2014/06/20
2014/06/17
2014/02/19
Gursky Exhibit at the National Museum of Art, Osaka
Yesterday, thanks to a free ticket given to me by a friend, I had the chance to visit the Andreas Gursky exhibit. Known as the maker of the highest selling print, I was impressed, yet a little disappointed at the same time.
Of course, he is a very talented photographer. My favorite three are probably Untitled XIII (2002), Beijing (2010) and F1 Pit Stop IV (2007). Untitled XIII shows a landfill with plastic bags flying in the wind above. Had there been no flying bags, I doubt the image would have been as strong, as they look like angels fleeing the garbage of the Earth below. A very powerful image in my mind.
I like Beijing because I'm a fan of architectural photography, and it showcases a large triangle in the middle, a favorite subject of mine recently. He desaturated most the picture, except for some red on the left side. This reinforces the composition, adding a very graphic sense to the composition.
As for F1 Pit Stop IV, what attracts me to the pictures are two race queens, one which may be a transvestite. They may have been photoshopped in, as Gursky does not shy away from using editing software to enhance his pictures. If it is indeed a transvestite, it certainly adds a bit of humor, considering how manly race car driving is.
The one thing that did disappoint me, though, was reading about him in the book of the exhibition. Part of his success apparently resides in the fact that his prints are very big. From that point of view, is success of a photographer only dependent on the size of the prints? If so, the art world is in a bad state; otherwise, it seems quite reductionist considering his talent.
All in all, though, I was very happy to have gone to the exhibit. It is worth going on weekdays if you have the chance to avoid crowds and really have time to let the images sink in. As most pictures are huge, it is worth staying for each a few minutes, moving back and forth and changing points of view.
Partly inspired by his work, perhaps, here are two shots I took yesterday. Large size, of course! ;o)
All rights reserved, 2014
Of course, he is a very talented photographer. My favorite three are probably Untitled XIII (2002), Beijing (2010) and F1 Pit Stop IV (2007). Untitled XIII shows a landfill with plastic bags flying in the wind above. Had there been no flying bags, I doubt the image would have been as strong, as they look like angels fleeing the garbage of the Earth below. A very powerful image in my mind.
I like Beijing because I'm a fan of architectural photography, and it showcases a large triangle in the middle, a favorite subject of mine recently. He desaturated most the picture, except for some red on the left side. This reinforces the composition, adding a very graphic sense to the composition.
As for F1 Pit Stop IV, what attracts me to the pictures are two race queens, one which may be a transvestite. They may have been photoshopped in, as Gursky does not shy away from using editing software to enhance his pictures. If it is indeed a transvestite, it certainly adds a bit of humor, considering how manly race car driving is.
The one thing that did disappoint me, though, was reading about him in the book of the exhibition. Part of his success apparently resides in the fact that his prints are very big. From that point of view, is success of a photographer only dependent on the size of the prints? If so, the art world is in a bad state; otherwise, it seems quite reductionist considering his talent.
All in all, though, I was very happy to have gone to the exhibit. It is worth going on weekdays if you have the chance to avoid crowds and really have time to let the images sink in. As most pictures are huge, it is worth staying for each a few minutes, moving back and forth and changing points of view.
Partly inspired by his work, perhaps, here are two shots I took yesterday. Large size, of course! ;o)
All rights reserved, 2014
2014/02/15
PR-y: Cornerstone to Distortion
Thank you Maya for getting in touch with me to obtain a copy of the Cornerstone, and a bigger thank you as she waited for my reply over 4 months (I haven't blogged in a loooong time) and was still interested.In the meantime, Distortion was recently released. Rob Walbers is the sole photographer for this one, and it features the artists of Atelier Yamanami in Shiga prefecture. It's available in selected stores in Osaka, and by mail order too. Check this link out if you are interested, the book is really beautiful.
Triangular: Recent Iterations
I haven&t blogged in months. No excuses, really. Who know when I'll blog next? Nobody knows. Particle Man.
All rights reserved 2014
All rights reserved 2014
2013/08/02
Pecha Kucha Osaka vol.2
Mark your calenders, I will participate in the Pecha Kucha Night Osaka vol.2 on Saturday August 31st at Trois Dix organic restaurant in Kitahorie, Osaka. I will discuss photo documentary from my point of view, with a strong emphasis on the PR-y project. I'll do my best to be entertaining, informative, funny and not a complete embarrassment to humanity. Get there early as there is only 100 seated space, and these events tend to fill up pretty quickly. I don't know yet who the other presenters will be, but I'm sure they'll be rather entertaining (check this previous post for a hint of what to expect).
Pecha Kucha nights were started 10 years ago in Tokyo (not all is bad there...) and consist of presentations by people from various backgrounds, usually related to design in one way or another. The format is fairly strict, though: we must show 20 slides, each shown for 20 seconds, making everyone's presentation last 6:40. Since its inception, the concept has traveled all around the world, with events taking place in over 600 cities. They are a great chance to "think and drink" as the creators say.
Hope to see you here in Osaka!
Pecha Kucha nights were started 10 years ago in Tokyo (not all is bad there...) and consist of presentations by people from various backgrounds, usually related to design in one way or another. The format is fairly strict, though: we must show 20 slides, each shown for 20 seconds, making everyone's presentation last 6:40. Since its inception, the concept has traveled all around the world, with events taking place in over 600 cities. They are a great chance to "think and drink" as the creators say.
Hope to see you here in Osaka!
2013/08/01
PR-y: Les Impatients, Montréal
I spent a month back home in July, and during my stay, I took the opportunity to visit Les Impatients, a center offering art workshops and creative spaces for people who had / are dealing with psychiatric issues. This ranges from depression to bipolarity. The name, puns aside, is meant to indicate that the participants are no longer (clinical) patients.
