photography
Into the West: The Rat Pack
The Rat Pack was definitely a West Coast crew — from the Sands to the Hills. Their brand of style, glamour, and cool distinctly tilts left and is evident in photos of the men suited up for their late night romps and album covers that reflect their playful banter and laid back swing.
Tangent from: Into the Sunset
Last week, Mike and I checked out the MoMA exhibition Into the Sunset.
I’m no art critic, so this will not be a detailed review. I will, however, offer the highlights of our trip.
1) Mike taught me a thing or two about Cindy Sherman.
The Wife: Architecture In Helsinki
Joan Castleman’s thoughts on Nordic building designs are evident when she describes an acquaintance’s features: “…I was formally introduced to the president, a man of my age named Mr. Timo Kristian with a stern face not unlike Finnish architecture.”
She is clearly not thinking of the upbeat playful pop that is Architecture in Helsinki. One can see how the bright cartoon charm of their packaging, video, and photos is an accurate representation of their sound.
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The Wife: Two’s a Party
Stored in a basement somewhere are my old high school notebooks — full of doodles, magazine cut-outs, and MASH results. One of those magazine images was a montage of famous couples. Not only did it cover a range of pop culture references — for example, comic strips (Blondie and Dagwood), cinema (Hepburn and Tracy), and literature (Romeo and Juliet) — but it also included pairings whose share of conflicts made them just as memorable as their ardor (Burton and Taylor). My favorites of these are the ones who work in the same industry; better yet, the ones who share projects. The potential for something productive, constructive, or destructive (usually all three) is great, exposing the complexity of human relationships.
In an attempt to recreate a page from my teenage-decorated notebooks, I offer a collection of photographs of some of my favorite collaborators: Burton & Taylor; Bergman & Rossellini; Fellini & Masina; De Beauvoir & Sartre; Lennon & Ono; Carter & Cash; Hepburn & Tracy. These pairs are far from perfect, but their energy and intensity make even their moments of scandal and dysfunction just as captivating as their displays of tenderness and devotion.