Manchester resident and one of my favourite photographers Seba Kurtis is one of only two UKers to be selected for "Piece Of Cake" .A worthy representative.

Tim Roda.

Image copyright Tim Roda.

Tim Roda's artwork is something of a family affair. Hovering somewhere between photography, installation and performance his family become the actors in these strange & fascinating scenes.
Unusual not only in this multi media/technique approach but also in his choice of using 35mm and Black & White and avoiding that well (perhaps too well) trod current path of banality.

Couldn't find a website for him but you can view more of his work HERE, HERE & HERE.

HUGO GETS IT, MAGNUM EXCUSED?

One of 714 images of Nigeria on the MAGNUM site.

Image copyright Pieter Hugo

Heavy discussions going on about whether or not Pieter Hugo's work is racist. HERE, and HERE. Of course these things need to be discussed and there's far cleverer people than me doing it so I don't want get involved in the back and forth. Too much rhetorical rigour for this numpty I'll just end up shouting arse or something.

No I don't claim to be an academic I tend to work via gut instinct which is fine as an artist that's as important a trait as anything. I know I'm not black and I'm sure I can't begin to understand all the issues but I really like these pictures always have. Maybe I'm a bit odd but far from seeing something derogatory in that image I just think "Fuck me a hyena on a lead that's top, that blokes the bollox"

A Nigerian (black) friend of mine who now lives in Manchester thought the same when I showed him. He was positivly proud and started to take the piss out of local scallies and their piss poor Staffies.

The other thing I'm confused about is this. Lets pretend that these images are never going to end up in a gallery and lets pretend that Pieter Hugo has no ambitions to be an artist, what if he was a pure documentary or reportage photographer, would that be OK to photograph the Hyena men? The speed things change in this world the Hyena men may not be around 50, 100 years from now. Surely photographing them for posterity is worth while? We can always remove them at a later date if we still don't like them Orwellian style. These are questions asked HERE. I guess I'm so used to constantly seeing pictures of Africans being portrayed as victims that I only saw the positive in this work. I thought it was a refreshing change.

No post tonight (other than this of course) due to me having a bit on, oh yeah and watching the very brilliant GENERATION KILL.

Vivian Maier

Image copyright, Hmmm Not sure probably John Maloof.

Thanks to Stan over at RECIPROCITY FAILURE for this story. I love this sort of thing, an unknown archive coming to light, some quiet, skilled photographer who had been making great work for decades undiscovered until after her death. Some of these images are truly great I hope that they go on to get a life of their own as work often does.

Do you ever wonder what will happen to YOUR archive when you snuff it? I have this romantic dream, nay nightmare that after lying there undiscovered for months (if Social Service cuts get as bad as predicted) in a Salford Highrise they will break in and find me and my 30 cats plus boxes and boxes of prints and 2 dozen hard drives, and they (whoever that may be) will declare me Manchester's greatest artist.

But of course all my efforts are making their way online as is most of our work. In 20 or 30 years time will we still stumble on unknown archives like this, or will the Internet shine light in all the corners?.......................

Here for more tiptop images my Vivian Maier and Here for more on the story.

Harvey Benge.

Image copyright Harvey Benge.

It's great this blogging lark. Oh there's times when it's a bit of a slog, times when you really can't be arsed and you wonder why you bother. But one of the fringe benefits to it, and one of the main reasons I've continued doing it as long as I have is that you get to meet, albeit online, some really interesting people and great artists. People who get what you're about with your work and views. I have over the last couple of years been truly humbled by the caliber of Artist's who have encouraged me with their kind words.

Harvey Benge is one such Artist.

Even cynical me was touched by THIS.

Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2009 @ Cornerhouse.

Image copyright Andrew Curtis

Made it down to Cornerhouse to see this years NEW CONTEMPORARIES. And glad I did too. Could be THE Manchester show of the year so far (I know that's not that hard to achieve at the moment in this current cultural wasteland we call home) This apparently is the crop of current Art school talent and if it is, the British (mainly London some scots) Art courses seem to be in fine fettle.

The pleasing thing for me was the amount of Lens Based work included. I would estimate that a good third fell into this category. Personel faves were Frances Blythe, Felix Frith, Teresa Eng, Andrew Curtis & Barbara Wolff.

Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2009 selected by Ellen Gallagher, Saskia Olde Wolbers, John Stezaker and Wolfgang Tillmans. Until 25 October, go see.

New Cliches of Photography #13

Typologies of murder weapons (either real or potential)

See here.

Simon Menner.

Image copyright Simon Menner

I found the work of Simon Menner via Mrs Deane. I was particularly interested in his Murder Weapons series for obvious reasons. These are actual murder weapons held as evidence by the German police rather than potential weapons held by paranoid me. Still that's one of the inherent problems with photographic art and the Internet. Constant repetition and now the ability to find it. And so for NEW CLICHES OF PHOTOGRAPHY #13 .....................

