things i want you to know about

roller coaster FACE

2012-01-23T12:54:00.001-08:00

roller coaster FACE

2012-01-23T12:52:00.001-08:00

Photographic Memory: The Album in the Age of Photography

2011-04-11T10:37:00.001-07:00

Lovely new photo history book coming out on Aperture. I can't wait to get my hand on it!

"The book includes works by photographers and filmmakers such as F. Holland Day, Jim Goldberg, Dorothea Lange, Duane Michals, Leni Riefenstahl, and W. Eugene Smith alongside lesser-known, yet significant albums on subjects as varied as African American vaudeville, the 1915 Jerusalem locust plague, and the folkways of Spain. Each album, beautifully reproduced over numerous spreads, is accompanied by detailed explanatory text. An insightful history of the album format and an informative essay about caring for and restoring albums,complement the collection." www.aperture.org

RITA ACKERMANN WARFILMS TONIGHT IN NYC

2011-04-05T01:13:00.001-07:00

The Journal Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of three videos by Rita Ackermann. Fellow Hungarian and great artist!

The Journal Gallery, 168 North 1st Street Brooklyn NY 11211

www.thejournalinc.com

Karlheinz Weinberger exhibition...but it's over!

2011-03-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

Saw the show at the Swiss Institute in NYC...it was amazing.

GQ Style with James Franco

2011-03-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

New issue...out now! Photograph by Inez & Vinnodh.

And some more...

2010-07-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

more Ark

2010-07-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

Noah's Ark

2010-07-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

I've always been slightly obsessed with images of the Great Flood.

The worlds first photograph - 1826

2010-04-16T03:29:00.000-07:00

This is the world's oldest photograph.

One summer day in France in 1826, Joseph Nièpce took the world's first photograph. It's a photo of some farm buildings and the sky. It took an exposure time of 8 hours.

No one's exactly sure how he did this or what chemicals were used. All that's known for sure is that the photo is on an 8"x 6.5" pewter plate.

Nièpce took the photograph from the upper-storey of his estate Le Gras in the village of St.-Loup-des-Varennes in Burgundy. Though indistinct, it is possible to make out the panes of Nièpce's workroom windows to the left and right of the picture. Through the window one can see a courtyard and the rooftops of various buildings on the property: the upper loft of the granary, the slanting roof of the barn and, on the right, another wing of the family house. In the distance and to the left is a pear tree and on the right and almost in-line with the horizon is the roof and chimney of the bakery.

The current theory about how the photograph was taken is that Niepce coated the pewter plate with bitumen, a petroleum derivative sensitive to light. After it spent those 8 hours hardening, he washed the plate with a mixture of oil of lavender and white petroleum. This dissolved the portions of the bitumen that didn't 'see' direct light, so didn't harden. Niepce called his work a "heliograph," in a tribute to the power of the sun.

“I have the satisfaction of being able to tell you that through an improvement in my process I have succeeded in obtaining a picture which is as good as I could wish.... It was taken from your room at Le Gras with my biggest camera and my largest stone. The objects appear with astonishing sharpness and exactitude down to the smallest details and finest gradations. As the image is almost colorless, one can judge it only by holding the stone at an angle, and I can tell you the effect is downright magical.”

-- Joseph Nicéphore Nièpce’s letter to his brother, Claude, describing the results of his first successful experiment in 1824.

GET BEHIND ME SATAN AND PUSH, curated by Margherita Belaief at Peres Projects

2010-04-14T03:22:00.001-07:00

This is just the poster for the upcoming show at Peres Projects in Berlin - but what a great one! I have a vespa and I always wish i could look this good on it.

The shop opens on April 17 and has some great artists in it like Spartacus Chetwynd, Iris van Dongen, Agathe Snow, etc...

I remember around 10 years ago helping out Spartacus with her final year piece for the Slade - it was King Kong's island made out of pink plaster. I'm sure anyone who saw it would agree it looks amazing! PLEASE RE-MAKE IT!!

Details for show at: www.peresprojects.com

Kindertotenlieder at Centre Dramatique National d’Orléans DEC 16 & 17

2009-12-07T05:31:00.000-08:00

Amazing play (i've seen it twice!) playing at Centre Dramatique National d’Orléans on Dec 16 and 17th. Well worth a trip over there!

The play is by Dennis Cooper and directed by Gisele Vienne with music by Stephen O'Malley and Peter Rehberk (aka KTL).

