Why is the Imperial War Museum celebrating James Bond?

"Bums on seats" so to speak. It's the same reason that our main gallery had Kylie's Knickers http://www.manchestergalleries.org/whats-on/exhibitions/?itemID=21 last year.

More Here; http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article3805217.ece

Adrian Tyler

Image copyright Adrian Tyler

Adrian Tyler's work on man made environments and structures are well worth viewing. I particularly liked the abstracted "Road" section. www.adriantyler.net

Believe................

May 21st, Moscow.

Dear God..........

If you could please fix it for United to win tonight, I promise I will never be nasty to anyone ever again on this blog.........................http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7BB4CEE8FA%2D9A47%2D47BC%2DB069%2D3F7A2F35DB70%7D&newsid=549416

Bloody ell..........

After managing to piss off Manchester's New Labour groupies, (see comments last post) a party that's managed to bring the nation to it's knees, within a decade, It's back to photo's.......................................

Who The F#*k..........

Vote for ME, ME, ME..........
Yes, who the f#*k do you think you are you cheeky bastard? You put my name and address on some shit flyer and give it to some gimp to post through my letter box. Data protection? Well here's your Email address and I hope that every decent person who reads this, world wide email's you, you dick........ anthony@citycentrelabour.org.uk This of course is how little respect they have for us, Vote for me, me, me.................................

Salford's Next Big Ting.....

God I'm sorry for that but I couldn't resist. But really we love The Ting Tings here. http://www.myspace.com/thetingtings Download 18th May, CD 19th May, now where was I, oh yes "that's not my name, la la la la"

Vintage Scally Photo Found!

Not really, did I have you fooled? It's off one of those Internets novelty websites from Japan. You upload a photo, press the big blue button and it turns it into instant vintage photo. Entertaining for a good five minutes..................... http://labs.wanokoto.jp/olds

The Tony Wilson Experience

Yours truly has just applied/submitted to be part of The Tony Wilson Experience, http://www.tonywilsonexperience.com/ well he was a gobshite I'm a gobshite..........................................................................

Rob Ball

Image Copyright Rob Ball, from the series "Recovered"

Had every intention of lightening things up a bit after the last few posts, but then I got sent a link to the work of Rob Ball, loved it, so had to show. Not that all of the work on http://www.robball.net/ is dark, "Short Stories" is a sunny series, with lots of warmth. He has however been a Scene of Crime Photographer and it was the series "Recovered" that I found the most interesting.

Monday

Image copyright Mark Page

Quote

"I hope to stay unemployed as a war photographer till the end of my life." - Robert Capa

An Iconic Image For Our Time.

Image copyright some shithead in the American military

After all the hundreds of professional photographers who went to Iraq, and all the thousands of images that must have been taken, It's this pixelated grainy image shot on a mobile phone, that is for me, THE photo of the Iraq war.

Youths Throwing Stones, Palestine.

"Youths throwing stones, Palestine" is what I typed into Google images to find the above pictures. Google had 61000 images for that search. Now that doesn't include replacing Palestine with Iraq or any other place of conflict. Is there any point in photographers keep taking these sorts of pictures? How many pictures like this does the world need? Have we all become so saturated with this stuff that it now has little point? Do photographers and Artists need to come up with new visual languages that can once again stimulate debate?

Simon Norfolk

Image copyright Simon Norfolk

Simon Norfolk's www.simonnorfolk.com subject is often conflict, Afghanistan Iraq, Bosnia, but Norfolk is foremost a landscape photographer. You will not find him in amongst flying bullets with 35mm cameras hung around his neck. He works using large 10x8 plate camera's with the sensibilities of of an Eighteenth-Century romantic painter, working after the event. Norfolk shows us the affects of war on the landscape, more contemplative than gungho. Here for more including audio interviews: http://www.lensculture.com/norfolk.html

Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin

Image, Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin

I find Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin's Documentary work very interesting. They have been collaborating for the past decade which is interesting in itself, but it's the way that they document conflict, post event in a more reflective way that I feel is new and needed. Here for more info:http://www.trolleynet.com/press.php?press=33 And here for their work: http://www.choppedliver.info/ pay attention to series "Red house"

Liverpool 08

Image Mark page

Spent a sunny warm day in Liverpool today. Did the usual, The Albert Dock, Ferry across the Mersey etc. Now I'm not one of those Manc's that's always putting Liverpool down, in fact I love the place, but I've got to ask what are you doing? It's just one big building site. Now I know it's regeneration we had a nasty dose of that ourselves here in Manchester but we weren't European City of Culture at the time. Could the council or whoever not have planned it a bit better? The Three Graces covered in scaffolding and plastic netting, the ferry office a bloody porta cabin? Road works everywhere, The city centre full of fat builders shouting "get your tits out" (not to me you understand although my moobs are pretty impressive) God what must the tourists think. It's OK for me I'm used to it being from Manchester......................

Winner!

