8.8.08

Paramilitary policemen in the anti-terror drill display "To Welcome Olympic Games,To Ensure the Security" at Datianwan Stadium.

Early last month, China launched a week-long series of anti- terrorist drills called "Great Wall 5", in preparation for the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games. Clearly not a situation anyone can take lightly.

These uncredited pictures from China Photos via Getty Images are just a teaser for what is sure to be a deluge of amazing sports photographs when The Games start on 8.8.08. Finding the images that transcend the average is something I always look forward to.

Firemen cutting barriers.

Policewomen.

The mighty Segway squadron!

To date, however, the story for me (and I think just about everybody) has to be Dara Torres, preparing to compete in her fifth Olympics as well as just breaking her own record at age 41.

Robert Maxwell, who I think is a vastly under-recognized photographer, took this powerful portrait for the New York Times Magazine showing what 0% body fat mixed 100% iron determination looks like.

Weekend Video

For a change of pace, one of the most visually inventive cartoons from one of the great masters of animation, Tex Avery. The Shooting of Dan McGoo, made in 1945, is a loose remake of an Elmer Fudd short, Dangerous Dan McFoo that Avery produced at Warner Brothers, but is tighter, funnier, and loaded with sight gags and puns.

We’re so firmly planted in the world of digital animation, I had forgotten how rich the old hand-drawn style could be.

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 what effect the decomposition would make) 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!

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 what effect the decomposition would make) 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!

G2

Arles

Royal horse guard, England, 2004. Charles Fréger

A sneak preview of images from the Arles photo festival. The Rencontres d'Arles takes place annually in the south of France when the town of Arles becomes host to dozens of photography exhibitions as well as workshops, seminars, live music and film screenings.

Awards are given to new talent in photography and the best books published in the previous year. Additionally, every other year a guest curator takes on several of the festivals major exhibition spaces. Following Martin Parr, this year's curator is fashion designer Christian Lacroix. It is the first time that the guest curator has not been a photographer, but Lacroix is known to have a lifelong passion for photography, a fact I can attest to having met the designer a year ago at Hyeres.

Photographers he has chosen for the festival include some of the big names in fashion photography, such as Richard Avedon, Peter Lindbergh, and The Sartorialist, but Lacroix has also selected the work of new photographers who deal with social, political, and conceptual ideas, as well as vernacular photography and archival photographs relating to the town's history.

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

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.

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.

Weekend Video

I've been waiting for the 4th of July 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 rare Giacomelli of the 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 - unfortunately I did not note the player or photographer when I grabbed the j-peg. Apologies to both.

A Summer Album

As we head into the 4th of July weekend, a summer album of photographs that are either cool or cooling or 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 McGinness's "Dakota".

A rare Giacomelli of the 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 - unfortunately I did not note the player or photographer when I grabbed the j-peg. Apologies to both.