May 2004 Archives
Street photography is not my thing. I just don't have a knack for it; perhaps I'm too shy. I do like to look at, however. Roger Mayne, a legend of the form, is currently showing at Gitterman Gallery in Midtown. The show focuses on his Southam Street work, created in the late 50s when he was in his late 20s. His images show what comes from an intimate knowledge of a subject. Contrast that with the road trip works generated by the 30s WPA photographers, or Garry Winnogand or Walker Evans.
The Victoria & Albert Museum has a selection of his photos online coupled with exerpts from an interview with Mayne. "My intention is to be a fine artist, but I think that it is the nature of the medium of photography that one has to start with what photography does, which is to take records of things. So I think you take a record and if, for various reasons, everything comes together, then the record will raise itself to a work of art." Some of his non-street photography is displayed there, showing he experimented beyond the single iconic project that he is best known for.
Through June 6 at Gitterman Gallery
170 E. 57th St.
212-734-0868
Over at Modern Art Notes, Tyler Green describes Andreas Gursky as "the most overrated artist on the planet". Actually, that title goes to Richard Avedon. For me, Gursky's 2001 MoMA mid-career retrospective was the single event which opened my eyes to the world of contemporary photography, something I had till then given no consideration to whatsoever. Gursky's approach - large scale, architectural subjects, no/unrecognizable people - first sparked my love for both creating and looking at photographs.
Gursky's first American show since MoMA opened May 8th at Matthew Marks. I am particularly interested to see Greeley, an arial view of the Greeley, CO feedlots where thousands of cattle are corralled before slaughter. Odd as it seems, this is a nostalgic image as I've spent some time in Greeley, near Kim's hometown.
As to Richard Avedon, I expected that my New Yorker subscription would be tax deductable this year as it appears to have become a charitable contribution to the Richard Avendon Retirement Fund. My accountant frowned on this suggestion.
Through June 27th at Matthew Marks
522 W. 22 St.
212-243-0200
I started this blog because I was wanted an alternative to equipment-focused sites and personal photo sites. For a long time I looked around and just didn't see anyone talking about others' photography instead of the latest digital camera equipment. Recently, others have had the same impulse. There are now some great photography blogs out there that are actually about photographs and not about cameras. Photo Rant has posted a rundown of the best of the bunch. Others can be found in the links section here.
