Renowned Bay Area wildlife photographer robbed of camera at gunpoint outside of Oakland park
Iron Light draws large crowd at WNC Sculpture Center
LENOIR – Every summer, the WNC Sculpture Center welcomes sculptors from across the U.S. and beyond to participate in Iron Light, a two-week group iron casting residency and gathering. On
Photography Exhibition Visitors Offer Their Thoughts on Martin Parr’s
Visitors are urged to share their reactions to images showcasing English documentary photographer Martin Parr’s view of Scottish life and Scottish stereotypes in a new exhibition taking place this summer.
Martin Parr will be displaying his satirical view of Scotland in an exhibition at the grand Pollok House on the south side of Glasgow in Scotland. The exhibition features a selection of works from Parr’s exhibition, Think of Scotland, which was originated by Aberdeen Art Gallery and shown as part the reopening gallery program in 2019 following a £30m redevelopment. Martin Parr, originally from Surrey, is best known for his books of photography, most notably, The Last Resort, a depiction of people and life at the seaside in New Brighton during the 1980s.
When I heard of this exhibition style, I was keen to find out what local visitors thought about their depiction through Parr’s images. Participatory art is designed to actively engage and involve audiences, encouraging interaction with a body of work. This is something which I am very much interested in within my own practice as a photographer, as collaborating with communities can help to break down barriers, promote dialogue, and widen perspectives. The ultimate goal is to foster a deeper connection between the audience and the artists’ work. Participatory practice is not commonplace in major photography exhibitions. In most cases, some viewers might leave their thoughts through a line of text in a visitors book. However, in this particular exhibition, they are actively encouraged to provide individual comments on every single image on display.
Visitors to the exhibition are asked to contribute their voice by leaving comments about the images on display. The labels for each photograph have been designed as a notebook, and visitors are encouraged to contribute by writing their reactions to the images spanning a period from the 1990s to the 2010s that explore leisure activities and national Scottish stereotypes.
Printed on the front of each notebook, along with the image title, are sample comments to prompt viewers with their own writing. I wondered how much this influenced the thoughts of each person who opened the notebook to leave their own comments, as the prompts were overwhelmingly positive. When reading the names cited in each prompt, I learned that they were left by staff members from the Trust, with a prompt label even written by Susie Parr, Martin’s wife. I can’t help but think that a notebook with just the image title on the outside with an invitation to leave thoughts inside would have been a more impartial way to seek responses.
Upon looking through the notebooks, I found that many of the responses are indeed positive. There are many who have used the notebooks to leave general comments on the exhibition as a whole and others who have left positive comments about how beautiful Pollok House is. For those who have commented so far on individual images, there were a mix of feelings, such as one commenter who found the images: “All very interesting, but I wonder how the people in the photographs feel about their portrayal.” Depicting any social group, including the working class, in a way that perpetuates stereotypes or diminishes their dignity is potentially harmful or disrespectful, even if this is intended to be satirical.
In true Glaswegian humor, one commenter simply wrote “Taps aff” in response to the Burntisland image, a common response translating to tops off, to the fact that Scottish people have a more flexible description of weather conditions we consider to be hot. One viewer commented that this image was “Very much an accurate representation” of Scottish people. Another viewer commented “Burnt’ Island indeed,” a notion of true Scottish humor.
Some pressing inquiries came in response to the cupcakes image. “Why are the cupcakes sad,” one viewer wanted to know, while another asked, “Why is this in a gallery,” seemingly in response to their analysis of the quality of the close-up image shot with direct flash.
A firm favorite image of the exhibition seemed to be the Barrowlands image, which one viewer stated: “Shows Glaswegian life and what Glasgow is all about. Composition is excellent too,” while another commented: “I think this could be staged! You don’t stop in the middle of the street to read a newspaper!” Perhaps this viewer believes that this image does not conform to their understanding of documentary photography.
Further contributions will be made by local community groups, who have been as part of a community outreach program being trialed by the team at Pollok House. I will make a point of revisiting towards the end of the exhibition run to read through the labels again to gather the thoughts of a higher number of visitors.
