Category: Culture

Friday April 22, 2011

Post author By Woody
Post date Thursday April 28, 2011

BEIJING – We spent the morning in the 798 Art District. It started out ten years ago in a gallery in disused factory that had previously been used by the military to manufacture electronic components – 798 was the number on the building. It has expanded to 300 or so exhibition spaces, all privately owned, in an eclectic jumble. The streets were packed with artists, patrons, tourists, wannabes and so on. Wedding frequently take place there. The vibe is similar to New York’s SoHo and the prices are the same – there is apparently a truly global art market. There are major spaces operated by major players. Pace is there, for example, in a monumental space that featured works by and about Diane Von Furstenberg

The following two images were taken with my Leica M9 and a 35mm Summilux lens.

Two images with my 24mm Summilux lens.

Kendall Geers at Galeria Continua in 798 Art District

Finally, back in central Beijing taken with my Leica M9 and a 50mm Summilux lens – this is two frames stitched.

On this day one year ago: my blog crashes.

Tags Art, China

Culture Landscape Urban

Thursday April 14, 2011

Post author By Woody
Post date Tuesday April 19, 2011

NEW YORK NEW YORK – Walking up Park Avenue late this afternoon I had a chance to spend some time shooting Will Ryman’s Roses with my Leica M9 and a Cosina Voigtlander 16mm lens. (Post updated April 25, 2011)

On this day one year ago: Congregation Shaaray Tefila.

Tags New York, Park Avenue, Sculpture

Culture Family and friends Landscape Urban

Sunday April 10, 2011

Post author By Woody
Post date Saturday April 16, 2011

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Park Avenue is sprouting giant roses installed by sculpture Will Ryman. Here I’m using one as a backdrop for a solitary, struggling tulip. This was captured early evening with my Leica and a 24mm Summilux lens.

Post Park Avenue I had dinner with John Novogrod, an old friend, at an Argentinian restaurant in Alphabet City.

Tags New York, Park Avenue, Sculpture

Culture Icon Landscape Urban

Tuesday April 5, 2011

Post author By Woody
Post date Tuesday April 12, 2011

NEW YORK NEW YORK – Well , , , walking down Park Avenue I had a major surprise. In the plaza in front of the Seagrams Building (for me the center of the universe in many ways) someone seems to have deposited a giant yellow teddy bear. I love this thing. It fills my need for monumental odd-ball sculpture in this area, a need that had been frustrated with the passing of Hello Kitty. What we’re seeing here is Urs Fisher’s big yellow teddy bear lamp which is said to have recently sold at Christies for an eight-figure price. This is sufficiently fun that I’ve flaunted my usual rule and included two images.

On this day one year ago: A picture of Cathy Robbins at Quatorze Bis.

Tags Sculpture, Seagrams Building

Culture Interior

Tuesday March 8, 2011

Post author By Woody
Post date Monday March 14, 2011

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – I had a long day in the office so I caught up with my photo-a-day obligations at home. Why not a project of photographing personal objects? Here’s a photograph of a photograph of Charis Wilson on the dunes at Oceano in 1936. As photographed by Edward Weston. I’m knocking off Louise Lawler’s ideas. We were about the same age that Charis was in this picture when we bought it. We had no idea how young she and we were.

On this day one year ago: Fogged in in Palm Springs.

Tags Photography

Culture

Wednesday March 2, 2011

Post author By Woody
Post date Tuesday March 8, 2011

NEW YORK NEW YORK – I spent this evening at the Armory Show, a major annual art show held here in New York. It was held this year on Piers 92 and 94 on the Hudson River. Pier 92 was focused primarily on modern – I spent most of my time there. Why is it called the “Armory Show”? I guess because it used to be held in the Seventh Regiment Armory on Park Avenue, but has clearly outgrown that space. It was a nice chance to catch up with my old friends James Barron, an art dealer based in Rome and Kent Connecticut, and Jeanette Montgomery Barron, a prominent photographer.

There was a lot that was of interest, but nothing new or radical. Here’s my picture for the day, captured with my Panasonic GH2 and a 20mm pancake lens:

On this day one year ago: Cholla, Joshua Tree National Park.

More images from the Armory Show picking up on some of the themes. As I said, nothing really new.

Tags Art

Culture Interior Portrait

Wednesday February 23, 2011

Post author By Woody
Post date Monday February 28, 2011

NEW YORK NEW YORK – I went to the Knickerbocker Club for a terrific performance of Gilbert & Sullivan by the Blue Hill Troupe. This image is from the dinner afterwards, taken with my small Panasonic.

On this day last year: Another meal – dinner at Corton.

Tags Dinner party, Food and wine