into three volumes: "Traditional Black & Grey," "Dark/Horror" and "Realism." It's not a particularly easy division as there's cross-pollination among them. The reason we divided it this way is to show how tattoos with similar stylistic elements are interpreted differently by artists around the world.
The first volume, "Traditional Black & Grey," is somewhat of a misnomer as it's simply called "Black & Grey" in the tattoo community. But now that greyscale tattooing has moved in different artistic directions, the "traditional" label is used to set it apart from its offshoots. It's been referred to as "LA style" as many credit the city as the birthplace of the style as an art form. It's other street name has been "fineline" or "single needle" because a sole ink-dipped tip is used to create anything from three small dots ([signifying] "Mi Vida Loca") to full back pieces of religious iconography. And there is indeed a lot of Christian imagery among these tattoos. Jack Rudy is one of the godfathers of this style who, with his mentor Good Time Charlie, refined black and grey and brought it to a higher level of artistry.
"Dark/Horror" delves into personal demons relayed on skin. "Paul Booth", the "Dark Lord of Tattooing," is considered one of the great masters of this style. An interview with Paul is featured in this volume, and in it he discusses why people get these tattoos as well as how his own demons have driven his art. Other tattoos here pay homage to horror in pop culture—everything from Frankensteins to even famous tattoo artists (including Paul himself) rendered as zombies.
"Photorealism" encapsulates work that takes photorealistic art and translates it on the body. While the other volumes also feature realism, this chapter concentrates on portraiture, scenery, and even fantastical images rendered in true-to-life tableaux. This style of tattooing has really invigorated the tattoo community with the possibilities of mastering a difficult art on a difficult canvas.
What other projects are you working on?
My next project for Paul Booth Edition Reuss is another large-format hardcover on comic and cartoon tattoos, and the work we're amassing now is wild. A lot of art that looks like it was ripped from a child's nightmare, plus tons of sexy cheesecake illustrative work. Very trippy. That will be available Spring 2011.
I'd also like to express my gratitude to all the superb artists and collectors in these books. The work is part of a collective mission to present tattoo as a fine art, in the most artful way. I'd also like to say, on behalf of this tattoo collective that, "Yes, we have a good idea of what we'll look like when we're old and wrinkly—and we're okay with that."
Co-authored by Kakoulas and Edgar Hoill, "Black & Grey Tattoo" sells online from Edition Reuss either as individual volumes (€98 each) or as one massive collection for €248. In the U.S. the book is available directly from the author (contact marisa [at] needlesandsins [dot] com) for $350 including shipping.
An interview with the lensman behind "Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking"
The lead lensman and photo editor behind the forthcoming book "Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking," photographer Ryan Matthew Smith captures food and drink with a keen eye for composition, detail and delectability. In a recent interview with Feature Shoot, Smith discusses the making of the 2,400-page tome and his contribution to making the book renowned chef Ferran Adrià says "will change the way we understand the kitchen.”
From compositing several individual exposures for one enticing cutaway shot of hamburgers on a grill to shooting a lineup of eggs with a 308 sniper rifle at 6200 frames per second, Smith masterfully executed and edited the cookbook's selection of images down from the 1,400 he shot. Smith explains that while he had little studio experience before beginning the project, his extensive portfolio of architecture- and nature-focused photos helped prepare him and that "having a strong artistic sense towards photography in general can easily transfer through any of the disciplines from advertising all the way to fine art."
Smith primarily used a Canon 5D Mark II with zoom and macro lenses to create "minimalist, high contrast imagery that really pops off the page." The small team of food stylists and cooks were generally led by chef Maxime Bilet, who Smith says "endlessly contributed cool photo ideas and did excellent styling on the food plating shots," as well as played an instrumental role in the production and engineering of the cross sectional photos.
Building the sets, shooting (and sometimes reshooting) the food and finally editing the photos was a three year process in total, Smith says. The upshot—a meticulously photographed book that demonstrates the full art form of cooking. "Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking" will sell online starting 14 March 2011.
Photography great Mick Rock's new book and exhibition
by Matt Spangler
Photo books flaunting the great faces of rock 'n' roll sometimes seem to outnumber the actual musicians presently vying for their shot. But when one of the last legendary lensmen like Mick Rock takes up the pages, the pictures are worthy of that precious space on your coffee table.
The idea of rock photography itself, following the Internet's democratization of the photographer's star status, will never quite be the same. Rock is among the last of the classic rock photographers, with contemporaries like Danny Clinch, whose own stardom is intrinsically linked to the bands he shot. Arguably the modern-day nightlife photogs Mark "Cobrasnake" Hunter, Last Night's Party and Nicky Digital carry the torch down the path blazed by Rock, but aren't likely to wield the same genre-defining influence as Rock has on the American perception of music.