Context matters for the location of exhibited artwork, and Pollok House presents an intriguing choice for participatory art. As one of Scotland’s grandest Edwardian homes, now managed by the National Trust for Scotland, it holds historical significance as the ancestral residence of the Maxwell family. Pollok House showcases renowned art by El Greco and Blake, complemented by opulent Edwardian furniture. It is situated in Pollok Country Park, a beautifully maintained 146-hectare greenspace south of Glasgow City Centre, and former winner of Best Park in Europe.
Stuart Mackinnon, National Trust for Scotland Operations Manager for Pollok House, said of the exhibition: “The labels aim to encourage participation and to engage with a diverse range of people to widen access and interest in art by asking visitors to explore their own reactions and share their thoughts and reflections about the images on display.”
In my view, widening participation and diversifying audiences cannot be achieved in a meaningful way while charging admission to interact with the work on display. This exhibition can only be viewed by paying to enter Pollok House, which has a standard entry cost of £8.50 per person or £6 on a concessionary rate. That acts as a barrier, which limits access for those who cannot afford the entry fee, especially at a time where people across the nation are tightening their spending due to the cost of living crisis. I couldn’t help but make a connection between this fact and the working class people depicted in the images. Can you encourage widened participation and charge an entry fee? Whatever the case, choosing a gallery space that requires an entry fee feels antagonistic when considered alongside the satirical content of Parr’s work. Perhaps that was intentional. To help make this a true, widened access participatory experience, this article gives further space for anyone with an internet connection to comment.
The Martin Parr: Think of Scotland exhibition will show at Pollok House until Sunday August 27, 2023 and be available for viewing from Thursday to Monday each week.
Lead Image: GB. Scotland. Glasgow. Eating place in Paddy’s Market. 1999. Martin Parr. All article images courtesy of Magnum Photography.
News: Pride Month is Looking a Little Less Fabulous This Year
This June is looking a little less rainbow-colored than previous Pride Months.
After years of brands voicing their allegiance to the LGBTQ+ community through distinctive ad campaigns, packaging and events, conservative activism is leading several to sit on the sidelines (or at least not promote their campaigns through press releases and announcements). In the wake of Bud Light receiving backlash for partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, many companies seem to be holding back for fear of finding themselves in the middle of a culture war.
Those concerns are not entirely unfounded. Target, North Face and Adidas have all encountered backlash in the weeks running up to Pride Month for featuring trans-friendly summer clothing in their advertising and merchandising. Some conservative activists are unearthing months- and years-old advertising campaigns in their zeal to raise Cain.
According to a recent study from Collage Group, a majority (61%) of LGBTQ+ consumers believe either all or select brands should be involved in celebrating Pride Month. Another 29% are indifferent to brands’ involvement. Comparatively, 88% of non-LGBTQ+ consumers are either in support of brands’ Pride Month involvement or are indifferent to it, according to the study. The implication: acknowledging Pride Month through marketing is not likely to result in a large backlash.
Perhaps accordingly, several companies are forging ahead. Procter & Gamble has signed on as a presenting sponsor of IHeartMedia’s fourth “Can’t Cancel Pride” concert event. The event, which will take place at the IHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles and remote locations around the country, will be streamed on IHeartMedia’s YouTube channel.
The “Can’t Cancel Pride” concert began during the COVID-19 pandemic as Pride events were canceled around the world. The concert series has raised more than $11 million for LGBTQ organizations including GLAAD, The Trevor Project, National Black Justice Coalition, SAGE, CenterLink and OutRight Action International. This year’s program will “focus on the achievements of the past, the urgency of the present moment and hope for the future,” according to a release.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, meanwhile, is bringing back its “BrunchOUT” annual drag brunches. The series of events, which feature performances by national and local drag queens throughout the U.S., kicks off in June in Nashville. BrunchOUT proceeds will support The Trevor Project, which aims to prevent suicide among LGBTQ+ young people.
“Since Kimpton’s inception, we have supported the LGBTQ+ community and created spaces where people can not only gather and connect, but also feel comfortable and embraced for being their most authentic selves,” said Kathleen Reidenbach, SVP of Marketing and Commercial for IHG Luxury & Lifestyle Americas and Kimpton Global, in a statement.
