images from me to you

Changing the setup from 1783 to 1850. The blues and greens are all the Indians, the yellow ones are the cowboys (United States).

We took the first picture at Honey Creek State Park, Oklahoma. We projected it across the river onto the cliff at Great Salt Plains State Park, Oklahoma. You can see our shadows in the projection.

So after a long break, I'm back. I had a good trip to Oklahoma doing some photography then a Society for Photographic Education conference in Denver.

I have a show here in Indianapolis opening on the 4th. Here is a link to a zoomify of one draft of an image for the show.

This is a reference video of treaties, agreements, and the like between the US government and various Indian tribes. It covers the span from 1796 to 1873. The first frame is actually made from a map of the US in 1783, but the treaties start in 1896 which explains some of the missing parts back east in the end, but also Louisiana and Texas were mostly ceded to other governments and the US government never renegotiated a treaty for those places after buying/annexing them. Purplish Yellow (yellowish purple) means there was a clear dispute in the records, or that more than one treaty was made with different tribes for the same land.

I say it is a reference video because I plan to reshoot it as a stop motion using plastic cowboys and Indians. I'm not sure how that will work/look.

The compression is terrible, thanks youtube!

Images on left UF Photo students at 2002 SPE in Vegas
Image on right: Lucas Samaras, Phototransformation 1973-74

In a sad bit of news, Polaroid has announced it will stop making instant film. The once ubiquitous camera has largely been replaced by digital in the consumer world, but in art and professional photography, it still has many uses: transfers, previews of lighting, etc. I will miss it, but my camera collection will fill up more quickly now that people will be getting rid of them in mass numbers I think I have about 20 Polaroids so far. On a happier note, Fujifilm still makes instant film for professional photographers, I have never used them so don't know if they are an actual replacement.

Update: There is now a petition to save Polaroid film. I doubt it'll help but worth a shot I guess. Online petition - Save Polaroid Film!!



Via Engadget

Here is a blog dedicated to returning lost photos to their owners. I think it is a fun idea. I'm sure I've lost film I'd love to get back. I also have a roll that came from a camera at my friend Vince's house that I still need to develop. I bet there are fun pictures on there.

via Racheal

Well continuing on the theme of Art on TV, I recently found a whole network for culture. Ovation TV, channel 157 on Dish Network, has shows for performance, fine art, architecture, music, etc. Today is photography all day! And when they say photography, they don't mean fashion/commercial, they mean art! Atget, Man Ray, Walker Evans, the Bechers, Robert Frank, etc. So far I've only watched one episode but it is really good.

I have very mixed feelings about the idea that Sarah Jessica Parker has for a new reality show: artists make pieces of art to be judged. On the one hand, I hate reality shows. Very few of them ever do anything at all except repeat the premise of all the other shows with a slight (and sometimes no) twist. On the other, any show that is about the art world (and I mean real contemporary art, not Thomas Kincaid) is worth a shot.

Art Attack with Lee Sanstead was a recent show about art that was good. It was on Travel Channel. They ran a week of test shows and people voted to see which show they'd pick up. Apparently you can still comment on it(I can't find the voting section). If you want to see some of the graphics used, check this out. Yes the show is over the top, but it is designed to entertain people who aren't part of the art world. I hope they keep the show so maybe I can show my family why I love art so much!


(SJP via myartspace)

Arthur Ganson is a kinetic sculptor. His intricate machines seem ancient and elegant.


Thanks Debbie!

Video artist Brian Priest has offered me the chance to curate a show at his new space the Biscuits and Gravy Gallery. It is going to be a video show of Los Angeles artists. I have quite a few people interested so far, I think it is going to be a fun show.

The gallery (not pictured) is located in the Murphy Building in Fountain Square, Indianapolis, Indiana. Not sure about the date yet but probably the First Friday in May or June.