Precarious

As I seat here, fattened by my good fortune, I need synthesis. A fusion of knowledge, an understanding of the world I see.  Desperately searching online database and scholastic work, I try to gather an education or rather replace the drawers with finds that matter.  Watching a 2006 documentary on Chuck Connelly I realized that Art is not intent but rather a mean of sustainability disguised under a cloak of virtuosic and romantic vision analogous to the health insurance salesman.  The artist and his impresario, like a placenta and the offspring it feeds, benefit from an intricate relationship.  This parasitic image, while interesting, is false; the impresario has a crucial advantage over the placenta, the ability to redirect his nectar.  These controls of flow, these gates of success, are critical to our understanding of the art world today.  As part of the “plebeians” I am at the mercy of the placentas.  I deserve this but I want more.  I want to understand what makes “Art”.  I will not delve on the simplistic view that there are no definitions, or there are many definitions.  Unfortunately, it has always been clear to me that Art is the business of Aesthetics.  Art exist when it is shown, last when it sales, and becomes priceless when its maker dies.  In this relaxed equation, the meaningful denominator appears to be the curators, the “Szarkowskists”. 

From an appreciation of style to an appreciation of art, I have evolved in my understanding of photography.  This effort, or critical thinking, is important to me and should probably be part of my daily activity.  Unfortunately, like George Duhamel warned us, we live in a “Société de consommation” and the belief that others are more astute to what is important appears to dominate our thinking.  It is not until we realize that our voice has meaning that this fact comes to light.

The intent of this post remains unclear to me.  I need synthesis.

Before you accuse me of pedophelia, take a deep breath.  My kids where playing around this afternoon around the pool with their cousins.  Being the savages that I raised, clothes started to come off and skin became the accouterment of the day.  Had some 400 polaroid in the old Graflex and started to take some shots. Unfortunately the talent was less than cooperative but the outcome pleasant.

Ardor

Renaissance

Pimp my Ride

American Pie

As an experiment I have decided to compile work of prominent photographers from photos freely available on the internet.  The idea is to offer a centralize view of meaningful work that have had a major impact on our appreciation of the media.  The files will be in PDF forms, freely downloadable, and in format that would easily fit the IPhone.  Until an adequate PDF reader is available, the files will be left online. The first launch is a view at the bold work of Nobuyoshi Araki.

I received today an email from a photographer who asked me to have a look at his work.  Initially I did not feel up to the task, nevertheless, for some reason I felt obliged to take a deeper look and offer my uneducated and naive expertise on the matter at hand. Hell, I am no Jörg Colberg but I read Charlotte Cotton’s book and am armed with an intricate sensitivity propitious to a keen evaluation of photographic aesthetics.  After reassuring him that I was by no means a photo or art critic, I offered a short descriptive on his work and concluded on a rather pedant note stating that the work was progressing in a direction worth exploring further. My comments were sincere and I did enjoy this brief exercise.

On a side note, let me recommend GUP magazine.  A Dutch publication dedicated to Photography.  Unfortunately you will have to subscribe as this is a paper publication.  As a compensation I would refer you to the German E-Zine Democratic Books.

I must say that I am starting to appreciate more and more the concise format of the E-Zine in contrast to the endless strolling through multiple blogs and the links cluttering my two cinema displays.

Well, most of us have nothing to say.  Ever wondered why Spencer Tunick”s “flesh Sculptures” leave you emotionless? Read this article by Mia Fineman in the daily E-Zine  SLATE.

Looking though my archive of LF slides I did find this photo, part of series I did in a small Appalachian school totaling less than 100 students.  I am not sure why I dismissed this shot, but today I like it. What do you see?

A recent post from Andrew Hetherington, creator of Whats the Jackanory? led me into the newly created blog of Vincent Laforet and his Seminal Article “The cloud is Falling“. With the luxury of remoteness, I embraced his clear views on the future of the medium as a profession.  Roland Barthes, in his most personal work, la “Chambre Claire” (Camera Obscura), states that certain photographs provokes in him “minute Jubilations” while others leave him indifferent, further, he never loves all the photographs of the same photographer. As a spectator this is a point well taken and illustrates his notion of Studium and Punctum.  For the sake of clarity I will present here a brief description:

• The Studium:  Beyond the photographs that do not “talk” to Barthes, some exist that elicit an average interest.  This interest, the Studium, is cultural, social, or maybe politic.  It is the statement “I like” and also refers to the informative value of photography.
• The Punctum: is the “bite”, the “cut”. The detail that opens the gates of visceral emotions, the “I love”.

I think that we all agree, we do not Love all the photographs of the same photographer, but we all love many photographs from a multitude of photographers, this concept is clearly embodied by the success of the 99 cents song [and reminds me of the time I was making tape compilations of my favorite vinyls]. Didn’t Apple announce 5 billions songs sold? and what about the poster business, we all need something on the wall.  Well, maybe there are some solutions here for the pro photographers.  What would you say, if I told you, on my site, you can download a high resolution file of a photograph with the necessary punctum from a renown photographer for 99 cents.  This file can be sent to your local or online printing facility, framed and displayed on your wall proudly. Democratize art, I say, flood the market with high quality work and kill the micro-stock industry.  What if I told you, you are all owners of this non-profit company [which will not see profit for at least 3 to 5 years], what would you say… I know what Henri Cartier-Bresson would say.

An interesting point brought forth by Vincent Laforet, was the recommendation given to photographers to remain somewhat firm on their fees in order to restrict bids.  I am afraid that this practice in other fields, including mine, has never been successful as far as I can recollect and may benefit only a select few. Capitalism is based on this economic principle.  