Among food brands, Noodles & Company is bringing back a Pride-themed, rainbow rice crispy dessert. Packaging on the dessert will include a QR code leading consumers to information about LGBTQ+ history and other facts. The company is also encouraging LGBTQ+ customers to submit photos that the brand can share on its Instagram stories. (Noodles & Co. has also pledged to donate up to $30,000 to Out & Equal, which advocates for LGBTQ+ workplace equality.)
Jones Soda will adorn its bottles with a collection of Pride-themed labels created by LGBTQ artists. In addition, the artists will share their art and stories through an Augmented Reality code.
“We have always had a passion for people, creativity, and our community at Jones. It’s reflected on our labels every day,” said Curt Thompson, director of marketing at Jones, in a release. “The Pride community has been part of who we are this since our early days as a company. We are thrilled to feature content on our packaging where we can celebrate Pride through stories and art all summer long.”
LGBTQ activists are quick to point out that their community needs corporate allegiance more than ever. The ACLU has identified more than 400 pieces of legislation restricting LGBTQ+ rights – particularly those of transgender minors – have been introduced in state legislatures this year.
Regardless, this year’s generally muted marketing will not do much to head off the accusations that many brands have been performatively “rainbow-washing” with their Pride Month marketing efforts in previous years … or in future years, should the marketers re-engage with the celebration.
America’s Most Exciting Emerging Arts District Is In… St Louis?
A contemporary art museum with a knack for exhibiting the next big thing next door to another arts museum housed in a building globally recognized as an architectural marvel.
An astonishingly beautiful symphony hall across the street from another of the nation’s premiere performing arts venues.
An arts hotel where you can select your room by color.
An annual music festival. Music and podcast recording studios.
A literary café. A mural park. A jazz club. A nightclub with open turntable DJ nights.
Art galleries.
Artist studios and rehearsal spaces for theatre and dance.
A fine art printing shop.
A bold food concept unlike any other in America.
There’s even a one-ring, big top circus.
Put it all together within a half-mile radius and you have the Grand Center Arts District in St. Louis, the most exciting emerging arts district in America.
The Old
Ornate ceiling inside Powell Hall foyer.
Chadd Scott
Powell Hall stands as the grande dame of Grand Center, a neighborhood about midway between the Gateway Arch on the Mississippi River and the city’s 1,300 acre Forest Park–New York’s Central Park has 840 acres by comparison. Opened in 1925, the fantastically ornate interior featuring iconic red velvet chairs has been home to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra since 1968.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra wrapped up its 143rd season in 2023, the second oldest in America and one of the finest in the world.
Powell Hall will be closed for the next two years allowing for a $100 million renovation by Snøhetta, the most sought-after architecture firm in the world.
Upon reopening in 2025, venerable Powell Hall will have updated plumbing, electrical, HVAC, lighting, seating and ADA accessibility. A new lobby will be added along with a new education center and an entirely new backstage wing benefiting performers and stage crew.
Powell Hall has brought St. Louisans to Grand Center for arts and culture since the Vaudeville days and will continue serving as the neighborhood’s crown jewel for decades to come. Its presence, and that of other historic performing arts venues in the neighborhood, not surprisingly, set the foundation for the vibrant cultural momentum surging through the area today.
“The Grand Center Arts District has been one of our most important arts and entertainment destinations for many, many years; it had the anchor institutions, but it also had a lot of vacancy around it,” Chris Hansen, Executive Director for the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, told Forbes.com.
Powell Hall and the adjacent “Fabulous” Fox Theatre, which opened in 1929 and continues hosting Broadway shows and major national touring musicians and comics today, were the traditional one-two punch for performing arts in St. Louis.
When the Pulitzer Arts Foundation debuted its revolutionary Tadao Ando-designed building as a non-collecting arts museum in 2001 a few hundred feet from the Fox, which is a few hundred feet from Powell Hall, and the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis opened two years later literally next door to the Pulitzer building, the imaginative floodgates for the arts in St. Louis broke loose. No longer was any dream too big.
Today, the Kranzberg Foundation funds many of those dreams.