Mosters, puppets, winter, drone..... what else do you want?!

www.cdn-orleans.com
http://www.g-v.fr/creations/ve-kindertotenlieder-frameset.htm

Paulus Moreelse 1571-1638

2009-11-22T04:11:00.000-08:00

I was on a shoot over the past couple days in the most amazing house in the city - a house that survived the great fire of london and the cellar walls are still original Roman walls.

There was a lovely painting in the dinning area - the housekeeper mentioned it was called the Lady in Lace by P Moreelse. So I obviously looked him him. Dutch painter from the Tudor/Stuart era. I took a rough pic on my phone of the painting in the house. Also - here are a few others I like.

Subodh Gupta at Hauser + Wirth London

2009-09-30T02:17:00.000-07:00

Indian artist Gupta will be showing new work at Hauser & Wirth in London opening tonight until the end of October.

Top image: "Et tu, Duchamp?" , 2009. black bronze
Bottom image: U.F.O, 2007. Brass utensils, stainless steel structure

Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth © Hauser & Wirth
www.hauserwirth.com

Scott Campbell at Lazarides Gallery

2009-09-29T02:47:00.000-07:00

Scott Campbell is coming to town!! His show is called ALWAYS ALMOST THERE and is opening on Thursday Oct 1st. For this show Scott is exhibiting a series of dollar bill sculptures - layered and individually laser cut. God knows how long it took him to cut through 100 one dollar bills!

The show is running from Oct 2nd - Oct 30th, Lazarides Gallery, 8 Greek Street, London W1D 4DG. www.lazinc.com

Tara Darby vs. Paul Smith in T5

2009-08-18T01:36:00.000-07:00

OK - so I've been on holiday and only now am catching up with the world. I've totally missed Tara Darby's exhibition at the Paul Smith T5 Heathrow shop which went up on the 5th of August until the 22nd. There are a few more days that it's up so if you're by chance going to be at T5 before the 22nd, check it out.

Tara is exhibiting some lovely landscapes, making me wish I was still on holiday!

http://www.taradarby.com/

www.paulsmith.co.uk

Terence Koh and Garrick Gott FOREVER!

2009-07-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

UNION IS BLISS. GARRICK AND TERENCE TIED THE KNOT AFTER 10 YEARS OF GOING STEADY. COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU.....

Dash Snow died on Monday

2009-07-15T02:13:00.000-07:00

Dash was an awesome guy and will be missed. x

JERK by Gisele Vienne at SLG

2009-07-01T01:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the opening night of "Jerk", which will run at South London Gallery until July 3rd. Have been looking forward to this for a while now!

"Jerk" is an imaginary reconstruction – strange, poetic, funny and somber – of the crimes perpetrated by American serial killer Dean Corll who, with the help of teenagers David Brooks and Wayne Henley, killed more than twenty boys in the state of Texas during the mid-70s. This show sees David Brooks serving his life sentence. In prison, he learns the art of puppets, which somehow enables him to face up to his responsibility as partner in the crimes. He has written a show that reconstructs the murders committed by Dean Corll, using puppets for all the roles. He performs his show in prison for a class of psychology students from a local university.

Due to the violence and humor of the text, there is an underlying fierceness to the performance. The glove puppet theater is in fact the traditional form used to enact violent illicit subjects. And “Jerk” unabashedly mingles sexuality and violence in the vein of gore aesthetics, thus harking back to the glove puppet repertory.

The text has been staged as a solo for puppeteer, who uses glove puppets and also acts the role of con artist.

The story, however realist it may be, seems to border on unrealism. The play’s apparent realism stems from its linear narration, as well as from its basic true story and from the trickster-puppeteer’s total identification with the fictive character of David Brooks.

“Jerk” merges three plays that were produced in collaboration with the American writer Dennis Cooper: “I Apologize” (2004), “Une belle enfant blonde” (2005) and “Kindertotenlieder” (2007). In these three plays, the links between fantasy and reality are being constantly probed, thereby altering our perception of reality. The more realist “Jerk” puts forth a consistent linear narrative, generating the credibility that undeniably stems from this form. And it is this undeniability that is reexamined by way of our different formal experiences.

Stephen O'Malley from Sunn O))) provides a twist of influence on the play/piece.... has to be watched to understand.

www.southlondongallery.org

Balla-Drama | We Dream of Language Without History

2009-06-24T02:23:00.000-07:00

Show opening tomorrow at Paradise Row until July 25 - group show including artists Shezad Dawood, Aicha Hamu, Farhad Ahrarnia, etc.

