Chan Marshall (a.k.a. Cat Power)
Photographer Richard Avedon was born in New York City, 1923. He set up his first studio in 1946 working for magazines such as Vogue and Life. Soon after he was appointed chief photographer for Harper’s Bazaar being the first fashion photographer who made his models move and express themselves in front of the camera compared to the emotionless style being used at the time. In 1966 he became staff photographer for Vogue mostly using 8 x 10 view camera and white background. His most famous work probably is ‘In the American West’ commisioned by Amon Carter Museum. Here he portraited working people such as miners and oil field workers in their soiled work clothes, unemployed drifters, and teenagers growing up in the West.
His last commisioned work was for The New Yorker. He died while on assignment for the magazine on October 1st, 2004, in San Antonio, Texas.
My favorite builing in London has to be the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury. It contains 400 flats, shops, restaurants and the Renoir Cinema. It was designed by Patrick Hodgkinson in the mid 1960s. It was completed in 1972 although in a smaller size than originally planned as it should have expanded all the way to Euston Road. Failing to attract sufficient private buyers the block was sold to London Borough of Camden for use as council housing. Also the exterior of the building was never painted as the council could not budget for it.
In 2000 it achieved Grade II status and in November 2002 the much needed £22million restoration work began. In the summer of 2006 work was completed including the block painted cream as the architect had originally planned. Only minus was the death of another important London caff, the Bloomsbury Restaurant, as rental prices soared after the refurbishment.
Link
Oscar Niemeyer, born 1907 in Rio De Janeiro, is a Brazilian architect. In 1956 he was made chief architect of Brasilia, Brazils new capital in the centre of the country, designing most of the city’s important buildings. Due to his left wing position he was forced into excile during the CIA-backed Cold War military dictatorship in Brazil. His office was pillaged, the headquarters of the magazine he coordinated was destroyed, his projects mysteriously began to be refused and clients disappeared. In 1966 he moved to Paris where he started working around the world especially in Algeria. The dictatorship ended in 1985 and soon after Niemeyer returned to his native country again.
In 1988 Oscar Niemeyer was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, together with American architect Gordon Bunshaft. Niemeyer is now 98 years old and is still involved in diverse projects.
Above picture is The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum from 1996, by many considered his finest work of art.
On a Sunday with serious hangovers from a long night out in Shoreditch all I could think about posting was a picture of my all time favorite car. Wauv!
Staying in the Arbus world this picture must have inspired a certain favorite director of mine!
New York City born photographer Diane Arbus (1923 – 1971) started out in the fashion industry, but in 1959 her career moved towards the more artistic initiated while studying with photographer Lissete Model. Arbus recieved the Guggenheim felowship in 1963 and 1966 and a year after her first fellowship, her work was recognized by John Szarkowski who formed Arbus’ first exhibit at MoMA.
On July 26th 1971, Diane Arbus tradically committed suicide.
A new (Hollywood…) film starring Nicole Kidman as Arbus is now out inspired by Patricia Bosworth’s book ‘Diane Arbus: A Biography.’ It is directed by Steven Shainberg.
Link
Well check out their special 40th anniversary website and make up your own mind.
See it here!
A little gem hidden away between the two busy roads in Islington, Essex Road and Upper Street, The New River Path.
An empty multi-storey high rise in Queen’s Court, Glasgow, was used for the new Sony Bravia LCD TV advert. Surrounding houses were covered with huge tarpaulins as the tower block was fire painted in fireworks. The building was demolished before the advert was ever shown.
Watch!
Dutch photographer Hellen Van Meene born in 1972. She only uses Rolleiflex and avaliable light without the use of flash, lamps or reflectors. And the film: Fujicolor Portrait NPH 400 Professional. A bit of the Big E (Rasmus see Eggleston) on above picture but otherwise very original and stylish. Check out more here!
My two new flatmates, Mia and Marie, baked me a classic Danish lagkage for my 29th birthday on November 5th.
