Well after almost four years, 1,517 post's and 182,352 unique visitors I've decided it's time to hang up the blog. We've had some laughs, pissed plenty of people off and hopefully shone some light on some tip-top photographers and artist's. The time is right for me to call it a day. Nice one It's been a fucking laugh..............

Keep in touch at http://www.markpagephotography.com/

Back Soon.

Image copyright Mark Page

Just trying to find a little peace after the house move, clearing my head and resting my feckin back......

I'm hanging up the blog for a couple of weeks as I'm moving house. I will be off

line so answering emails/comments will also probably not happen for a while. I do have a Blackberry but the things tiny buttons and my fat thumbs don't get on so well. Not sure how long it will take to get back up and running, hopefully by the end of the month but as it's in the hands of BT, fuck knows. So until then.....

Great British Minds.

Can there be two greater intellects? Two minds with a greater sense of rhetoric and a more rigorous logic? This is how it must have been in ancient Greece.

Old Goat.

Chinese New year today which is always a big event in Manchester. Found out that I was born in the year of the goat which apparently makes me fun to know but prone to pessimism. imagine me prone to pessimism? Anyway suitable occupations for me include gardening which I like a bit and beachcombing. Not many beaches in Manchester but then I thought whats photography if it's not a form of beachcombing?

Obsolete Studios

Obsolete Studios is a new blog by photographer Rob Ball. I featured Rob way back in 2008 and it's great to see his new work along with the new blog. It's also great that we are still in touch albeit online. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have made some great contacts and got to see some really interesting work over the years through blogging.

Amy Stevens.

As it's nearly my Birthday and I will be off line due to the house move on the day, I thought I would celebrate early with the work of

Amy Stevens....

Image copyright Susan Burnstine

I've noticed in the last couple of years a lot of photographers 'tipping their hats' to pictorialism. Is it the recession? Is it a bit like the growth in knitting, allotments and wearing tweed while cycling? Are we harking back to a more Innocent time? Are we after a big photographic kiss off our Nana's?

The images over on the latest edition of FRACTION may have been shot with plastic camera's and pinholes, which is nothing new but unlike earlier HOLGA photography that shot colour and looked for happy accidents however samey it ended up looking, this new wave seem to be reaching back as far as Fox Talbots 'Window'. Although I enjoy looking at this type of thing in much the same way as I enjoy looking at a nice water colour, I'm a bit surprised at FRACTION for dedicating almost ( I really enjoyed 'Trailers Collected' by Nan Brown) a whole issue to it. The chaps at FRACTION normally give you with something a bit meatier to get your teeth into.

If anyone has anything (except Airport parking) that they want me to plug over the next couple of weeks get it in soonish cos I'm on the move again next week and will no doubt have to make several thousand telephone calls and wait weeks to get my broadband back on......

UNITED LEGEND!

James Robinson.

I've mentioned James before here on the blog in his capacity as Photographer at the John Rylands Library (you can check out much of the collection online HERE.) James has also recently put online some of his personal projects. The above image is from one of my favourites, VOTE. I think James has really captured the apathy that so many Brits feel towards politics. Even when people are trying to campaign there's a sense of 'can't really be arsed' about it.

I was thinking of making some kind of work out of rejection letters from all the submissions, competition entries, exhibition proposals etc. But then I remembered that the arrogant bastards never write back to you anyway.

11 tips for 2011 brought to you by

HERE.

CATHEDRAL OF SHIT.

If you like your Art blogs full of bile and cynicism, and I'm guessing you do try THIS.

Grayson Perry @ MAG

Photo; fuck knows I tried to find the author but......


I love Grayson Perry. Not in the biblical sense, middle aged men dressed as small girls ain't my thing. No what I mean is I love his work. I like that whole British post war gloomy eccentric yet ordinary thing. A bit like if Philip Larkin and Lily Savage bred.
So as I like his work so much it's a good job then that a Grayson Perry exhibition opens at Manchester Art Gallery tomorrow. A small but perfectly formed exhibition, it showcases two recent acquisitions bought by the gallery along with two other pieces. There are also other items selected by a group of 15 to 18 year olds collectively known as The Creative Consultants, which they feel have connections to the Grayson Perry aesthetic. Amongst these bits n bobs is a really nice Paul Nash print and a big pair of pants. Eclectic.

As the name suggests CHINA SQUARE Gallery represents Chinese artists. Based in NY it's no good to pop into but luckily they have a decent website that let's you see stacks of work by Artist's from the big country that manufactures plastic shit by the ton and is obsessed with the colour red. Oh yes there is a separate photographers section full of refreshing stuff. Happy early Chinese New Year. HERE.

Fire.

This is one of them proper Arty events. An Artist's Bonfire. Twenty odd Artist's burning work in a symbolic thingy. You could have submitted work to burn but it's a bit late now. You can though still go and watch other people burn their stuff should you wish. There will be food (BBQ I presume) and a party late into the night with people dancing naked around the fire and barking at the moon. I made that last bit up. Tomorrow night HERE.

Bargin!

I said you buy one and you get one free! I don't normally do product plugs here but CALUMET Manchester do have a good offer on paper at the moment. It's not BOGOF actually, but buy two and get one free. Still saves you £30. OK I'll shut up now....

You're not kidding are you?

I got an email today from a bloke asking me if I could link back to his and I quote, "My Manchester Airport parking page" Now I thought interesting photo project, a bit of a Martin Parr 'Parking Spaces' rip-off but heyho I've never seen it narrowed down to something as specific as 'Airport parking' before. So OK that could be interesting what with the fact that you leave your car there longer. Perhaps he is photographing the residues that gather on the car windscreens or perhaps he's collecting notices or flyers (No pun intended) that are being left on the cars OK nice one I'll check out the link. No. It's just a website about Airport parking spaces. So anyway Matt HERE you go you cheeky bastard.

David Williams.

Recently I have been studying the work of David Williams and wondering how I can rip it off, sorry take inspiration from his series 'one taste: (n)ever-changing
(88 Places)' to inform a little project I've been thinking of doing myself. These are some beautiful pictures. Powerful at expressing a kind of peace. I love them and they make me feel happy. So last two posts, Zen and old men's balls. I love photography........