Image Craig McDean

Well Done to Manchester lad Craig McDean. He is the 24th recipient of the International Centre of Photography's Infinity Award.
http://www.icp.org/site/c.dnJGKJNsFqG/b.3945841/ He was awarded it in the Applied fashion & advertising section, so well done to him, more here: http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=790379

Gavin Parry

Image copyright Gavin Parry

So photographing the idiosyncrasies of British life (see last post) becomes difficult under the shadow of Parr. He has been so influential and it's hard not to fall into the "cynical Whimsy" trap. It can be done as Stephen Gill has shown us. http://www.stephengill.co.uk/ and so does Gavin Parry. There's some interesting and original work on his site that still emits an "Englishness" without bowing to Parr. http://www.gavinparry.com/ Gavin is a senior lecturer in photography at MMU http://www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk/profile/gparry/image/10484

Idle worship.

Over on flickr there is a whole section dedicated to lover's of all things Martin Parr. That is for photographers who try to emulate his style, I kid you not! http://www.flickr.com/groups/martinparr/pool/ Somebody needs to tell The Caravan Gallery Quick! as they've been doing poor imitations for years............ http://www.thecaravangallery.co.uk/

George Monkey & Arctic Formby........

Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfmAeijj5cM

Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XTULcETGqk

Separated at birth?

Monday

Image Mark Page

Sunday

Images copyright Mark Page

Steffi Klenz

from the series "Nonsuch"

from the series "Nummianus" Images copyright Steffi Klenz

Following on from yesterdays post, and my current pre-occupation with the UK housing market, I give you the work of German, UK based photographer Steffi Klenz. She has made UK housing the basis of her last two projects, "Nummianus" which finds links between terraces in Greater Manchester (looks like Seedley to me) and Pompeii ! and

in the series "Nonsuch" she looks at the village of Poundbury in Dorset, a Utopia designed in part by Prince Charles. http://www.steffiklenz.co.uk/

Richard Padgett Estate Agents & Re-Enforcing The Cliche.

Above is the house I recently tried to buy in Swinton through Richard Padgett estate agents. I've been looking for a house like this for ages. A red brick terrace on a nice street Salford way. Infact it's also become a long term photographic project, but that will become clear at a later date. Now we all know about estate agents being slimey bastards but I never realised just how much they lived upto their reputation until I had the misfortune in dealing with Richard Padgett estate agents Monton and the shower of shit that they employ. Here follows the estate agent blurb for the above house: "2 bed garden fronted terrace in need of updating, upvc double glazing, lounge, dining room, fitted kitchen, 2 double bedrooms, bathroom with 3 piece suite, small garden to front, enclosed rear yard with garage ..."

Please note the line "in need of updating". Now I'm a bit new to this house buying lark having lived in social housing for the past decade, but I still fail to see how the above description can translate to This: "Elements of the property appear to be in poor condition. Including: Specialist wall tie contractor to carry out wall tie work.There is evidence of dry rot and works could be expensive and disruptive. There is evidence of rising damp to ground floor walls and timbers. Rewiring to current IEE standards. Removal of polystyrene ceiling tiles FIRE HAZARD. Unacceptable kitchen fittings. The services of a licensed Asbestos contractor is required for removal of garage. New chimney flashing's." Which is the surveyors report. Now is it me or is that a world away from "in need of updating"

So I'm £180 lighter and back to the drawing board. Is it any wonder that people are loosing confidence in the housing market when there is Shithawks like Richard Padgett Estate agents, Monton about? http://www.richardpadgett.co.uk/

Image by Andre Zucca

by Charles Bremner over at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/

"An unusual warning has been added to a Paris exhibition that has shocked some visitors and media, despite the absence of sex, violence or religion.
The photographic show has caused offence by depicting the French capital in the Second World War as a sunny place, where people enjoyed life alongside their Nazi occupiers." More http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article3767951.ece

Carlos Diaz

Image Copyright Carlos Diaz

Perhaps if my last post is true, and God I hope it's not. We may have to take inspiration from Carlos Diaz's Coney Island series "Invented Landscapes" http://www.photoeye.com/gallery/forms/index.cfm?image=1&id=20967&imagePosition=1&Door=2&Portfolio=Portfolio2&Gallery=2&Page=

Have They Banned Photography On Blackpool Prom?

Image copyright Don McPhee estate

In my just waking up fuzzledness, I thought I heard my other half, who was in the front room watching BBC Breakfast News shout through that they had banned photography from Blackpool Prom for fear of paedo's and terrorists. Now I may just have been half asleep, and she left for work before I had chance to ask more, but is this true? I've scoured the Internet and can't find anything, does anyone else know anything? It may just me being at bit paranoid but if this is true it's very worrying..........................................

Sounds From The Other City.

