Cathy Newman, Presenter, Channel 4 News. Trafalgar Square, 6th December 2013
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Reporting Mandela
Tag: London
Tis’ the Season
Was surprised by the sight of a totally decked conifer in the middle of this silver birch forest this morning, when walking my mutt. Must have been the Christmas elves’s hard work, although they were no where to be seen, or heard.
Happy Halloween!
Berwick Street, London W1
Primordial
Lightbulb moment. This may be the start of a new series of photographs depicting the natural state of things, of life and death. Getting inspiration from the things we see the surround us all the time. Keeping an open and visually creative mind and seeing shapes, patterns and colours is an exercise I do when out walking.
Carry on Carnival
Yes, it’s that time of the year again, the August Bank Holiday weekend, and it’s London’s biggest and loudest street party. Day I being Children’s Day was new to me as I usually attend the Adult’s Day on the Monday but no matter, as what lacked in the larger floats and costumes, was made up by the sheer exuberance of the street performers, their sound systems, the jolly crowd and the largely younger performers. Heaps of melted chocolate, coloured water and bright fluorescent powder was thrown amongst the crowd and performers alike, so that was fun. Of course, there was the essential drink and (very) loud music to pulsate you along the streets of West London.
More Carnival posts here
Urban fauna 2
Urban fauna
The End of Trees 3 : Is Beauty Really in the Eye of the Beholder?
See End of Trees series
The End of Trees 2
Richmond Park, April 2013
See related posts here
Man Ray Portraits at the NPG
Man Ray, Lee Miller, 1930
Lee Miller Archives © Man Ray Trust
I caught the Man Ray Portraits exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery last week, and wow, stunning is the only word I can describe it. This is quite a small exhibition but what was displayed was some of his most known portraits of Paris avant-garde artists of the 1930s, Hollywood actors and of course his muse, lover and student Lee Miller. It was Man Ray and Miller that gave the process of solarisation it’s artistic expression, (apparently, if you watch the video,
it was a rat that caused it). His studio portraits are not as dramatic or polished as as say Karsh or Klein’s but the surrealistic tendencies show through in some. You will see portraits of Marcel Duchamp, Catherine Deneuve, Picasso, Kiki,
Berenice Abbott, Matisse, Virginia Woolf, Henry Miller, several self portraits of himself, amongst many others, including Blanche et Noire study of Kiki (below)
Salvador Dali, 1929
Le Violon d’Ingres, 1924
Man Ray in some respects have been more well known for his photogram images which we are all familiar with and have at some stage in our photographic development, have experimented or copied during our dakroom days, so seeing his signature portraits, like these, including Lee Miller’s studies is so satisfying up close in real prints. Sadly his Glass Tears photograph isn’t on show, as are some of his Surreal and Dada favourites. As a portrait exhibition purely, this is not to be missed. The exhibition set out portraits from his early New York stint, and then when he moved to Paris in the early 1920s, through to his studies with Miller and Kiki, and other Hollywood artists.
Most of the portraits are printed to 11″ x 14″ or smaller, matted and framed in black wooden frames, and is starkly in contrast to modern day prints on aluminium or some fancy medium. This is studio and experimental portrait at it’s simplest form, true to the period of the 2o and 30s. There are some stunning miniature colour prints of Hollywood stars also, his later work.
Seeing one of the most respected and studied masters of photography in a great setting will be a treat. Runs till 27th May, National Portrait Gallery, London.
explorenation.net ~ photography posts, workshops, writings and thoughts by Steven V-L Lee 
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