Manhattan Skyline

Manhattan Skyline 2019-06-12 14:44:06

When I am driving round places I’m not familiar with and am not a driver, I like to make pictures of the view as I go and see what things look like photographed. Gary Winogrand is famously quoted for this idea. What difference does it make though when the element of chance is added by pressing the shutter button and not really being sure of what you are capturing?

 

This is an experiment I attempt when I’m a passenger. Occasionally I receive some interesting results. I like in this instance how the flag is floating freely on the left and the flag on the  flagpole on the right is not moving. The black black adverting sign adds to the mystery I feel.

 

I have to confess it is difficult to make good and interesting pictures when visiting a foreign city as a tourist. In fact if I am at the mercy of guides and other people, or English is not the first language, I find it very difficult to make good pictures. However in a city where English is the standard language, and I feel comfortable enough to wander aimlessly, then sometimes I rewarded with good pictures. Our recent trip to New York City, should have provided this, sadly though we ran out of time.

 

Some observations about New York City. This was our third visit with a high likelihood of I being our last. Each trip was too short even though they got longer each time, with the most current one being 12 days. There seems to be large swathes of empty blocks once you were far enough away from areas like Times Square. The amount of homelessness was by far the most apparent this trip. We encountered several local New Yorkers in service industries like restaurants. Some shops and stores seemed to employ men who looked as old if not older than me. In a country where the minimum wage is quite low, I’m taken aback by this. Sadly I never got the chance to speak at length to these people. We met and spoke at length to Laticia. She was living in Brooklyn, and was working in a chemist chain store called CVS. Very funny with lots of interesting things to say. We probably spent more money there than needed but it was so much fun. We also went on a 'Crime Tour', led by a former NYC policeman. He had lived in Little Italy, in the east Village all his life along with several generations of his family. He claimed his grandfather sold alcohol during prohibition. Had seen several crime figures in his life as a teenager running errands and as a cop. All good fun.

 

I got to visit some great exhibitions while in NYC and may share some thoughts on them in the future. Let me say this much I have a much greater respect now for Robert Mapplethorpe after seeing his retrospective exhibition at the Guggenheim. It was weird seeing Gary Winogrand’s work in colour at the Brooklyn Museum, and Jeff Wall’s current exhibition on at the Gagoisian was 98% gold, one picture felt contrite the rest huge and inspiring.

Gary Winnogrand's famous Brooklyn Zoo image in colour!

Website | Tumblr | Twitter | Flickr

Photobooks

All 16 books I purchased

Photobooks form a large part of my creative practice. This has been the case since the late 1980s. I was first introduced to photobooks at University by my lecturers there. Photobooks have continued to be a driving force and inspiration in much of my work. They of course also allow me to access photographer’s monographs and bodies of work even before the internet expanded that access. On a recent trip to New York City I took the opportunity to access the vast supply of books available to me at both galleries and bookshops. I came home with about 16 books. Some new, some second hand and one book that I had never thought I would see again after lending my copy to a former student.

The books are:-

• The Secret Paris of the 30's [Brassai]
• The Beautiful Mysterious: The Extraordinary Gaze of William Eggleston…
• Ralph Eugene Meatyard: Stages for Being
• Cindy Sherman: The Complete Untitled Film Stills
• Robert Mapplethorpe: Polaroids
• Robert Mapplethorpe: The Photographs
• Joel Sternfeld: iDubai
• Color Photography: A Working Manual by Henry Horenstein
• Mirrors and Windows: American Photography since 1960
• Martin Parr: Life's a Beach
• Richard Ross: Architecture of Authority
• Robert Frank: Hold Still, Keep Going
• Down to Earth: Boyle Family in New Zealand
• Bill Wood's Business: Text by Diane Keaton, Marvin Heiferman
•  Ed Ruscha: Los Angeles Apartments

Once I have time to digest their contents I may share some thoughts here.

Website | Tumblr | Twitter | Flickr

Gripped...

2019-06-09 14:42:18

Website | Tumblr | Twitter | Flickr

Lonely Heart [CVS NYC]

2019-06-04 15:52:07

Website | Tumblr | Twitter | Flickr

Layers, textures and light

2019-06-06 17:51:42

Website | Tumblr | Twitter | Flickr

Timing is everything

Outside MOMA, 2019-06-05 17:31:49

Website | Tumblr | Twitter | Flickr

Chelsea, NYC

2019-06-04 14:14:19

Chelsea Market in Chelsea New York City, New York, is an upscale market in a revamped industrial building in the meatpacking district of Manhattan. Chelsea Market was constructed in the 1890s and was originally the site of the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) factory complex where the Oreo cookie was invented and produced. The complex was redeveloped in the 1990s and features a retail concourse at ground level with office space above. Chelsea Market is currently owned by Alphabet Inc., parent company of Google.*

We wandered through on a Monday, early afternoon and the place seem busy enough. I personally would describe the place as hipster, or at worst a tourist cliche. The space is highly designed in a way I feel that perhaps 10 years ago was new and ground breaking but now is a little predictable. The vendors seemed to be predominantly food vendors with Mexican, Italian and other food styles well represented. Outside this building however, I see many empty shops. Leaving me to wonder about the state of the economy in the USA.

Despite all this I felt compelled to take out my phone camera and make this picture. I was drawn by the  retro analogue TV with it's white noise. No doubt chosen for its retro look. I felt it surmised the space well as just that, white noise. It wasn't until the next day the I realised the woman on the right was wearing glasses on her head.

Website | Tumblr | Twitter | Flickr

Spoilers?

Garry Winogrand’s “Untitled (New York),” from 1952-58

I am looking forward to visiting New York City soon. I have compiled a list of cultural institution I want to visit and in this day and age of the internet I know exactly what galleries are showing what art and when. Two of those galleries are, Brooklyn Museum and Gagoisian . The Brooklyn Museum is showing Gary Winnogrand’s colour work. The Gagosian, Jeff Walls’s work. The Newyorker online magazine has an article that covers them both and compares them. It is now impossible for me to unthink what I have read about. But also I can go and visit with some prior knowledge. A double edged sword? Only time will tell?

Website | Tumblr | Twitter | Flickr