Salfords very own music extravaganza is back for a fourth year happening on Sunday 4th May. http://www.soundsfromtheothercity.com/ Loads of great bands playing in loads of Real pubs (and a church) up and down Chapel Street. The Kings Arms www.myspace.com/kingsarmssalford has to get a special mention just for being there. Any band you see upstairs at the Kings while holding a nice pint of one of Jons well kept ales will be one your glad you saw. Although I've had a tip that Magic Arm at The Rovers Return may well be one of those "I was there" moments.....................

Broken Link

Noticed that the link on the right hand side regarding UK photographers rights was down. So now it's fixed. Also here: http://www.sirimo.co.uk/ukpr.php

Jo Longhurst

Image copyright Jo Longhurst

As I mentioned back in March with the Alessandra Sanguinetti post, http://www.alessandrasanguinetti.com/ using animals as a photographic motif for exploring larger issues, must be a difficult challenge for an artist, it is however, something that I am finding more and more interesting. So seeing a body of work as fascinating as Jo Longhurst's "The Refusal " http://www.jolonghurst.com/ is smashing. It has also been published as a book, which no doubt will be of the highest quality as it's by steidl http://www.steidlville.com/books/727-The-Refusal.html

Ron Jude

Image copyright Ron Jude

Photographed between 1991 & 2006 Ron Jude's series "Postcards" act as travel records. Unlike your usual postcards they aim to capture the actual experience, the small overlooked moments of his travels. http://web.mac.com/ronjude/iWeb/ronjude/Ron%20Jude%20Home.html

Tom Waits & Iggy Pop - Coffee and Cigarettes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6Mw6b1T50U

Keep Smiling Gurnners!

Man United 2 Arsenal 1

Here's some more you might remember.......... http://www.manchesterunited.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=106166

28 Days Later

Images copyright of The Machine

No not the film, but the forum website http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/ for "urban explorers". These are daring souls who get into and explore disused and abandoned building's. Now I love this type of stuff, for all kinds of reasons, not least because it has an interesting relationship with photography. It seems almost like a "chicken or egg" situation. Do they photograph merely to record the exploration or explore in order to make photographs? Either way what they end up with are very pure documentary images which are often beautiful into the bargain. Although the pictures here are probably not best described as beautiful. Taken by someone called "The Machine" who if you ask me is either mad or has balls the size Wythenshawe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wythenshawe (for all none Mancs) Anyway City Buildings, Corporation Street (next to Urbis) www.urbis.org.uk was explored and you should take a look at whats right on your doorstep http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=26177 And by the way Urbis if your listening this shit would make a great exhibition................. Oh yes and Manchester City Council, private building or not, you should be fucking ashamed of yourselves letting a building splendid as this Victorian gem get in such a state........................................

Ed Watts

Image copyright Ed Watts

I tell you what, they're turning out some interesting photographers up Blackpool way............. www.edwattsphotography.co.uk

Early Manc's..............

Tadhg Devlin

Image copyright Tadhg Devlin

Some nice work. Including "5/1 f" and "The Fifth Province" http://www.tadhgdevlin.com/

12 Grosvenor Place, by Colin Pantall

Image copyright Colin Pantall

Colin's been posting images from a series called "12 Grosvenor Place" over the last week or so on his blog http://www.colinpantall.blogspot.com/ . I urge you all to go see........................................

Photo Art: The Brave New World Of Photography.

Edited by Uta Grosenick & Thomas Seeling published by Thames & Hudson £24.99 cheaper here:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Photo-Art-New-World-Photography/dp/0500287112/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207926718&sr=1-1 And highly recommended, features lots of great photographers showcasing their ideas and images, a real who's who of the current Art Photography's Great & The Good a useful and interesting reference book. (Students dazzle your tutors with your knowledge of contemporary practice!) No I'm not on commission, I'm just practising the pitch I'm going to give the other half to secure funds to buy it.................

Anne Collier at Openeye

Image copyright Anne Collier

News letter from Openeye Gallery

Current exhibition
Anne Collier
11 April 08 - 24 May 08
Open Eye Gallery is proud to present the first solo exhibition in a UK public gallery of work by New York based artist Anne Collier.
Over the past decade Collier has created a body of work that investigates the role of photographs in contemporary culture. She takes images from everyday popular culture - 1970s posters, art magazines and record sleeves - and re-presents them in the white space of the gallery. Often re-photographing existing photographs - making images of images - Collier meditates on the nature of images and our ways of seeing them. Her formal, rigorous compositions hint at the stories of her own life, in what has been described as a kind of 'deflected self-portraiture'. She also investigates the wider world of images that we inhabit, reminding us that every photograph is a material object with its own history or 'biography'. Pointing up hidden nuances of power and gender relations, her work is laced with irony and dry humour. She explores our closeness to images, pointing out that we are entangled with them in ways that we rarely stop to consider.

More at www.openeye.org.uk

Burt Glinn 1928-2008

Burt Glinn 1928-2008

It's once more with sadness that I hear about the death yesterday morning, of another great Magnum photographer http://www.magnumphotos.com/ Burt Glinn who amongst other things covered the revolution in Cuba In 1959. Here for that story: http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essays/revolution.aspx