The Kranzberg family has been St. Louis art patrons for 50 years, but the Foundation launched in 2006 with the unusual aim of supporting the arts through real estate. The Foundation makes its mission developing the venues, studios and workspaces artists across all disciplines need to foster their careers.
“No one wants to give an arts organization money when they’re bad operators of a building and they bleed out all their money on heat, light and power or poor operations of the facility,” Hansen explained. “When we come in and develop these (facilities), we’re building capacity for these organizations and we’re able to help them scale from a 50-capacity room to a 2,500-capacity room, but we’re also providing operational support. When they get money from funders, that money can go into programming, it can go into building staff capacity, they’re not as concerned about facilities management.”
The Kranzberg Foundation buys and operates the spaces where art takes place, allowing the artists to focus on what they do best: art.
Grand Center became a natural focus for these efforts because of its proximity to existing arts institutions and available, affordable real estate.
“This was an obvious place where arts infrastructure already existed, but we wanted to lower that barrier, make it easier for art to start, not just graduate, in this area, and create more of a pedestrian friendly, walkable version of an arts district that’s historically been a ticket-in-your-hand kind of district–you know where you’re going, you park there, and then you leave,” Hansen said.
What the Foundation is working toward creating in the neighborhood is a neighborhood. A community. Places for artists to work, for neighbors to access free public art, a destination of constant cultural discovery for locals and visitors alike.
“We truly believe that artists are the soul of our city and that when we nurture the arts, we affect health and wealth in our region,” Hansen said. “We see the arts broadly as one of the great reasons to live in St. Louis, work in St. Louis, visit St. Louis. It’s part of economic development. It’s part of creating a vibrant community that’s connected, and without it, nothing else looks quite the same or feels quite the same.”
The New
A cardinal mural at Walls Off Washington painted by Remix Uno.
Chadd Scott
While the Foundation has been developing creative infrastructure in Grand Center since opening the multi-use The Kranzberg arts center in 2006, just since 2019, it has been rapidly putting more points on the board along Washington Avenue behind Powell Hall. Here, on a stretch of city street once more accustomed to muffler shops, Walls Off Washington mural park, Boulevard Fine Art Printing, Sophie’s Artist Lounge and a particular source of pride, High Low Literary Arts Café, reside.
“We have nearly a dozen arts organizations, primarily literary focused, that have workspace on the second floor. They meet the public in the library and cafe and the listening room. We have rotating exhibitions in the gallery there,” Hansen details. “It’s an amazing connection between the people who live and work here, the creatives who produce here, and the literary arts community at large.”
Also sharing the building are Bullivant Gallery, Metro Theatre Company, Peter Martin’s jazz media center plus offices and rehearsal space for the Shakespeare Festival. Siting these businesses together reaps benefits of its own.
“It’s not our job to curate anything, it’s (to) put people in proximity; there’s magic to that,” Hansen said. “When you do that well, it builds a wave of momentum, and we have that moment. These connections between creative artists, applied arts, traditional music industry–you have marketing agencies and tech industries here–it starts to put together a framework for how the arts drive opportunity, it’s dynamic. It takes a certain economy of scale to get it done, but it’s powerful.”
The Food
Bulrush, a contemporary dining and craft bar experience, shares a wall with High Low. Here, two-time James Beard award semi-finalist chef Rob Connoley explores the historic roots of Ozark cuisine. His family has been in the area since the 1830s.
What is Ozark cuisine?
“It’s not squirrel and ‘possum,” Connoley told Forbes.com, laughing, “although, it is squirrel and ‘possum,” he adds with another laugh.
Levity aside, Connoley’s vision for Bulrush is deeply principled.
“We want to go back to the origin of how Ozark food was actually created,” Connoley explains. “We’re pushing the idea of what it would mean to be a restaurant based on the principles and philosophies of reparations where we look at the true origin and attribution (of the cuisine).”
Beyond a star vehicle for a hot chef, Bulrush pays dishwashers $25 an hour and staff members receive full insurance and paid vacation.
When not at the restaurant, Connoley scours the surrounding region foraging for ingredients he’ll later be cooking in the round for guests. Ingredients on the Ozark tasting menu at Bulrush are almost exclusively locally sourced and not just seasonal, but “hyper-seasonal.”
