Blog
La Chanca
“The perspective of Almeria, viewed from the heights of the Alcazaba, is one of the most beautiful in the world.” Juan Goytisolo, La Chanca Almeria’s Alcazaba, a Moorish castle perched above the city, overlooks the neighborhood of La Chanca. It is a historically impoverished zone made up of small dwellings built into the hillside on the outskirts of the city. The inhabitants painted their homes using whatever ingredients were available, resulting in a multicolored patchwork. Ruins still remain of a nineteenth century lead mining and transport operation that ran down the mountain to the nearby port. La Chanca has long […]
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The Final Duel
Mortimer stands eyeing his Colt Buntline Special on the ground, which has just been shot out of his hand. Indio approaches holding a musical watch. Inside the watch is a picture of Mortimer’s sister, who shot herself while being raped by Indio. The two gunmen stand inside a large circle bounded by a low stone wall at the edge of town. In the background is only desert, a few dry shrubs and distant mountains. Manco approaches, offering his gunbelt and pistol to Mortimer before taking a seat on the low wall. The duel begins. As Indio starts to reach for […]
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The Cliffs of Miraflores
In the district of Miraflores in Lima, Peru, new luxury condominium towers hug the edge of the cliffs. At the base of a dizzyingly steep drop, the coastal highway winds along beaches popular with surfers. Miraflores is a privileged neighborhood. It contains some of Lima’s best restaurants, upscale shopping, and well-maintained parks and gardens. The district also serves as a base for foreign tourists visiting the city. Walking the paths along the cliffs provides a rare escape from the noisy, smog-filled city of almost 9 million. But the quiet is frequently broken by sounds of demolition and construction, as new […]
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FotoDC Opens This Week
One of my large-format panoramic prints of the Texas Hollywood western movie set in Almeria, Spain, will be on display at the Fotoweek Central space at 18th and L Streets NW.
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New Kazan
Kazan, located in the Republic of Tatarstan, is often referred to as the “Third Capital” of Russia. The city has grown dramatically in recent years as a scientific and cultural center. Kazan will host both the 2013 Summer Universiade and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and dozens of sports stadiums and venues are already under construction. Both Islamic and Christian traditions exist side by side in the city. The Qolsharif mosque, originally destroyed by Ivan the Terrible in the sixteenth century, was rebuilt in 2005, though with a more modern design. The juxtaposition of old and new, and the reinvention […]
Read MoreNYT: Spain’s Building Spree Leaves Some Airports and Roads Begging to Be Used
MADRID – In March, local officials inaugurated a new airport in Castellón, a small city on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. They are still waiting for the first scheduled flight. To justify the grand opening, Carlos Fabra, the head of Castellón’s provincial government, argued that it was a unique opportunity to turn an airport into a tourist attraction, giving visitors full access to the runway and other areas normally off-limits. This Sunday, it will be used as the starting point for part of Spain’s national cycling championships, featuring the three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador. http://mobile.nytimes.com/article?a=808391&f=111 Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
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Installation Day at the BMA
Monday was installation day for the 2011 Sondheim Artscape Prize exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Each of the finalists has an entire room in the exhibit space. For my space, we installed 14 pieces, including two large panoramic images 38″ x 75″. The staff at the BMA was outstanding, and of course they did all the real work of hanging and lighting everything. Saturday the space opens to the public.
Read MoreSondheim Artscape Prize: 2011 Finalists Exhibition
Exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art June 25 through August 7, 2011 In conjunction with Artscape, Baltimore’s premier arts festival organized by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, the BMA presents a special exhibition of works by the finalists for the Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize. The finalists this year are Stephanie Barber, Louie Palu, Mark Parascandola, Matthew Porterfield and Rachel Rotenberg. The winner of the $25,000 prize will be announced at a special award ceremony at the BMA on July 9. Named after the late Baltimore civic leader Walter Sondheim and his late wife, Janet, […]
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Look3: Photographers on Honesty and Objectivity
Last week, I attended the Look3 Festival of the Photograph in Charlottesville, VA, and was struck by the conflicting opinions on the role of photographic images. Ashley Gilbertson delivered an impassioned talk about why he photographs the empty bedrooms of young soldiers killed in conflict. “I don’t believe in objectivity,” he explained, “I believe in honesty.” Spending weeks telephoning families of deceased soldiers and traveling around the world to photograph empty bedrooms is not a neutral endeavor. That evening, Massimo Vitale, famous for his large wall-size prints of crowds on beaches, provided a directly opposing view: “I’m all for objectivity,” he […]
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Artomatic Takes Flight at DCA
Just passed through here again today — the show comes down June 25. Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
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