Friedlander

Saw a wonderful exhibit of Lee Friedlander's work at the Cleveland Museum of Art. It's a retrospective traveling out of the MoMA's permanent collection. 

Friedlander is such an fascinating person and has such a Surrealist eye -- you'll notice each of his images is layered and layered with meaning and filled with surprises and humor. I also appreciate the way he brings his own strong personality to everything he shoots -- and always shoots what he wants to shoot. 

I find his life, images, and way of seeing incredibly inspiring. And whether it's been acknowledged or not, it's clear that he has had a huge influence on many photographers of my generation.

"We are all a little weird and life is a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love" - author unknown. 

LBJ

Wish this were a little funnier -- but I still really enjoy it ... 

Cait Deibel Collection

Jacket by emerging fashion designer Caitlin Deibel ... to see more of her great work, check out her portfolio :: here

What We Believe

Interesting project that's been ongoing since the 1950s  -- This I believe -- Discusses the rang of beliefs/core values of Americans across the country.

Here's a part of John Updike's 2005 submission from his essay:: Testing the Limits of What I Know and Feel

"A person believes various things at various times, even on the same day. At the age of 73, I seem most instinctively to believe in the human value of creative writing, whether in the form of verse or fiction, as a mode of truth-telling, self-expression and homage to the twin miracles of creation and consciousness. The special value of these indirect methods of communication — as opposed to the value of factual reporting and analysis — is one of precision. Oddly enough, the story or poem brings us closer to the actual texture and intricacy of experience.."

Not trying to be "indie" but...

I think people too often attach themselves to certain products of culture (cult films, authors, TV shows, etc) and then hold onto those things for dear life. I'm not saying I'm not guilty of this, but I get these silly emails from Urban Outfitters almost everyday telling me to buy this "mind-blowing" Kerouac or Palahniuk book and suddenly I'll be "cool." No thanks Urban Outfitters, I can pick out my own books and make my own decisions about what is cool.

But speaking of cults, I watched Jim Jarmusch's, very self-absorbed, "arty-indie-comedy" Stranger Than Paradise yesterday. I realize I am judging it from a contemporary perspective, and this type of film now seems really mainstream to me and my peers. But once you get over the pretentious quiet indie plot, the real beauty is in the images. This film is seriously a photographer's dream -- it's like attending a moving photo gallery for an hour and a half. Each shot is given so much care and is deeply layered with meaning. And the compositions are really incredible and dynamic. Plus, part of it was shot in Cleveland, which gives it even more points on my coolness scale.

 

To wrap this up, what I'm trying to say is we need to look at the gifts culture gives us (in books, films, images, etc) more carefully for the specific parts that truly and individually move us . We need to look past the "labeling" that goes on online and in print by big lifestyle companies like Urban Outfitters. We need to appreciate words, images, and sounds for the way they can produce  feelings of pure enjoyment. We should definitely not use culture as a way to make us just look cool -- that's wasting resources. Seriously, be bold and make your own opinions. Even if they eventually come out the same as your friends', at least you arrived at them using your own mind and own sense of judgement.

The Red Balloon

I just watched The Red Balloon. It was my first time seeing it, though I've known about it for a while. All I can say is, this is such a beautiful film. The music, the visuals, and the plot are all simple but very precise -- It radiates a deep sense of a childlike truth and warmth. I definitely have to make a balloon picture now. I mean, just look at the last image of the boy flying away (above) with the group of balloons -- so incredible. Please watch it if you haven't already seen it. You have no excuse, since I bet the entire little thing (34 minutes total) is on youtube.

Portrait of a cat

So now that I'm home from college, I obviously have nothing better to do than sit around and take pictures of my cats all day. . . that is eighty percent a joke. I start my "real job" in two weeks, alright. But I couldn't resist this beautiful moment of my mom's cat looking so regal on the couch. I should have more interesting/creative/intellectually stimulating subjects to shoot in the near future.

swine flu ad from the 70s

... silly