Herbert Matter

I went to see "Pollock Matters" at the McMullen Museum of Art. It was interesting to see Herbert Matter's work placed next to that of Pollock. There were several examples of Matter's action photography, which I think had appealing lines, as well as (I guess obviously) a sense of movement. There were a series of photos in which Matter captured the movement of a man getting dressed by attaching a light to him, (what was captured was the movement of the light). The result (I couldn't find an example online) was a photograph with white lines reminiscent of Pollock's "drip paintings."
This is a photograph of Herbert, his wife, Jackson Pollock, and Lee Krasner, taken by Matter. I've decided that photographs where he captured light are (for me) only initially interesting. After looking at the lines however, I felt I had taken all I wanted from the photograph. The pictures Herbert took of his wife, along with the one shown, captivated my attention, and had me visiting their place in the gallery more than once.

I love this photograph by Abe Morell. Not only is it a beautiful image, full of interesting shapes, lines, shadows and textures, but it is conceptually intriguing as well.

I've been thinking a lot about what the heck I'm going to photograph this week and so far haven't come up with anything. I just feel like everything has been done, and my biggest fear is that I will be shooting something cliche. I thought I would post this photo, taken with my digital last fall. I found this book lying as shown on the beach. I wish I ran across things this amazing everyday.

STAGED: Constructed Narrative in Contemporary Photography

I wasn't able to make the opening of the show, however I spent some time wandering through the gallery this morning. It was nice actually, to walk around while no one else was there. an experience that's quite rare in a museum. I like being able to stand in front of a piece and not feel the weight of the eyes behind me as the next in line attempts to drop the hint that they are waiting.
I was instantly taken by Amy Montali's photographs and after reading her statement, felt she had successfully accomplished the portrayal of things like rivalry, desire, guilt and redemption. There is something, though staged, nonetheless real about the scenes she has captured. My favorite photograph was Erin in the Blue Room.
I liked Erin in the Blue Room for the expression of thought, the fact that she does not seem to be in the room at all, but somewhere else. The viewer is left to wonder where it is that she has been taken, what it is that she so desires. This photograph asks questions, such as what is exactly going on in the blue room, and follows you around even after you have left the gallery.

Joni Mitchell- Shadows and Light

Every picture has its shadows
And it has some source of light
Blindness, blindness and sight
The perils of benefactors
The blessings of parasites
Blindness, blindness and sight
Threatened by all things
Devil of cruelty
Drawn to all things
Devil of delight
Mythical devil of the ever-present laws
Governing blindness, blindness and sight

Suntans in reservation dining rooms
Pale miners in their lantern rays
Night, night and day
Hostage smile on presidents
Freedom scribbled in the subway
It's like night, night and day
Threatened by all things
God of cruelty
Drawn to all things
God of delight
Mythical god of the everlasting laws
Governing day, day and night

Critics of all expression
Judges in black and white
Saying it's wrong, saying it's right
Compelled by prescribed standards
Or some ideals we fight
For wrong, wrong and right
Threatened by all things
Man of cruelty-mark of Cain
Drawn to all things
Man of delight-born again, born again
Man of the laws, the ever-broken laws
Governing wrong, wrong and right
Governing wrong, wrong and right
Wrong and right

this is one of my favorite songs by Joni Mitchell. started listening to her a few years back. her presence (whether conscious or not) seems to be woven into so much of what i do. i guess that is my disclaimer for what is to come. we shall see in what direction it goes. but music, my guitar, is what i love. and im sure it will be somehow visible in my photos.