Sunday, August 31, 2008

What Is Art?


"Like ethics, logic, theology, epistemology, metaphysics, etc., aesthetics is a branch of philosophy, in this case the branch that deals with our powers of sensory perception; more specifically, with how we attempt to understand and evaluate the external phenomena registered by our eyes and ears. When the composition that delights, thrills, captivates, or challenges our sensory receptors has been created for that very purpose, we call it art."

- Tom Robbins,
What Is Art and If We Know What Art Is, What Is Politics?

Friday, August 29, 2008

Will Steacy


- Will Steacy is a photographer who's work I really like. Check out his website here, I especially like his two series All My Life I Have Had The Same Dream and The Long Way Home. Also check out his blog here which is an interesting read, his recent post on Jacob Holdt is great.



© Will Steacy

Crystal Stilts


Crystal Stilts - S/T

- Crystal Stilts is a band from Brooklyn that originally formed as two piece in 2003. They eventually added more members including the bass player from Ninjas and the drummer from Vivian Girls. Their sound could be compared to a dreamier Velvet Underground or The Jesus and the Mary Chain, even fans of Interpol will be pleased. The record compiles their 12" ep and the Shatterd Shine 7". I can't stop listening to this, Woodsist have done it again, releasing another gem of a record. Can't wait to hear more from this band.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Coley Brown


- Another photographer that I found while browsing through the fjord website was Coley Brown. Brown's work is somewhat reminiscent of Ryan McGinley. You can see more work here.



© Coley Brown

Jonathan Feinstein


- I was looking through all the photographers on the fjord website and came across some really great work. Jonathan Feinstein was a stand out. His portraiture is absolutely beautiful. Check out more work than what is on fjord over at his website here.



© Jonathan Feinstein

Monday, August 25, 2008

Chris Gergley


- Yesterday at work I was looking through an old catalogue from Utopian Mirage: Social Metaphors in Contemporary Photography and Film, a show that took place last year at The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, and fell in love with the work of Chris Gergley all over again. I can't seem to find an official website for his work
but you can see some images here and here.



© Chris Gergley

Matt Kindt


- I just finished reading both of Matt Kindt's graphic novels, Super Spy and 2 Sisters. Super Spy is obviously a spy thriller, its about about cyanide, pen-guns, heartbreak and betrayal. It takes place during World War II and spans the countries of Spain, France, and Germany following the life of six spies and their intersecting relationships. It was named one of the Top 10 Graphic Novels of the Year by Booklist and the "Indie book of the year!" by Wizard. 2 Sisters is another World War II spy thriller that spans both continents and centuries. From England to Spain, from ancient Rome through the era of pirates and buccaneers, this is the backdrop for the unique tale of two sisters, their relationship, and the secrets they share. Both books were amazing, I couldn't put either of them down. The stories and the illustrations are genius and unlike anything I've seen in a graphic novel before. Super Spy continues to win Matt Kindt prestigious awards in the comic world and he is working on two new books that I can't wait for. Check out his website for limited edition prints and other information and also check out his blog to stay up to date on what's happening next in this exciting artists life.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Colleen Plumb


- I found Colleen Plumb's work on Brian Ulrich's blog the other day and fell in love with her series Animals Are Outside Today. Im not usually fond of pictures of animals(except of course for Alessandra Sanguinetti's On The Sixth Day) but this work is a true gem. She just recently was one of the winners of the Hey, Hot Shot! contest, which gives me all the more reason to make it to Jen Bekman Gallery tomorrow to see the show before it closes. See more of her work here. From her statement,

"My photographs examine the persistent and increasing disconnection that exists between humans and the natural world. My work explores simulation, consumption, destruction, and reconstruction. It addresses the essence of our connection, as well as our fragmentation from the natural. The series looks at points of intersection with wild in the human-made world—our coexistence—and explores notions of endurance and the reality of loss."



© Colleen Plumb

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Sara Code-Kroll


- Sara Code-Kroll's series in progress about her home state, North Dakota is quite beautiful as well as her drastically different series Women On TV. Check out these projects as well as other work here.



© Sara Code-Kroll

Pocahaunted


Pocahaunted - Beast That You Are

- This is my favorite of Pocahaunted's releases so far, 2008 has been a great year for this duo. After releasing a ton of stuff and it going quickly out of print they released their first full length album, Peyote Road on Woodsist and the dub influenced Island Diamonds on Arbor. The group has begun to fully realize their sound and keep getting better with each new thing they release, even though they seem to put something out every week. Unfortunately I missed them when they toured the East Coast earlier this summer, but that won't happen again.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Andrew Miksys


- Andrew Miksys has several beautiful projects on his website. These pictures come from his project named Roma/Gypsy and his book BAXT which looks quite unbelievable, I need to pick up a copy of it soon. The project portrays the life's of Lithuanian Gypsies. Miksys' work has been shown internationally and he has recieved both Guggenheim (2000) and Fulbright Fellowships (1998, 2002).



