Fuck Dragon's Den.

 

Good ideas don't need a telly programme. If I had one musical bone in my body I would upload it HERE and get me a single and you can too Pop Pickers. Pop pickers, that wasn't one of uncle Jimmy's sayings was it? Can you still say Pop Pickers?

I reckon this idea could be as big for muso's as blurb is for photographers. And of course it's come from here in Manchester. If self publishing has been the big news over the last few years then go HERE to the new kid on the block and self record deal.

Sometimes I Bloody Despair Of Photographers.....

 

You may have seen this story and image floating around social media. It's a tale of a painter who's used a photo he's seen as the starting point for a painting he's made. Photographer finds out gets pissed off and thinks "nice one I can make a quid I'll sue the fucker"  it goes to court. It's a bit like the Richard Prince type thing only this time the photographer wins. Art world is a bit miffed, freedom of artistic expression they cry, conservative photo world declares victory for copyright and the status quo. Anyway you can read the tale and common sense comment HERE

Now you may be thinking that I'm having a go at the photographer Katrijn Van Giel well I'm not. It's a strong portrait that's been appropriated by a well known successful artist so I understand their reaction, although in this case I think both the photographer and the law are acting daft. If it was one of my pictures and a top artist like Luc Tuymans decided to use one of my photos I would not only be chuffed to death but I would also milk it like fuck. Still Van Giel is quids in.

It's not a good decision for art though and the reaction from a lot of folk in the photography world just shows their plain ignorance and lack of understanding when it comes to issues being raised by contemporary art. This worries me (as far as photography goes but not like global warming or the new bus lane on the East Lancs Road) because it's some of the movers and shakers of the photography world who think this is a victory. 

I copied the below post from someone on facebook. I've not said who it is so I hope they won't sue me over copyright.

"You can see from my photos that I brave the elements to make them-I am up in the middle of the night, or early morning- or outside in the very cold. They are my point of view- the way I see things - my work and the photographs are the end result, unless I want to do something else with them. I am always talking about how much I resent painters saying they want to paint my photograph. I think painters should find their own subject matter- and go out and take photos if they use photos as inspiration. I think, I can paint my own photograph, but other's should not. I get testy. Of course I have no control when I post them. The choice seems to be that my photographs get seen every few years in a gallery setting, and they are seen no where else, or I post them online, and obviously, I chose to post them. It is, to me, a question of morals, integrity and originality
http://hyperallergic.com/176138/luc-tuymans-convicted-of-plagiarism-for-painting-photo-of-politician/"

PS I just saw this! https://www.lensculture.com/articles/katerina-belkina-paint-a-series-of-photographic-self-portraits

Hunter S Thompson Say's The Bigger Your Camera/Applemac/Software The Smaller Your Cock.

Or words to that effect......
http://petapixel.com/2015/01/19/hunter-s-thompson-problem-focusing-much-technicals-photography/

Portfolio Reviews Are Fucking Nonsense.

Save your money..

New Gallery For Manchester/Salford!

A new gallery on Bridge street, right opposite Salford Central Station is to open. SALFORD CENTRAL ART GALLERY or SCAG is over 2000 square feet of new art space which places photography right at the center of it's programming. Starting as it means to go on the first show is to be a right Bobby Dazzler.
'Manchester Poly And the Class of The 70's is a look at the wealth of ground breaking talent to come out of the photography course ran at Manchester Polytechnic during the early 70's. The exhibition features the work of Martin Parr, Dan Meadows, Peter Fraser, Brian Griffin, Charlie Meecham, John Darwell and Kate Mellor. With such a line up this looks set to be one of the highlights of the UK photographic calender for 2010.

But then a noise outside startled me and I woke to realise that it had all been a dream. There was no new gallery and there was no new show looking at why the planets came together for those brief few years back in the funky decade. It had all been nothing but a dream and all we were getting was a fucking Football Museum. You didn't think I was going to let that lie did you?