The image represting the show is great (shown above):

Aïcha Hamu, Flat Riot , 2009, 205 x 160 cm. Carpet from Afro Hair arranged in format of French garden

www.paradiserow.com

WHITE NOISE

2009-06-22T04:57:00.000-07:00

Great show in New York revolving around white noise is on now with artists such as Joseph Beuys, Christian Marclay, Raymond Pettibon, Jason Pierson exhibiting. Very exciting and shame to miss it (no scheduled trips to NYC right now). Check it out if you will be there.

Top image: Jack Pierson, Silence, 2002

Bottom image: Joseph Beuys, Ja, ja, ja, ja, ja, nee, nee, nee, nee, nee, 1969

June 18-Aug 12 at James Cohan Gallery, 533 West 26th Street

www.jamescohan.com

Jeff Koons: Popeye Series in July

2009-06-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

How exciting - Jeff Koons is coming to town!! Well - I hope he is as he's showing at the Serpentine Gallery from July 2nd. The exhibition will be work from his Popeye series which he began in 2002.

www.serpentinegallery.org

Show is from July 2nd till 13 September

Lightspeed Champion Forever

2009-06-12T01:16:00.000-07:00

I asked Dev / Lightspeed Champion to send me a photo that sums up his london Barbican show in tribute to Moondog. This is what he sent me. Love it!

http://www.lightspeedchampion.com/

Sam Griffin at Galerie Schirman de Beaucé in Paris

2009-06-05T01:26:00.000-07:00

Sam Griffin (b.1979, Oxford) is constantly searching for moments and figures in cultural history where monuments, emblems and architectural relics point to outmoded or contested belief systems. These systems are often imbued with supernatural, mythical, historical or political overtones and all have a tendency to point towards a perceived notion of a better future.

The structures and iconography in Griffin’s work indicate a desire to explore uncanny and singular situations - often arcane and esoteric, they balance form, concept, belief and mysticism to varying degrees, producing drawings, sculptures and installations that are imbued with a totemic power.

His drawings and sculptures suggest and evaluate notions of progress, and encompass a range of divergent source material - including architectural history, modernist painting, corporate culture, land art, communist buildings, post industrialism and rituals, both social and religious.

His show will be on at Galerie Schirman de Beauce in Paris from June 16th until July 25th.

Luke Smalley

2009-05-20T01:20:00.000-07:00

Luke Smalley died over the weekend. So sad!

Banks Violette at Team Gallery

2009-05-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

The wonderful Banks Violette is showing at Team Gallery in New York from May 7th till June 20 - show is entitled: NOT YET TITLED. It's great to see he'll be exhibiting drawings next to one sculpture (a motorbike that has been cast entirely in resin and salt!). My favorite drawing is the one of Bela Lugosi as Jesus Christ... not only because Bela was an amazing actor and it's great to see an artist pay tribute - but I always thought I was somehow related to him when I was a child (both being hungarians). Ridiculous I know, but there is a real nostalgia surrounding him. But anyways - Banks is great and if you're in NYC, you need to check it out.

www.teamgal.com

Johannes Kahrs

2009-05-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Great book of paintings by Johannes Kahrs. He uses photography, video and film as a starting point for his oil paintings which all have a dark undertone. I don't know too much about Johannes except his painting make me feel like I'm looking through a key hole at something I shouldn't be looking at but can't help myself.

Get the book from www.hatjecantz.de

I love Vava Ribeiro

2009-04-29T23:30:00.001-07:00

I know these are old photos, but they are so good. www.vavaribeiro.com

Hernan Bas at Lehmann Maupin Gallery NYC

2009-04-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

Opening tonight in NYC is Hernan Bas at Lehmann Mupin Gallery. Again, another show with a great title (The Dance of the Machine Gun & other forms of unpopular expression) that I can't make due to being in glorious Britannia. I love these fantastical new painting - fingers crossed it will come this way.

From top to bottom:

Ubu Roi (the war march), 2009

The soap box in his mind, 2009

Colored plastic complex of noise + dance + joy, 2009

All images courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery NYC

www.lehmannmaupin.com

Fuck Friend by Leo Fitzpatrick at A.S.S.

2009-04-21T01:03:00.000-07:00

Ok - it opened the other night and I wasn't in NYC for it but I really wish I had been. Leo's show is a combination of paintings, video and drawings with a selection of around 17 friends including Rita Ackerman, Gardar Eide Einarsson, Nate Lowman, Hanna Liden, Dash Snow, etc...