Celebrated as "The Man Who Shot the '70s," his images help visualize what we know today as rock 'n' roll. A portrait of an unknown David Bowie launched Rock's career in 1972 and he since spent the next four decades capturing the who's who of rock royalty. With a special mix of talent and right-place-at-the-right-time, his career was established.
"London in the late sixties and early seventies was a hotbed of creative interchange. The prevalent hippie philosophy united all manner of artists, musicians, filmmakers, models, designers, actors, writers, and photographers into a unique and fertile community. My timing was excellent. Curiosity and circumstance drew me into the flame of rock 'n' roll." said Rock. The exhibition "Rock: Music" on view at NYC's Morrison Hotel Gallery—aptly located in the former CBGB space—coincides with the launch of Rock's new book, "Exposed: The Faces of Rock 'n' Roll." The exhibition features large format prints of some of the most distinctive music portraits of all time, including rare photographs from sessions with Syd Barrett, Iggy Pop and Bryan Ferry and video art from Dean Holtermann.
"Exposed: The Faces of Rock 'n' Roll" is Rock's latest book and is a retrospective that includes 200 previously unseen and unpublished images from over 40 years of work. It includes images of '70s legends David Bowie, Syd Barrett, Lou Reed, Blondie, Queen, Iggy Pop, the Sex Pistols, Andy Warhol, Rocky Horror and more mixed with the new guard of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Killers and Lady Gaga with a sprinkling of multi-genre heavyweights like Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys and Kate Moss.
Soon following the New York opening, the exhibition will move to London at the Idea Generation Gallery and runs concurrently until mid-January 2011. Fitting for a man who helped define the connection between the two cities, with music being one of the relationships defining characteristics. With British bands Radiohead, Coldplay and 2010 Coachella headliners The Gorillaz still serving as stadium selling forces in America, the British invasion defined by the Beatles, Bowie, and partially Mick Rock seems stronger then ever.
As the pages of his book, the party to launch the exhibition was filled with a diverse mix of rockers and artists like Andy Rourke and Harif Guzman. Watching Rock in the pit of the concert shooting with his digital camera, he didn't let his legend restrict his unbridled enthusiasm for English rocker Adam Green as he snapped flashy pics of the pretty young things with a smile on his face. If anything it reveals the secret of many great photographers—most of his famous subjects are his friends.
"Exposed: The Faces of Rock 'n' Roll" sells online from Chronicle Books and Amazon.
We sit down with R.E.M.'s frontman to learn about his latest creative initiative
When we found out that Michael Stipe was visiting Levi's photo workshop in NYC to conduct a project of his own last Friday, we of course headed down to learn more. There within the tall white walls of the former gallery, dozens of young creative types lined up, all anxiously awaiting their brush with one of American music's greats. As participants full of awe and admiration reached the front of the line, 7-inches and 'zines piled up next to Stipe, who quietly greeted each person, explaining how they would take the next photo before sitting for the following one. After the last subject shuffled through, we sat down with the man whose career spans musician, filmmaker and artist to learn more about what brought him there, his thoughts on brand collaborations and karaoke.
What inspired you about the space initially?
It's got a great provenance in that most New Yorkers know it as Deitch Projects, so some of the creative stuff that's happened in this particular space is pretty legendary and this is a pretty awesome follow-up. It's a very different thing, but I like the openness of it. I guess Levi's is paying for it, but I think it's really cool—whoever had the idea to do it.
For our generation, working with brands was really problematic, no one wanted to be a sellout. But more and more that seems to be just what's happening, do you still have a choice?
I think you do have a choice and my band R.E.M. for instance, have never accepted any endorsement for any purpose that was not artistic. So the line that we draw is a fine line, but anything that is an artform or anything that is artistic or creative, like a film or TV show or some collaboration that makes sense, we're okay with lending or allowing our music to be used, or our name to be used for something like that as opposed to having a tour sponsored by a brand.
Obviously, this is somewhere in that gray area and that's part of what makes it a little bit interesting. It's responding to the needs of the market in the 21st century, but it happens to be a very cool company that's doing it and it seems fairly no-strings-attached. So I'm happy to participate.
How did the space inspire what you're doing here?