The last option appears to be changing the media to adapt to its new delivery modality or more appropriately called “the multimediograph” (you can quote me on that term), the ken burn special, the 2 1/2 D, amplified with audio commentaries, sounds, video,and writing. This appears to me as a very appealing form  as I found myself clicking on these multimedia facets occasionally offered by the New-York Times.  Here we go again, the 3 minutes multimediograph for 99 cents, better than a song, better than a video, this is information with style delivered to you Iphone.  Naturally, the user would have access to all media involved in the multimediograph, all downloadable for 99 cents each.

One final argument, the concept of Free and why it is limited in foresight. For illustration purpose, working in an hospital, should I value the work of our volunteers? They offer help for free and this is commendable.  The truth is that I do not value their services which are more often than none unreliable and costly in time.  You see volunteers often work as transporters and are responsible for transferring the patient from their room to the preoperative area.  This process, which takes often more than 1 hour,  is by no mean free.  I think that the free information available on the internet is plagued with a similar problem.  It is there, maybe, but how long will it take you to find it? and how reliable is it?.  I will conclude that cheap is better than free.

Shit, I want to start this company, I will call it  ”I-Cast” or should it be “I-Sense”.

In 2002, I presented a paper at the Society for Vascular Surgery in Chicago.  The talk, presented in front of an audience of more than 500 vascular surgeons, was well received.  However, regardless of the audience, a sour soul in demand of recognition is always present.  This time it was Dr Cambria, chief of Vascular Surgery at MGH (the prestigious Harvard Massachusetts General Hospital).  The man was insulting, arguments were exchanged, WTF I thought, here goes my chance to join the Harvard faculty.  I am no wimp, no academic institution is worth my honor. Now, the interesting part of this story is intricately related to my vestimentary choice of the day.  You see, that day I chose to wear a foulard otherwise known as an Ascott scarf instead of the usual tie.  No doubt, I did not blend with the crowd.  I later found out that the reason for Cambria aggressive behavior was due to my bold choice.  You’ve got to be kidding…

The good news is that I will be presenting a paper at the Easter Vascular Society meeting in Boston this coming September.  Cambria’s Home town. And you guessed it, I will be wearing the loudest scarf I can find.

Cool application

Vacation is a time to read old issues of View Camera, American Cinematographer, and Jean Paul Sartre because it is inspiring. It is also a time to revisit my goals and make plans for the future. These past two weeks have been particularly enlightening. I now know now what I should do.

a record: 17 cases in 4 days, 12 hours of sleep.  How safe is that, and the RRC (Residency Review Committee) is planning to decrease the working hours for residents to 60 hours a week.  Of course I am no longer a resident, so no hours restriction for me.  The hypocrisy of it all is laughable.  The 4th of July long week-ends are notorious for the endless transfers from “bum-fucked” small hospitals as their surgeons are conveniently unavailable (more common if the patient is uninsured or under Medicare coverage).  The result is a stream of disastrous, poorly managed cases looking for salvation in tertiary medical centers and all this in the middle of the night.  My last transfer arrived last night from the VA at 1:00 am.  Another poor vet with a cold, lifeless extremity. what the fuck, it’s the 5th one in 24 hours, what are you people doing, this is beyond acceptable probability.  As one of my chief resident used to tell me, shut up you bitch, drop the skirt and grow a nut. So, like a man I embraced the challenged and saved the limb, after all what Vietnam did not take is worth saving.  This is, by no means, a plea for pity, I deserve none.  Shit, I heal with steel and love blood, I just wish that the rabidus medicus out there would chill and stop pretending.

I was surprised and please to see this article in the NY Times today.  Diagnostic studies are becoming the number one revenue modalitie for physicians in private practice.  Under the disguise of ease of accessibility and good care, group practice are purchasing millions worth of diagnostic equipment in order to maximize their income as Medicare slashes reimbursement.  Interestingly, the STARK law was designed to prevent such unabated practice, but the number of loopholes or so called exemptions are staggering, thanks to well funded lobbies.  Medicine is a business people and you are a commodity. 

Words of my mother noticing that I have not yet posted a portrait of her.  So there it is maman.

I am also posting a photo of  Jo (my wife), this was actually my first shot using strobes, hope you enjoy my make up skills.

The International Color awards photo competition has extended its deadline, so I decided to submit a few large format shots taken this year.  The site claim that donations will benefit Art for Children with plan to donate $120,000 in grants to 220 photographers over the next 10 years. Otherwise there are no details as to the distribution of funds, and I can not find a website for the foundation.  My understanding is that last year, more than 15,000 photographers participated, and I will assume an average of 2 photos per photographers (Pro and Amateur).  That is an expected revenue of $900,000.  Winners and Nominees have included Heimo Schmidt and Erwin Olaf, that is serious business.  The judges consist of an equally impressive panel.  The question is where is the money going?  We are often under the assumption that charitable foundations have reasonable overheads, I recall an article in the NYT addressing this very issue.  So, are we funding some guys lifestyle or helping poor kids discover photography?  

Looking through my fridge I found an old box of 10 exposure of Time-Zero polaroid film dating back to the 80’s.  Looking through Ebay I noticed that such an item goes for $100.00.  That what I call a free market economy.  Well today it is truly free.  If you are the proud owner of a Polaroid SX-70, I will send you this box for free.  I will even pay for the postage.  There is only one condition, you need to send me a high resolution scan of all 10 exposures when completed.  That’s what I call philanthropy, If only I could solve world poverty.