These images are from

http://www.hotelfashionland.com/?p=3307

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=5776338&blogId=484320727

(go there to see more images)

www.asiasongsociety.com

Henry VIII

2009-04-20T04:49:00.000-07:00

I've been studying about the Tudors since last December. It started with the book The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. Everyone has to read this book!

Images from top to bottom:

Henry VIII

Katharine of Aragon (first wife)

Tudor Rose

Family portrait....Henry VIII with his father Henry VII, mother Elizabeth of York, his 3rd wife Jane Seymour.

Wives of Henry VIII

2009-04-20T04:40:00.001-07:00

I am obsessed about Tudor England. Here are his last 5 wives.....

From top to bottom:

Anne Bolelyn (beheaded)

Jane Seymour (died in childbirth)

Anne of Cleves (annuled)

Catherine Howard (beheaded)

Katharine Parr (wife for his last few years alive)

Shawn Mortensen passes away!

2009-04-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

Shawn Mortensen passed away last night (1966-2009). He was a lovely photographer who's shot many great people and many amazing places. I'm glad I got to work with him - a true talent! RIP SHAWN MORTENSEN!

The Photographic Object at the Photographers Gallery

2009-04-17T04:43:00.000-07:00

This upcoming exhibition at the Photographers Gallery will bring together different elements such as overlaying, cutting, stitching, piercing, moulding combined with photography which results in a two and three dimensional pieces. Great artists such as Gerhard Richter, Andy Warhol and Wolfgang Tillmans are involved.

Images from top to bottom are:

Pricilla, 1940-2008, Maurizio Anzeri

RA4 Contact Print 7, 2007, Walead Beshty

Rattachement, 2007, Vanessa Billy

Paper Drop (star) II, 2007, Wolfgang Tillmans

Exhibition runs from April 24-June 14th at The Photographers Gallery www.photonet.org.uk

Cindy Sherman at Spruth Magers Gallery London!!

2009-04-16T03:43:00.000-07:00

Cindy Sherman is showing at Spruth Magers Gallery in London - opened last night till May 27th. I love everything she does!

www.spruethmagers.net

Collier Schorr 'There I Was'

2009-04-09T02:16:00.000-07:00

Collier Schorr's upcoming book is a collection of drawings and images from her 2007 show at 303 Gallery. I wasn't around to see the show so I'm happy they're finally publishing a book about it. Collier is known for being a photographer - so this is an interesting move. But it works. The drawings are inspired by a drag car racer called Charlie "Astoria Chas" Snyder who Collier would observe when she would accompany her father (who was an automotive photographer & journalist) to the local race tracks when she was four years old.

The book is out soon on Steidl: www.steidlville.com

Andy Warhol 'Treasures' book

2009-04-07T02:46:00.000-07:00

I know there are way too many books about Andy Warhol out there, but this one is different. Full of reprinted letters, cards, sketches - most of these are unseen and were hidden away in boxes of inspiration - which provide an unprecedented sight into Warhol's work and personal life. There is so much to read and look at with this book. I love the reprinted issue of Interview!

This is out in May, 2009 from Goodman (Carlton Books). www.carltonbooks.co.uk

Pierre Bismuth at Team Gallery

2009-04-06T03:25:00.000-07:00

For his ongoing series, Pierre Bismuth projects a feature film onto a sheet of Plexiglas and painstakingly follows the movements of the lead actress' right hand with a black marker. This results in what seems to be a semi aggressive piece of work. Also - he's the first fine artist to win an Academy Award!!!

Show is on from now till May 2nd at Team Gallery

www.teamgal.com

(images courtesy of team gallery)

The Selby at Le Baron, Paris

2009-04-03T01:58:00.000-07:00

Few images from The Selby party.... Cobrasnake, Todd and Danielle DJing; Celestine Cooney and Abigiale Smiley Smith; Jaime Perlman; The Selby Cologne (for real!).

Topshop Magazine for NYC opening

2009-04-03T01:32:00.000-07:00

Topshop opened last night in NYC.... it seems like everyone is going mental for it over there!

Here are a few pages from a magazine I did for the the opening. Photography by Bella Howard, styling by Francesca Burns with Zuzanna from Premier.

Todd Selby at Colette

2009-03-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'm off to Paris for Todd Selby's opening of The Selby....which I've watched grow from the beginning of his first shoot in a shed with a cat! Check it out if you're in Paris!