© Andrew Miksys

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Asako Narahashi


- I forgot to write about one show I saw last week which was Asako Narahashi at Yossi Milo Gallery. I had been looking at the pictures on the internet for a while before finally seeing the show and I couldn't decide what I thought of them. Seeing them in person was obviously the way to make a true judgment, but I was left with the same feeling. There were a few really beautiful images (my favorites are posted here) but the others didn't really do it for me at all. Although Narahashi's process is kind of interesting because she only learned to swim five years ago it reminds me of something like what Jörg was talking about here. I didn't have a chance to look through the whole book but the series looked more impressive as a whole. I just can't wait for the Alessandra Sanguinetti show to open on September 4th, that is going to be one not to miss.



© Asako Narahashi

Monday, August 18, 2008

Erika Larsen


- I came across Erika Larsen's photos on the Women In Photography website. Her photos are about the youngest generation of hunters in America. Her portraits are stunning and a bit strange to look at because they are of children holding guns and butchering animals. It's hard to believe with titles like "Deer Slayer" and "Ruthie's First Kill" these pictures of children could be so beautiful, but they are. I hope to see these photos in person sometime soon. From her statement,

"These faces show America's youth connecting to hunting's storied past. Many children today while away their time with video games, television and movies. These subjects take a different path. For them, the thrill is learning to follow their instincts and being immersed in nature. All of these children have something in common, they are at home in nature."

- Check out the rest of the show over at WIP and see more of her work here.




© Erika Larsen

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Heima


- Upon returning home to Iceland from a world tour, Sigur Ros played some free, unanounced shows in small towns throughout the country. They enlisted director Dean DeBlois to film each of these special performances. The result of this experiment is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen captured to film. This is not just a concert documentary, DeBlois uses the landscape of Iceland to his advantage, capturing unbelievable shots of the isolated beautiful country and interspersing them with shots from each show. As the film goes on the places where each show takes place get more and more incredible. An abandoned fish factory, a protest camp in a beatiful valley, and a tiny cafe packed with families are just some of the amazing settings for these one off shows. If your not already a fan of Sigur Ros' music this is a perfect way to get aquainted. Anyone with an interest in music, film, or photography needs to see this film, it is simply breathtaking.


Some stills:





Wednesday, August 13, 2008

A Trip To Chelsea


© Stephen Wilkes

- I went into the city early today so I could check out a few shows before I had to pick up my film. It ended up being a really great day at the galleries. I had about an hour and a rough list so I made my way down to 25th street. I started at Clamp Art and saw the Stephen Wilkes show, which I loved. Although the subject of the series instantly reminded me of Sze Tsung Leong's History Images, Wilkes takes a very different take on similar territory. The shapes and colors in the photographs immediately drew me in and this is easily my favorite show I've seen at Clamp Art.



© Terri Garland

- After Clamp Art I headed up the street to Alan Klotz Gallery to see the Terri Garland show. Collecting photos from the last 20 years, Southern Discomforts takes on the subject of race in America. I loved her color work, but my favorite photos in the show were six black and white exteriors of buildings that were hung in a grid. The prints were beautiful and the show was a nice surprise from a photographer I didn't know before.



© Martin Parr

- I ended the day with two summer group shows. The first of which was my favorite show of the day, it was called When Color Was New: Vintage Photographs From Around The 1970's and was at Julie Saul Gallery. Featuring work from all of the early heavyweights in color photography, I was blown away. Finally being able to see Joel Sternfeld, William Eggleston, and Helen Levitt's work in person was quite inspiring. But it was the work of Martin Parr, Terry Wild, and Jan Groomer that really stuck out in this exhibit. A must see!



© Alex Prager

- The second group show was at Yancy Richardson Gallery and was called The Good Life. I didn't love this show that much. Although a lot of photography masters were featured in the show, there was some good work but a lot of it seemed to be filler. I did love Alex Prager, Larry Sultan, and David Hilliard's photos though, the show is worth seeing for them alone.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Not "Sleeping" On Alec Soth


cover of Sleeping By The Mississippi

© Alec Soth

- While I was interning at Yossi Milo Gallery, the second edition (instead of the numbered first edition that sat next to it on the shelf and I drooled over) of Alec Soth's Sleeping By The Mississippi was the book I most often borrowed out of Yossi's extensive photo book library. From the moment I first saw them I was hooked on the images of Alec's many trips down the Mississippi river. Alec is my favorite photographer and he keeps impressing me with each body of work he produces, but Sleeping By The Mississippi is still my favorite of his projects. I never thought I would own a copy of the book because of its value continuing to rise. Luckily Steidel just released the third edition of this classic monograph and while I was in the city dropping off some film today I stopped by Strand and picked myself up a copy. This third edition of the book looks absolutely amazing. The prints are bigger and the colors even more breathtaking. The new cover is linen bound with a tipped-on image which I think lends itself much more to the work inside then the cover of the second edition. Overall I am more than pleased with the book, I like the feel of it better than the last edition and am just thrilled to finally own a copy of my own before another edition sells out.


"Alec Soth has a wonderful and terrifying eye. We’ve all seen gritty documentary photography, but no one has ever seen anything like his work! It’s gritty for sure, but it’s beautiful–really beautiful. With most documentary photography, you look at it, sigh, and pass on, but Soth’s work keeps pulling you back to look again because he composes with the skill of the greatest of photographic artists." - John Wood, Editor, 21st: The Journal of Contemporary Photography

Here is a great interview done with Alec by Aaron Schuman for Seesaw Magazine around the original release of the book.