This thing? This very simply is a response to a moment in time. In 2010 we find ourselves in—it's not a DMZ, it's not a no man's land—it's like a middle space between what is still photography and what is a moving image. Technology has advanced to the point now that the most recent professional cameras actually don't take still images as much they take short films and then you find the frame that you want to be a still image.
I think that 10 or 12 years from now that is going to radically alter the way we think about what a still image is. And so what we did today is something that goes back to the very beginning of moving imagery with Eadweard Muybridge of course. It takes this very simple idea of a still image and animates it simply. In our case, we're putting it through a Mac and doing a repetitive action that's easy to understand.
How did you choose the subjects?
I just wanted it to feel really democratic, kind of like the space. And I didn't want to do anything myself, I didn't really want to own it. I'm happy to own the idea or to have participated in the idea, but I didn't feel the need to take a picture or be one of the participants in the piece itself.
I like how in a way it's a little bit like a self-portrait daisy chain. I think that term has good and then very sexual connotations, it doesn't have to have sexual connotations! If there's a bad connotation, please strike that remark. Your image is being taken quite democratically by the next person in line, who takes the next person in line.
As an artist I'm thinking about and dealing right now in sculpture with the bust in history. I'm not certain that there's a 21st-century response to what a bust is as a sculptural thing.
What is the historical significance of the bust that inspires you?
Before photography and moving film there were more limited ways in which to capture someone's likeness. In the case of world leaders, death masks were made—or life masks, in the case of William Blake. I've seen a copy that Patti Smith took and made into her version of a 21st-century bust.
This would be in a way, research for me on my version of a 21st-century bust. I'm actually coming away from this with this feeding the other work I'm doing outside of music. This is an idea at the moment. The only sculptures that people know of mine are actually quite limited. There are no busts, that'll come this year.
Why bust as opposed to a portrait?
It allows me to be able to see—if I'm looking at someone—maybe they've got a great personality, but I'm looking at them and going, is this someone who from three dimensions would create an amazing piece that would speak beyond me or beyond my desires as an artist, but might provide comment or commentary or inspire other people who have no idea who this person was. So it's taking something that's quite subjective and trying to, in a very positive way, objectify it.
Do you mind telling us about your tattoo?
This was one I had done in the early '90s, it was maybe 1993 or '94. Now it's a part of me, I don't remember the original intent. I don't think it matters.
What's your favorite song for karaoke?
Oh, good one. 'Justify My Love' by Madonna. It's so retarded, it's spoken word so you can really have fun with it if you've had a few beers too many, and people respond to it well. The easy thing for me is Jimmy Webb songs, Glenn Campbell songs that he wrote because I can actually hit the notes...unless they pitch it higher or lower than my particular range.
Photos by Karen Day
Live crab vending, sound sculptures, an app for healthy food shopping and more in our week's worth of links
1. Paris vs New York, A Tally of Two Cities
A recent NYC transplant from Paris copes with culture shock by creating a lovely blog of simple graphics showing how the cities compare and contrast. Pitted against each other are Le Pain, La Peste, Le Tip and more in this friendly feud.
2. New York: Portrait of a City
From heavenly images of Grand Central to Scorcese and DeNiro on the set of "Taxi Driver," the series of images published by Photo District News is a sneak peek at the just-launched book "New York: Portrait of a City." The work of Taschen and former Photo District News executive editor Reuel Golden, the love letter is a top-to-bottom look at the city as told by a cast that includes some of its earliest residents and some of the world's finest artists. (Philip-Lorca diCorcia's "42nd Street" 1996, pictured above.)
3. ShopWell iPhone App
A new app allows you to easily comparison shop at the grocery store, searching its exhaustive database just by scanning a barcode. Results include nutrition info, personal reviews and alternative options.
4. Haslinger Collection of Vintage Heuers
Selectism gets a preview of sale by Bonham's upcoming auction of Arlo Haslinger's near-mint collection of 1960s-1980s watches, most of which were featured in his seminal book Heuer Chronographs. Highlights include the 80 vintage Heuer chronographs from Haslinger’s personal collection and a TAG Heuer 1/1 limited edition watch signed by Jack Heuer with proceeds benefitting Green Cross International. Check out Hodinkee's video to learn more about the collector and the brand's racecar heritage.
5. The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Vanity Fair shows an excerpt from the new coffe-table book "The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," featuring rare photos of the set and annotated behind-the-scenes details.
6. Bringing Colour to Life: The Making of the Pixma Campaign
A behind-the-scenes look at how the creative team at Dentsu made sound sculptures for a recent Canon commercial, this video is a HDSLR and sound sculpture nerd's dream-come-true. For those who just want to see more pretty pictures, there's plenty of slow motion footage of the neon-hued paint splatters too.