Gosha Ostretsov at Paradise Row

2009-03-31T04:18:00.001-07:00

This is the first major London show of Russian artist Gosha Ostretsov. I like this piece.... because yes, I would like to eat the rich....

Show is on from April 3rd - May 2nd

www.paradiserow.com

MY EYE

2009-03-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

Paul Graham has won the Deutsche Borse Photography prize

2009-03-26T04:38:00.000-07:00

Paul Graham has won the Deutsche Borse Photography prize at the Photographers Gallery last night. He won in regards to his book 'a shimmer of possibility' on steidlMACK published in 2007. This was a collection of 12 individual hardback books in an edition of 1,000 (which is now sold out). The second edition, which will be out soon, will bring together the 12 books in one single volume. This book was quickly hailed as "one of the most important advances in contemporary photographic practice that has taken place in a long while".

His work has a 'filmic' feel - drawing out something out of nothingness.

The other shortlisted artists this year were: Taryn Simon, Tod Papageorge and Emily Jacir.

a shimmer of possibility by Paul Graham is published by steidlMACK/ www.steidlville.com

Fred Tomaselli at White Cube

2009-03-25T03:13:00.000-07:00

Fred Tomaselli is showing at White Cube in Mason's Yard from March 27th till May 16th. The all seeing EYE's are watching you....

Shown above: Dec 18, 2008 and Eye; both courtesy of James Cohan Gallery and White Cube

Jason Nocito

2009-03-24T09:33:00.001-07:00

Jason has the best photo blog : http://theegohaslanded.biz

Hieronymus Bosch

2009-03-24T09:20:00.001-07:00

Click the image to see more detail....

Photo by Lina Scheynius

2009-03-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

I love this photograph

It's hard being into metal.

2009-03-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Djordje Ozbolt at Herald Street Gallery

2009-03-18T03:35:00.000-07:00

Djordje Ozbolt is one of my favorite artists. His paintings, although serious in content, makes me smile every time I see them.

For his upcoming show at Herald Street Gallery, he's applying his skills to a three dimensional presence... twelve double sided paintings, each situated on their own plinth. The theme of the paintings vary between tragedy, history and popular culture - something Ozbolt applies in most of his work with an underlying sense of humor.

The works above are titled "Paranoia" and "Slaughter".

The show is on from 21 March till 03 April. 2 Herald Street, E2. www.heraldst.com

Miyako Ishiuchi London Exhibition

2009-03-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

Showing at Michael Hoppen Gallery from now till April 16th, Miyako Ishiuchi's work (from Mother, 1906 To the Skin and Yokosuka Story) will be exhibited. She's one of Japan's most renowned female photographers - representing Japan at the Venice Biennale in 2005.

Check out more details on www.michaelhoppengallery.com

Credits top to bottom: Yokosuka Story 98 (1976-77); Endless Night 28 (1978-1980); Endless Night 01 (1978-1980); 1906 17 (1991-1993); 1906 60 (1991-1993). All images courtesy of Michael Hoppen Gallery.

Erwan Frotin, Flora Olbiensis

2009-03-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

For Sale: Erwan Frotin's vibrant portraits of flowers from Hyeres, France. He found these wild flowers around the amazing Villa Noailles. They're selling for $250 from www.artandcommerce.com - bargain!!

Sunn O))) - WIRE MAGAZINE

2009-03-12T04:06:00.000-07:00

Finally Sunn O))) is on the cover of Wire! Make sure you pick up this issue (April 2009)... I'm sure it will be the most expensive copy of Wire on ebay in years to come.

JH Engstrom

2009-03-04T06:01:00.000-08:00

I got this new book recently from a trip to Dashwood with my good friend Emma Reeves. She was getting a copy that was reserved for her and I couldn't resist getting one for myself. There are only 250 copies (each signed and numbered) published by Gun Gallery in Sweden.

Check out www.jhengstrom.com

214 Magazine for Topshop

2009-03-04T05:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a magazine for LFW I produced and commissioned for Topshop. It's beautifully printed on A3 paper, and is only around for a limited time so go out a find it!

Photography by Mel Bles, styling by Karen Langley, interviews by Lauren Cochrane and illustrations by Alexa Chung. Interviews with Marios Schwab, Stephen Jones, Tammy Kane, Richard Nicholl, etc....

no title

2009-03-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

This is my first post... Ben Toms is helping me set this up.