Bulrush serves dinner Thursday through Sunday. Urban Chestnut Brewing and Biergarten across the street–this is St. Louis after all–and Turn brunchery down the block serving a biscuit flight cover the off hours.
The Music
Working the turntables at Sophie’s Artist Lounge in the Grand Center Arts District in St. Louis.
Chris Bauer
As exciting as this all seems, the stretch vision for Grand Center is creating a Music Row for the Midwest.
“St. Louis has a deep, deep musical legacy and a big music scene, but it’s pretty spread out right now,” Hansen said.
Chuck Berry, Miles Davis and Nelly are all St. Louisans. Top that! The city is a historic and contemporary hotbed for blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll and hip hop.
These are the credentials Grand Center is building on.
“Between Grand, where the Fox Theater and Jazz St. Louis is, and Compton Avenue (one block east of High Low), we will have the largest concentration of live music venues in the region,” Hansen forecasts. “What we’re hoping to do is attract more small venues to infill this and have a real focused concentration on attracting music industry and new musical opportunities for patrons that don’t require a ticket in your hand, where you can just pull the door and go in and hear live music.”
With everything already accomplished in the neighborhood, there’s no reason to believe it will fall short of this goal.
“We want St. Louis to be a premier arts and entertainment destination and we want St. Louis artists and creative organizations to be the premiere in their class worldwide,” Hansen said. “We want to continue to catapult our great artists out of here, and see them find success on the global stage, but know that St. Louis is home and bring their economy back here and choose to live, work and build their families here. We have the talent to do it. We have the infrastructure. We have the support. We have the legacy. Now it’s about connecting the dots.”
From the archives: A mermaid’s tale — four friends made sculpture for art’s sake
She was to be a limestone myth, shyly resting on the edge of Lake Michigan, the first mermaid in an epic inscribed in rock by a quartet of guerrilla artists who started on a whim, modeling their work on a 15-year-old girl.
Interview: Lorna Simpson On Perspective, the Complexity of Layering, and Doing What She Wants
“Earth & Sky #24” (2016), collage on paper, 11 x 8 1/2 inches. All photos by James Wang, courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth, © Lorna Simpson, shared with permission
Though Lorna Simpson is known primarily as a photographer, she doesn’t limit herself to one particular medium, working across photography, painting, collage, and sculpture in an intuitive process she discusses in a new interview.
I think in terms of making art or working, it’s not always comfortable. It’s not always assured…A lot of times, there’s maybe a lot of questions, or it can have that thing where I’m not quite sure if I’m pulling it off. I’m not quite sure if it’s a good idea or how it works. Time and again, I’ve come to respect being uncomfortable and leaning more into the process of figuring things out as a way of proceeding.
In this conversation with Colossal contributor Paulette Beete, Simpson describes how her perspective and gaze changes over time, why she needs to forestall the analytical when creating, and what it’s meant, as a Black woman artist, to always be loyal to herself and her work.
“Walk with me” (2020), collage on paper, 29 3/8 x 22 1/2 inches
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Interview: Lorna Simpson On Perspective, the Complexity of Layering, and Doing What She Wants appeared first on Colossal.
Today’s Photo from Ted Grussing Photography: Starting With The Lake
… in little more than five hours it will be the drive down to Lake Pleasant and hopefully a good morning of shooting … the lake is at its highest levels of the year and within a few weeks they will start draining it for use in agriculture … most of it anyhow. Bringing my 24-70 lens down with me too so I can kind of do some landscape type work from the boat.
The shot above is from my trip to Filoli Gardens last month … wild turkeys roam the property and I was lucky enough to see them as we were driving out … amazing the number of creatures we get to see!
The shot below I found in some old folders and it shows my fuel tank almost full … an average of 3.36 kts of lift and only 153 feet to go until full … not supposed to bust 18,000′ without contacting Albuquerque Center … the San Francisco Peaks are just above the nose … It was a strong day and we flew a 500K … propeller feathered and of course, engine off.
Have a beautiful day … smile and make a new friend today … at least keep breathing and smiling!