7. Live Crab Vending Machine
Whether dispensing ramen or safety, there's not much vending machines can't do. Now in addition to one in Japan that sells bananas, this video shows how a Chinese inventor came up with a way to automate crab sales by keeping them at temperatures that cause them to hibernate. A sign on the machine promises three free crabs if you get a dead one.
8. Richard Chai x Snarkitecture
The latest in the Building Fashion series (collaborative pop-ups pairing architects and fashion designers) sees rising fashion darling Richard Chai hang his clothes in a futuristic cave that art and architecture duo Snarkitecture hand-carved out of white architectural foam.
Levi's launches a temporary space serving NYC's photography community
Dial the clock back a few years and Levi's was just another Big American Brand rapidly losing marketshare to other major labels and niche denim brands. Today (approximately one global financial crisis later) the San Francisco, CA-based clothier is mid-comeback with numbers to prove it and an unfolding multitiered campaign fueling the upswing. Of their various billboards, collaborations and promotions all under the banner "Ready to Work Go Forth™" the artistry-led workshops might not seem like such a big deal. But after visiting both the first S.F. printmaking installment earlier this year and the current photography version in NYC, I am hugely impressed by not just how well-executed they are but by the sense that there's some real heart behind the project. To find out the backstory, we checked in with Levi's head of Collaborations, Partnerships and Creative Concepts, Joshua Katz, who filled us in on what it's like working with the brand, the power of community, and what drives the different identities of each workshop.
Where San Francisco's event drew on the "precious objects" culture that makes printmaking thrive there, the ten-week-long NYC edition is more about the democratic nature of photography and how it's "interwoven into everything" in the city. As such, there's a little something for everyone in the massive space (formerly Deitch Gallery) with digital and vintage Leica cameras, other vintage camera brands, digital technicians, photo assistants, a printing center and light box, as well as exhibitions and installations. Collaborators include photographer and curator Tim Barber, Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner, master photographer Bruce Davidson, chef April Bloomfield, and photography publisher Hamburger Eyes. Launched last night with an event featuring droves of guests, a photobooth, lots of drinks, and DJ duo Chances with Wolves, Katz explains, "the reason a lot of brands don't do this is because it's hard, it's tiring."
The payoff of course is "if you make that extra effort, people can believe in it." Or in other words, their success comes from embracing hard work and community as core values from the top down. "There are fundamental philosophies that don't change," says Katz. "The [brands] that stick around are people who recognize that they are part of a community." In addition to opening its doors to artists, community groups and non-profits, all proceeds from sales of Levi's goods (including the exclusive Trucker Jacket, pictured) and camera-related items will go to NYC-based charitable organizations Harvey Milk High School, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Edible Schoolyard New York.
Comparing his current job to his previous work with Quicksilver, Katz describes his own thinking on brands as having "a certain obligation to the people that wear them, to continue to solve their problems through products and be responsible members of their community."
And as for Katz' own role in that community? "I'm still a geek, I'm still a fan...photography is a way to ground me and remind me, capture some of those moments, and record what I do." Where he'll be documenting next as the project continues is still under wraps, though it shouldn't come as any surprise that it will have something to do with music.
Until then, check out the calendar for a full list of NYC events (it runs through 18 December 2010) and see more of our images in the gallery below.
Explore Brooklyn creativity in the borough's homegrown photo contest
The New York Photo Festival celebrated its third year this past May, but that wasn't enough for the event's cofounder Daniel Power (who's also the PowerHouse Books CEO and a former VII Photo director). Today the NYPH announced a contest called Capture Brooklyn.
Photographers can submit their work for a chance to show at The powerHouse Arena in Dumbo, Brooklyn during the Dumbo Arts Festival 24-26 September 2010. The event attracts 150,000 over the three days, but the images will stay up until 15 October 2010. The goal is to aggregate images that capture Brooklyn as the new place for literature, music, art and photography in New York.
You can submit up to three images for $25 or up to six for $50. Winners will be asked to bring in their work in early September.
One of the best tilt-shirt/time-lapse videos I’ve seen in a while. Bitter*Girls does a great job applying modern technology to one of Japan’s most ancient and honorable contact sports!
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Made in 1985, this Voltron Camera toy starts out as a mild-mannered SLR (inset), but then converts into Voltron: Defender of the Universe! The top part of his body is actually a working 110 camera, while the big “SLR” lens is a fake. Made in Macau and sold by Impulse Ltd. of Missouri.
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