There were a number of differences with Atelier Corners, which I am more familiar with. First is the scale. Working with about 200 impatients in 7 locations, with large galleries and studios, Les Impatients have a much broader scope. Having been established over 20 years ago (at first in a shopping mall!), their output in terms of books, merchandise and so on is impressive (although they really liked The Cornerstone, because they have never done a documentary book like ours). And thanks to their networking, they often collaborate with well established personalities. This allows them to offer more than just working space, including focused workshops and a variety of creative outlets from comics to music.
The other main difference is the situation of the participants. At Corners, the artists are not independent, that is, they could not live on their own. Most have severe forms of autism and Asperger syndrome, and thus conversation is fairly limited. The impatients, however, are for the most part independent and communication is more direct. They asked me questions, made jokes, reacted to my comments; in other words, there were real exchanges. As an example, one impatient was discussing his piece with Laura, the workshop's coordinator. I made a comment, to which he answered: Who are you? I had made the mistake of not introducing myself to him, and his reaction was totally normal. I apologized for my rudeness, and later we went on to have interesting discussions about Japan and art brut amongst others.
This leads me to the art produced at Les Impatients. Although part of the outsider art spectrum, what they produce is fairly unique in that the creators are aware of their production and its place in the art world. Also, the organization prefers to use the term therapeutic art to reinforce the idea that art is a process for the impatients to reintegrate society and communicate with others. And while the terms and activities vary, Les Impatients and Atelier Corners share in the end the same goal, that is to give, through art, a voice to a minority that is not all that different from the so-called majority.
Contrary to Corners, which is mostly government funded, Les Impatients only receives 20% of their funding from the state, meaning they need to raise the other 80%. Corporations play a big role in this, as do private donators. The center also organizes many other funding activities, whether they be auctions, CDs, Valentine Love Letter sets, and so on. Which is better is a difficult question to answer. Dependence on government funding puts you at risk, especially in these days or decreasing social spending. On the other hand, the staff at Les Impatients are constantly working to procure funding, and while some corporations do give year after year, changes in management can spell the end of sponsorship rather quickly.
On a personal level, it was a wonderful visit. As with my visits at Corners, through the interactions with the impatients and the staff, I gained a lot more than I can ever hope to give back. With what I've learned, I look forward to the next activities with PR-y, as some of the things could be adapted here I believe. Also, after talking with the people responsible at Les Impatients and Atelier Corners, the idea of having joint exhibitions was well received by all: the seed has been planted, let's hope it grows into a beautiful fruit tree.
To see more pictures and comments from my visit at Les Impatients, please follow this link.
The other main difference is the situation of the participants. At Corners, the artists are not independent, that is, they could not live on their own. Most have severe forms of autism and Asperger syndrome, and thus conversation is fairly limited. The impatients, however, are for the most part independent and communication is more direct. They asked me questions, made jokes, reacted to my comments; in other words, there were real exchanges. As an example, one impatient was discussing his piece with Laura, the workshop's coordinator. I made a comment, to which he answered: Who are you? I had made the mistake of not introducing myself to him, and his reaction was totally normal. I apologized for my rudeness, and later we went on to have interesting discussions about Japan and art brut amongst others.
Contrary to Corners, which is mostly government funded, Les Impatients only receives 20% of their funding from the state, meaning they need to raise the other 80%. Corporations play a big role in this, as do private donators. The center also organizes many other funding activities, whether they be auctions, CDs, Valentine Love Letter sets, and so on. Which is better is a difficult question to answer. Dependence on government funding puts you at risk, especially in these days or decreasing social spending. On the other hand, the staff at Les Impatients are constantly working to procure funding, and while some corporations do give year after year, changes in management can spell the end of sponsorship rather quickly.
To see more pictures and comments from my visit at Les Impatients, please follow this link.
2013/06/07
Art Salad 2013: Then I find, just the right thing
These days I've been feeling a little bit like Dj Shadow when he used to use samples only to create his masterpieces. He will go down history as the first person to record an album composed exclusively of samples (got in the Guinness book of record for it). In his Right Thing, he talks about the frustration of not finding the right cassette for his mood, although I think he referred more to not being able to find the right beat for his song.
For Art Salad 2013, I'm doing a montage of a few pictures, and it has proven hard to find the final shot. Unlike a painter or designer, I can't just draw whatever is in my mind; I need to find it and photograph it. Painters are right in saying that photographers 'just' capture what is there. But we actually do need to find 'it', we can't just take out our brushes and do it.
This morning, after dropping my little man at the day care center, I went to shoot two prospects, out of which I got some good shots. But then, a little by chance, I found my right thing. After, it was just a matter of sitting in front of the computer and doing the final assembly. And I can say that I'm pretty happy with it. Yeah!
To see it though, you'll need to come down to SoHo Gallery from June 18th to 23rd. As always, I don't know how often I'll be able to be there, although I should go most early afternoons. Hope to see you then!
For Art Salad 2013, I'm doing a montage of a few pictures, and it has proven hard to find the final shot. Unlike a painter or designer, I can't just draw whatever is in my mind; I need to find it and photograph it. Painters are right in saying that photographers 'just' capture what is there. But we actually do need to find 'it', we can't just take out our brushes and do it.
This morning, after dropping my little man at the day care center, I went to shoot two prospects, out of which I got some good shots. But then, a little by chance, I found my right thing. After, it was just a matter of sitting in front of the computer and doing the final assembly. And I can say that I'm pretty happy with it. Yeah!
To see it though, you'll need to come down to SoHo Gallery from June 18th to 23rd. As always, I don't know how often I'll be able to be there, although I should go most early afternoons. Hope to see you then!
2013/05/26
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