Ted
Let me not follow the clamor of
the world, but walk calmly
in my path. Give me a few friends who will love me for what
I am; and keep ever burning
before my vagrant steps
the kindly light of hope.
excerpt from A Prayer by Max Ehrmann
###
The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
More about Ted Grussing …
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Indigenous artists re-imagine convocation regalia
June 5, 2023 —
Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing will now be better reflected at UM’s convocation ceremonies.
The University of Manitoba engaged Indigenous artists to update the Chancellor’s and President’s convocation regalia, altering one of the institute’s oldest traditions to serve as a visual demonstration of UM’s commitment to reconciliation.
The new robes designed by alum Jackie Traverse [BFA/09], an Ojibwe woman from the Lake St. Martin First Nation, were beaded by Shannon Denney-Edwards alongside robe fabricator Beverli Barnes. They will be blessed at a private ceremony on June 5 and will be worn for the first time at Fort Garry’s 2023 Spring Convocation Ceremonies.
“I graduated in 2009 and never did I ever imagine that I would be asked to design the President’s and the Chancellor’s convocation robes,” Traverse says. “I think that it shows the willingness to learn, make changes and to be open to dialogue and creating changes for everybody….Indigenous artists really need to be represented and more included in all institutions, all places across the country, because we are on native land, right? So we should be represented and we should be included. And it’s the artists that will do that for the people.”
[embedded content]The new black silk robes employ gold piping as a nod to the design the President and Chancellor have worn to date, and they feature new motifs. Of her design, Traverse explains that the crocuses represent Manitoba and give a sense of place while the white, yellow, black and red represent the four symbolic nations of the medicine wheel. The use of red and orange represent missing Indigenous women and children and the roots symbolize our connections to this institution and to one another.
“Convocation is a time for celebration and symbolism and it’s so important that we have this new symbol of what our university represents,” says Dr. Catherine Cook, Vice-President
The Chancellor’s new Convocation gown
(Indigenous). “We are creating meaningful connections with Indigenous communities by embedding Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing into this important event, and I am so thankful and impressed by the thoughtful, beautiful ideas that were captured in this stunning design and artisanship.”
To amend the academic dress took much consultation, reflection and ceremony and this process began in late 2022 when Cook opened consultations with members of the Indigenous community at UM.
“This university wants to be a partner in bringing about meaningful change, and that can mean altering the most long-held traditions so that we can move forward in the true spirit of Reconciliation,” says Michael Benarroch, President and Vice-Chancellor. “I am deeply honoured and grateful to wear these robes alongside the Chancellor at this and all future convocations, and I thank everyone involved in helping us bring about this important milestone. These robes help demonstrate the University of Manitoba’s respect for the territories this university resides upon and our commitment to creating experiences that are more welcoming to Indigenous students.”
Royal Oak gymnastics photographer arrested on child porn charges
(CBS DETROIT) – A Royal Oak gymnastics photographer is charged with distribution and possession of child pornography after federal officials say they found hundreds of files of child pornography on his hard drive.
An investigation by the FBI began on May 11 when an agent investigating BitTorrent identified 14 files associated with child pornography being transferred using an IP address that was traced to David Yellen.
FBI agents worked with Wide Open West (WOW!) cable company and were able to track the IP address to Yellen’s Royal Oak home.
A search warrant was executed on June 1 at Yellen’s home.
When questioned, Yellen admitted to possessing child pornography on his electronic devices but denied producing child pornography. According to the FBI, Yellen also admitted using BitTorrent but denied uploading or downloading child pornography. He said that he had downloaded child pornography 10 years ago and still possessed that material but denied knowing the material he had was available to be downloaded by others.
A search of Yellen’s hard drive found at least 1,500 files of child sexual exploitation, with at least 500 of those files meeting the federal definition of child pornography.
The hard drive also contained a folder labeled “BFK.” Yellen stated in an interview that “BFK” stood for “Barefoot Kids.” Authorities found at least 200 images of the bare feet of children who attended the gymnastics academy he was employed by and gymnastics events where he was an official photographer. Yellen admitted to pleasuring himself to the images.
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