New York : GO + SEE GEORGE DUREAU BLACK

GO + SEE

HIGHER PICTURES 
George Dureau

BLACK
1973 - 1986

May 31 - July 13, 2012

Higher Pictures

980 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10075

Alphonse Dotson. 1977

Sonny Singleton 1976

Short Sonny c 1970's

Wilbert Hines 1977

Raymond Maxwell 1986

Before there was Robert Mapplethorpe there was F. Holland Day, Carl Van Vechten, George Platt Lynes, George Rogers, Pierre Verger and the man from New Orleans George Dureau. All created images of the black male, nude .They were made for different purposes but in the end they all became in different degrees and with different emotional pull testaments to the male gaze observing black men. There are a few days left to see the 15 vintage images by George Dureau an artist who did male nudes among many of the projects he worked on. 


hangingwithmrbennette wishes to be like an overheard sentence that motivates your interest enough so that you will go out to find more information about artists and images.




all images are vintage , rights courtesy of

Higher Pictures

980 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10075

212.249.6100  higherpictures.com

Following Signs , A Point of View : David Simonton

One of the practical bits of advice I give when I meet artist doing  portfolio reviews is to look at their website and keep them updated

that along with learning to edit is very important .In some ways like entering a few juried exhibitions/competitions it give the artist a chance to view his photographs  with his eye and mind as well as his heart .A way to balance passion with reason and maybe see if ideas are really being communicated.

As I often have said I am a lucky man today a artist , I met a few   years ago David Simonton sent me an email to say he was working on his site and sent me this link http://www.davidsimonton.com/portfolios/signs/

Photographers seem drawn to signage usually a lot of words or misspelled or missed meaning the almost flamboyant display usually leads to a few chuckles and then we move on. David's images are almost anti-sign they give information,they are small almost missed.They leave an air of mystery .

These photographs fit into the history of David's work the light,the dry observation. David Simonton minimalist yet romantic point of view wins my admiration .I am leaving these untitled for a day or two, wanted to share them now.These photographs were taken in 

North Carolina between 1996-2004

A MOMENT REMEMBERED : David Simonton

Bus Stop, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1985  

detail

detail

detail

I saw this photograph this earlier today it made me excited and  happy. I love the group of women with the flowers,  did they just raided a garden ? This picture has the sweep of a historical painting. David told me he took this image three times, but he knew this was the one.

Musing On My Favorite Line by Milton : Andy Freeberg - Guardians

Michelangelo’s Moses and the Dying Slave, Pushkin Museum

Veronese’s Adoration of the Shepherds, Hermitage Museum

Matisse Still Life, Hermitage Museum

Rublev and Daniil’s The Deesis Tier, State Tretyakov Gallery

Statues of Antonius Pius, Youth and Caryatid, Hermitage Museum

These images are by Andy Freeberg from his series GUARDIAN. He was one of 8  winners in the first HEARST 8 X10  Photography Biennial .These photographs were taken in Russian State Museums .


Museums are great cool places to spend summer days.Today I was thinking about purpose and one of my favorite lines of poetry from John Milton ,On His Blindness came to mind




"They also serve who only stand and wait." 

VAST : There Might Be Giants , recent photographs by Kevin O'Connell

+ / -

Rusted Needle

West Pawnee Butte (with wind machines)

Christo's Envy

Afterglow at Two Buttes

Anytime I present an image on this blog it is usually remove from the context the artist intended.So I urge you to visit the artist's website .One of the riffs about creativity is how does an artist move forward, or grow, particularly when the viewer sometimes demand the familiar while condemning the sense of sameness. An artist works the quandary out.

VAST : Time, space and sound

I first  saw this work about 12 years ago, a young artist placed them in front of me at Fotofest. I did not forget the images nor the artist Kevin O'Connell. The prints were small but the space viewed, grand. There was the realization that these  5 x7 inch photographs revealed not only the place but a sense of the intensity of quiet that such a wide visual space could produce.


When I was working on A Story No Words I felt that these landscapes were a place where a soul would wonder to contemplate their place in the universe.In speaking to Kevin I understood what peace could be found out there while he was working to capture this elegant vastness

Virga # 11 1999

Erosion Scar 1997

Semi #2 1999

Plow Lines (near Last Chance)  1998

Earth and Poles 1997

Memories Looking Back : Und in der Nähe die See

This is one of those tentative moments in the day where I try to decide wether to go out or just stay in and spend a little time sitting and looking at picture books. Letting  my soul drift and get lost. The light here this morning is soft grey and tentative too.  This book, Und in der Nähe die See,  published in 2009 a collaboration between Ester Vonplon and Roger Eberhard was self published in a small edition of 50

and is out of print but you can view it here

estervonplon.com/index.php?/books/und-in-der-naehe-die-see/

Wooden slipcase for Und in der Nähe die See

Und in der Nähe die See  Untitled  Ester Vonplon Roger Eberhard

Und in der Nähe die See  Untitled  Ester Vonplon Roger Eberhard

Und in der Nähe die See  Untitled  Ester Vonplon Roger Eberhard

Und in der Nähe die See  Untitled  Ester Vonplon Roger Eberhard

Roger Eberhard has also collaborated with the artist James Nizam on a project called Tumulus,which has produce another quiet, moody, edgy and elegant  to spent time with .That book is called Tumulus .A book signing to launch the release of Tumulus by Peperoni Books on May 31 at Jones Gallery

Gallery Jones
1725 West Third Avenue
Vancouver, BC
604 714 2216