Spectre of Hope

Sebastiao Salgado’s has turned his lens on some of the world’s great tragedies: war, famine, enforced Migrations of peoples, a desperate litany of disasters. His images however offer according to art critic John Berger the ‘Spectre of Hope’. Hope, Berger explains, is very different from an emotion like optimism for it can only exist at …

Droll Pranks for Rich Boys

Subtitled ‘The Wealthy Young Gentlemen’s Guide to Horseplay’ this is my new favorite tumblr. It features some fine advice for all those toffs out there looking to put one over on their chums. It really is a ripping whizz and full of fine tips like the following; Put pebbles in another fellow’s slippers. When he …

Police Work

Perhaps encouraged by some recent shootings on my New York street, I’ve been looking at the work of Leonard Freed.He was a Magnum photographer perhaps best known for his pictures of the police going about their daily business in the 1970’s. Gritty and realistic his work reminds me of another photographer obsessed with crime, Weegee.

A German Colossus in America

Originally posted on Fans in a Flashbulb:
Wolf von dem Bussche, American Colossus, portfolio “Homage to Max Ernst”, 1969 (551.1982.a) Wolf von dem Bussche, The Messenger, portfolio “Homage to Max Ernst”, 1971 (551.1982.i) Wolf von dem Bussche, Reception Committee, portfolio “From the Peaceable Kingdom”, 1969 (551.1982.d) Wolf von dem Bussche, The Flirt, portfolio “From the Peaceable Kingdom”,…

Opening

‘Opening’ is an album that would probably slip under the radar of most music lovers. Yet this dreamy piece of ambient music is right up there with Harold Budd and Brian Eno. Created by San Francisco based Christopher Willits it meshes both analogue and digital worlds into one by taking guitar lines and harmonies and …

Ed van der Elsken

From his first flush of fame in the mid-fifties when he published his book ‘Love on the Left Bank’, Ed van der Elsken spent his life recording the world that he came into contact with in his everyday travels. Whether he was visiting Tokyo or living in his native Amsterdam he managed to capture the …

Gone Girl

As you’re probably noticed Gone Girl has been something of a hit with the cinema going public of America, yet many feminists have also accused it of sexism. The use of the classic manipulative femme fatale drawn from the usual Biblical sources has caused umbrage. However what also can’t be denied is the popularity of …

You’re Dead

Starting with the simple announcement ‘Ladies and Gentlemen. You’re dead’, Flying Lotus went on to make you feel very much alive with a scintillating show at Terminal 5 in New York Standing behind a screen wearing a luminescent headpiece, white shirt and black tie he become the center of a spectacular light show projected onto …

When Jerry meets Wolfgang.

The link between Seinfield and Mozart may not be immediately apparent but pianist Jeremy Denk helped me see the connection in his fascinating lecture, ‘Comedy and Convention from Mozart to Seinfeld’ Part of the New Yorker Festival, the talk was one of four I saw over the weekend and on reflection probably the best Denk …

Isla

Ernesto Bazan was the man who taught me how to take photographs. You may not have heard of him but this is an oversight on your part for he is one of the best black and white photographers in the world today. He has just released his third book on Cuba,the island where he lived …