Nathan, Boonville, North Carolina, 2007© Timothy Briner
Timothy Briner is on the last leg of his Boonville project (interview here) and I’m sure he needs donations. Last I heard he was surviving on credit cards. If you’re not familiar with the project I suggest you head over to the Boonville USA blog or Tim’s updated website.
I’ve been a huge fan of Encyclopedia Pictura for a while now. I was delighted to recently see that Björk commissioned the group to create her latest music video “Wanderlust”:
A hi-res version is available here
(From the book: “I Could Tell You but Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed by Me: Emblems from the Pentagons Black World”)
© Trevor Paglen
While browsing Paddy Johnson’s blog Art Fag City (a great read by the way) I came across the work of artist Trevor Paglen. More from info from Paglen’s website:
Trevor Paglen is an artist, writer, and experimental geographer working out of the Department of Geography at the University of California, Berkeley. His work involves deliberately blurring the lines between social science, contemporary art, and a host of even more obscure disciplines in order to construct unfamiliar, yet meticulously researched ways to interpret the world around us. His most recent projects involve close examinations of state secrecy, the California prison system, and the CIA’s practice of “extraordinary rendition”.
The series of projects that surprised me and really caught my attention were Paglen’s Secret Military Landscapes and the Pentagon’s “Black World”. These projects include series such as:
Limit-Telephotography: Images of remote military installations shot from extreme distances using astronomical equipment:
(Limit-Telephotography series)
© Trevor Paglen
Chemical and Biological Weapons Proving Ground Dugway, UT. Distance ~ 42 miles, 10:51 a.m (Limit-Telephotography series)
© Trevor Paglen
Illuminated Hangars Tonopah Test Range, NV. Distance ~ 18 miles, 9:08 p.m (Limit-Telephotography series)
© Trevor Paglen
Symbology: Iconography, symbolism, and visual artifacts from classified military projects.
Seventy-five of these patches are included in Paglen’s new book titled I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed by Me. Get it here. Also, NPR has a nice audio interview with Paglen about the book
here.
Here are some of the patches from the book:
(From the book: “I Could Tell You but Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed by Me: Emblems from the Pentagons Black World”)
© Trevor Paglen
(From the book: “I Could Tell You but Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed by Me: Emblems from the Pentagons Black World”)
© Trevor Paglen
(From the book: “I Could Tell You but Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed by Me: Emblems from the Pentagons Black World”)
© Trevor Paglen
(From the book: “I Could Tell You but Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed by Me: Emblems from the Pentagons Black World”)
© Trevor Paglen
(From the book: “I Could Tell You but Then You Would Have to Be Destroyed by Me: Emblems from the Pentagons Black World”)
© Trevor Paglen
Restricted Area: Mixed media installation/exploration of a remote base in Nevada. Composed of documents, images, etc…
This weekend I was pleased to find out that a photo from my series Nocturne was selected for the Humble Arts Foundation’s Group show. 22. A few other artists selected include Sarah Palmer, Jesse Burke, and Adam Wire.
© Ofer Wolberger
Humble also has a grant for emerging photographers which awards $1000 to support fine art photography projects in the US and abroad. This years recipient is Ofer Wolberger’s series (Life With) Maggie.
© Grant Willing
The focus of the solo show this time around is Grant Willing’s combined series, South/West, North/East, and Grand Country. Along with a limited edition print (Pink Dots, 2007 from Grand Country), there is a great interview with Willing by Julie Fishkin.
© Tammy Mercure
Also part of Humble’s Group Show this month is photographer Tammy Mercure. I was instantly drawn to her series titled The Blue Ridge, a collection of beautiful photographs that make me wish that summer was already here.
Here is a sample:
© Tammy Mercure
© Tammy Mercure
© Tammy Mercure
© Tammy Mercure
© Tammy Mercure
© Noel Rodo-Vankeulen
For those of you who are interested, I have uploaded a series of photographs from my Dad’s biker days (he still rides, and so does my Mom) taken in the early seventies. These can be found by visiting my website and clicking on “Extra”:
© Noel Rodo-Vankeulen
© Noel Rodo-Vankeulen
© Noel Rodo-Vankeulen
© Noel Rodo-Vankeulen
Note: Posting may be a bit sporadic over the next week or so, I’m busy assisting and cramming for a final exam.