"Remember the turn of the millennium? An era associated with shiny new buildings, the launch of major new gallery projects across the country, culture used as a stormtrooper for regeneration.
Alongside the capital projects, there was a demand from government and funders that cultural institutions demonstrate a real impact on "real people". No longer could high art be ghettoised when it was financed through the lottery."

Continue reading "on the future of museums, galleries, citizenship and culture" by URBIS Chief Exec and my day job boss Vaughan Allen.

P.S. The above picture is from The Mark Page Corporate Collection.

Tories,

Welcome to Manchester.

Daniel Lillie.

Image copyright Daniel Lillie.

Square black & white photo's of British working class males? Get out of here! Who cares about that. You can't just use black n white and medium format you fool. You need one of them big camera's, you need colour, you need gimmick, sorry an "angle" and come on these days you certainly need to direct the subject like in a movie. Get them to stand really really still or something for fucks sake.

And talking about subject, the working class, please. Aren't they now just all scroungers? or drug dealer's? Oi wheres the lager swilling hoodies in the park, you can't do the working classes without lager swilling hoodies in the park. The Mail need people to demonise and The Guardian readers need to do some "hand ringing". Lovely red faced allotment men, and old shopkeeper types now that's OK. And come on make an effort, a council estate near where you live? Nobody makes photo's that close to home anymore, you could of at least gone to China.

...........................................

Well done to Daniel Lillie for blowing all the above shit out of the water with his utterly refreshing "I'll See you On The Far Post"

http://expression.magnumphotos.com/expression_award/index.php?p=finalists

http://daniel-lillie.blogspot.com/

http://daniel-lillie.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html

http://www.photoicon.com/news/386/

http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=bjp_onshow

http://www.picture-box.com/lillie5.html

http://kellyhillphotography.blogspot.com/2009/02/daniel-lillie

http://www.picture-box.com/brill.html

http://www.shots.net/young_photogs_results.asp?finalists=true

Urban Film Night.

First off it would not be exaggerating to say that this first film, called "Lift" is the best short film I've ever seen, a real slice of modern Urban Britain. Beautifully shot with empathy for the subject that in turn allows film maker Mark Isaacs to really get under the skin of his subject. A masterclass in social documentary from 2001.

And second up what could be more "Urban" and a better metaphor for the "Street photographer" than the stray dog? And what better living street photographer than Daido Moriyama?
Found thanks to 1000 words.

Ah, people living and existing in the built environment a subject that out of all the mediums is dealt with best by photography whether still or moving "Lens is Best" for this one cocker.

Lets Party Like It's 2016

Congrats to Rio on the successful Olympic bid Now they can join London in getting misty eyed over disappearing slums, Worry where the money's coming from and redirect millions from the Arts in the vain attempt of discovering an anomaly who can run really really fast.

Prix Pictet Shortlist.

Image copyright Yao Lu

The shortlist is out for the PRIX PICTET and wigan pie eater Darren Almond is on the list so well done to him. My personnel favourite is Yao Lu. Some big names there including Gursky and Burtynsky, all famous & successful NO website famous & successful.

Cheers to Prison Pete for reminding me and giving me a post for tonight!

"It's not a proper book", "It looks better than I thought" is it one of those Blurb books? scoff scoff. "Anyone can make one of those" True. Just like anyone can take a photograph, doesn't mean it's going to be any good though does it?. It's a bit like when people used to look down at The Open University. We cry democracy but only for ourselves and as long as status quo is maintained at all times. Am I over egging the pudding? I don't think so. Surely it's got to be a good thing that anyone can get their ideas and project turned into print? The law of averages says there's going to be some gems coming through. The Irony is I've heard bloggers knocking self publishing!

And so at last self publishing is getting a bit of Kudos. Hip hip horaay then for Impressions Gallery Bradford. Impressions Gallery you are the new William Tyndale. Trouble is Thames & Hudson, Chris Boot and Dewi Lewis will want to burn you at the stake..........

P.S The print quality in my Blurb book is easily as good as in several T&H books I have at home, and I spent most of the first decade of my working life as a printer........

Manchester Blog Awards 2009

Well another year and fuck all. Are we bitter? course we fucking are. month after month, year after year selflessly showcasing this Town and the best creative talent it has to offer and not a fucking sausage..... I'm not going to throw a hissy fit but...........

Only kidding, well done to all those shortlisted and to a personal fav of mine.

And my old mate "Dunni" has the above show.

David say's

"During October you can see some of my photographs of modern Mancunian buildings (good, bad and downright ugly) at Manchester's Central Library.
They'll be displayed on the first floor, outside the local history section.
Address: Manchester Central Library, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, M2 5PD
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am to 8pm Friday and Saturday 9am to 5pm Sunday: Closed.
Sorry: No cake will be being provided at this exhibition*.
Of course regular visitors to my blog will know all this already (including how they all fell down [the pictures, not the buildings]):
http://daviddunnico.wordpress.com/