signs of life, interrupted
January 26, 2009
BANKRUPT by Phillip Toledano
“At the beginning of 2001, I started taking pictures of recently abandoned offices and the things people had left behind. This project was more than photography for me. It was economic archeology. America has not suffered such a vertiginous economic collapse since the 1930′s, and I wanted to document the human cost while it was happening. There is something very strange about walking into a recently abandoned office. The heavy, Pompeii-like stillness, punctuated only by the occasional sound of the air-conditioning turning itself on. A coat-hanger waiting patiently for a coat. A limp “happy birthday” balloon on the floor. A drawer stuffed with take-out menus. Everywhere, signs of life, interrupted.” –Phillip Toledano
Phillip Toledano is quickly becoming one of my favourite photographers. I first saw his BANKRUPT series on boing boing last year and have periodically gone back to look over them again and again. In another of his photo essays “Days with my Father” he documents living with his father’s dementia following his mother’s sudden death. This moving tribute to his 98 year old father really affected me.
“There’s something delicate and tenuous in the act of letting your story go in the desire that it will mean as much to a stranger as it does to you.”*
…
“Having read the whole story, I feel stillness and solitude. The kind of mini-metamorphosis you rise from after you’ve just had an experience that’s led to realization. My parents are still younger, but one day they will be old. One day I will be old. I see myself taking part in a loop, both familiar and alien, of childhood and manhood, of life and death, and of the parent becoming the child.”*
I’m not able to say anything about this series that hasn’t already been said perfectly before. Go look at these. And take your time. Read the words.
I haven’t been so moved by a photograph for a long time.
I can only hope to one day be able to create such a beautifully deep personal memoir.
[*quote via shape+color]
some quiet time
January 25, 2009
What a wonderful Summers day to be spent at home in the company of B and the kitteh. It’s raining outside. The sky is gloomy and dark, and the feint rumblings of thunder from a grumpy sky can be occasionally heard over the rain on our noisy roof.
I have my pink and green mug of tea (he with his coffee) and Stewie is asleep on the Foxtel box, keeping himself toasty warm (I have tried to tell him it is actually Summer, but to no avail).
I love love days like this. Especially when there are no appointments to be kept and plans can be left for another time.
I’m awash with links of wonderful new places and loads of inspiration and pretty things to look at.
I love days like this.
Szkoła Gastronomiczna
January 23, 2009
I found these beautiful photos of my mum taken in 1962 while she was attending cooking school (Szkoła Gastronomiczna) in Białystok, Poland. She was only sixteen years old in these pictures, and after finishing her studies went on to study to become a nurse. (…and a wife, and a mother, and a great dinner maker and hair braider…)
My mum is so cool.
{I’m glad to be able to breathe a sigh of relief that Friday is finally here and this last week is now behind me. Hope you all have a great Friday and Australia Day long weekend! We’re really lucky to live in this fantastic country and it’s great to be able to celebrate it as a nation together.}
thursday
January 22, 2009
tracey moffatt artist talk
January 21, 2009
I’m a bit bummed that I missed seeing Tracey Moffatt talk today at UQ but I guess it was always going to be a bit of a long shot trying to get from the City to St. Lucia in half an hour in peak hour traffic. I ended up sitting in traffic for almost an hour and a half and it just served as another reminder of how bad of an idea it is to (attempt) to drive to work instead of “training” it in.
As a consolation prize, when I got home I went through some of the back catalogue of her photographs from past exhibitions dating back to 1985. AND, she went to QCA! I didn’t know that!
I really like her latest series of photographs about First Jobs.
