Yesterday:
2012/10/12
Categories: A Matter of Record, The Height of Something . . Author: mrdplus . Comments: Leave a comment
The View From Above
Yesterday:
Thelonious XCV!
October 10, 1917, Rocky Mount NC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ9El7k4mNo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qweSlfP6BtI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfMnWKYNA9o
For a trove of information: http://www.monkbook.com/the-book/
Niepce Hits The Road
The world’s oldest (known) (surviving) heliograph (aka “photograph”), made by Joseph Nicephore Niepce,* dates from 1826; It resides at the University of Texas,1963 Niépce’s tin plate photograph is part of the exhibition “The Birth of Photography: Milestones from the Gernsheim Collection,” which opened on September 9.
“This is like the Mona Lisa, or the Blue Mauritius,” the exhibition’s curator, Claude Sui told the press, in regard to the unique nature of the image.
W. o’ W.: Jim Goldberg
“Watching students grow is interesting—and them observing my process helps them see that it’s not that mysterious of a thing to do. In order to figure this art-making stuff out, it’s trial and error and experimentation, and takes some time and hard thinking. Putting work out in many forms and stages is an extension of how I see things. I feel the art process is best served when it invites comments and constructive criticism from people. It’s a strategic gesture, too, because the feedback I receive helps me move forward with my ideas, which is what process is about—to craft and evolve something.”
Some Ideas for Writing an Artist’s Statement
These tips are useful for artist’s statements, grant applications, and college applications:
“Write down as much as you can. Write everything down. It doesn’t need to make sense. That thing you don’t know how to say? Just write it down. The more material you have to work with, with the easier it will be to edit. Go through your first draft and rewrite using everything below, then rewrite again.
Never begin with “My work”. Avoid any use of “my work” in the statement.
Sometimes (often), what you wrote at the start should go at the end, and the end should be the beginning.
Don’t try to sound smart. The world is full of people whose job is to be smart. An artist isn’t held to the same ideals.
Should you repeat a word more than twice, it’s likely something you’re not adequately describing.
Always use precise words rather than general words. Construct is better than make; elegant, symmetrical, graceful, or overwhelming will take you further than beautiful.”
Gleaned from http://consumptive.org/2012/10/02/how-to-edit-your-artist-statement/
See also http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/extended/archives/on_statements/
Mr. Andrews’s Apology
It’s not uncommon for an apology to be publicized; for example, Harry Shearer makes a point of archiving apologies on his weekly radio program “Le Show:” http://harryshearer.com/news/le_show/player/?id=874
Here is an apology that appeared last month. I can relate: http://blakeandrews.blogspot.com/#!/2012/08/im-sorry.html
I think I have a soulmate. http://blakeandrewsphoto.com/
Integrity in Music Videos
Ansel Adams addressed the problem of images and text combined, and how difficult it is for one not to dominate the other; Garry Winogrand referred to the similar challenge of balancing form and content in a picture. We’ve all seen so many music videos, some of which are favorites–we memorize them, as we do with works that we find striking in all media–and some that are clearly inconsequential stinkers. Recently I was talking with my friend Paul, who was in the pit orchestra for a local production of “The King And I,” about Sonny Rollins’ excellent recording of “We Kiss In A Shadow,” with Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones; later that night I searched for it on youtube so I could send him a link. I found a stinker. Oviously, the person who did the posting mostly wanted to get the music up, and then complemented it with a piece of nouvelle vague cinema. I watched for the first time through, then averted my eyes during subsequent hearings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFPqqt0B-nw
Several days later I was directed to this new music video: a piece by Randy Newman which is so integrated that I cannot imagine hearing it without watching, and vice versa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvLeQbwuKys
See if you agree.
Creative Camerawork 