Thursday, August 21, 2014

The Civil Dawns.



The Civil Dawns. By Darren Almond. Designed by Yoshihisa Tanaka. Torch Press, 2014. 84 pp., illustrated throughout, 21x29,7cm. With English & Japanese text. Edition of 500 copies. Images from here.

Book description:

"British artist Darren Almond has been known for his works using variety of media, including sculpture, films as well as photography.

This 'The Civil Dawns' consists of 2 photographic series.

'Civil Dawn@Giverny' is a series of photographs taken in the Claude Monet’s garden at Giverny in the winter and summer, while 'Civil Dawn@Mt. Hiei' photographed foggy Mt. Hiei. Images of both series are captured by exposing to the momentary light of the break of dawn.

Releasing its brilliance, 'Civil Dawn@Giverny' depicts momentary, spontaneous faces of flowers in Monet’s garden at the very moment a day breaks. Those pictures, photographed with large-format Polaroid, which apparatus is discontinued already, seem like homage to the Impressionist.

'Civil Dawn@Mt. Hiei' is a series produced in Japan, where Almond has taken particular interests in its culture and drawn his inspiration to works. He has visited Japan several times since 1990s and created numbers of works adopting the ideas he got through sceneries seen and incidents encountered during his visits.

The morning twilight Almond pictured charms us with its gentle lights, recalls our nostalgia, although no humans are appeared in the pictures. Time is unchanging and eternal - while his masterwork, installation of timepieces, symbolically implies accurate passage of time, Almond contrarily sheds light on the twinkling of momentariliness in these series."

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Rest in Peace Lauren Bacall




Saddened by the news of the passing of Lauren Bacall - a seven decade (!) acting veteran, film noir legend - and an absolute favourite screen-presence of my mine. Rest in Peace.

(more, more, more, more)

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Rest in Peace Robin Williams


Robin Williams 1951-2014 - Rest in Peace.

(more, more, more, more)

Wednesday, August 06, 2014

#NoMoreHiroshima (Orizuru Paper Crane for Hiroshima Day)

My Orizuru Paper Crane for Hiroshima  - May there be Peace.

"Orizuru - the paper crane - is the symbol of peace.
 [...]
Do it on August 6th in dedication to the Victims of the Bomb, repeating to yourself and to the world NO MORE HIROSHIMA as you do it.

Then the folding of the paper crane, you will realize will become a meditation you share with the world.

You can bury the orizuru you made in your back yard, hang it in your room, keep it inside a book you love to read, or send it to a friend."
- Yoko Ono (link)