Saturday, December 25, 2010

Wolf Moon


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File:Canis lupus in quebec.jpg

Canis lupus, seen before hunt, Quebec: photo by Peupleloup, 2004




As the incoming storm gathers its scattered eerie-cloud-formation
forces over the bay, above the blinking christmas light displays
of chateaux in the hills advance detachments
of cloud scud swiftly across the mist-faded face
of the waning wolf moon, a bar of soap grey with use, breaking
off small pieces





Wolf Moon: photo by ladybugdiscovery, 2010

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Ghosts of Christmas Past (1936-1942)


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Image, Source: digital file from original slide

Boy beside store window display of Christmas ornaments: photographer unknown, December 1941

Image, Source: digital file from original slide

Boy looking at store window display of toys: photographer unknown, December 1941

Image, Source: digital file from original slide

Christmas trees and wreaths in store window display: photographer unknown, December 1941

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

Christmas tree over door of bar on Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: photo by Paul Vanderbilt, December 1938

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Fisherman on the dock, Christmas Day, Charleston, South Carolina: photo by Marion Post Wolcott, December 1938

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Children of H.H.Tripp wrapping presents for Christmas; Tripp operates his mother's farm near Dickens, Iowa: photo by Russell Lee, December 1936

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas raffle in the streets of Cidra, Puerto Rico (the kid and the chicken are the prizes): photo by Edwin Rosskam, December 1937

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas shoppers, Gadsden, Alabama: photo by John Vachon, December 1940

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas shopping crowds on main street of Gadsden, Alabama: photo by John Vachon, December 1940

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

Hanging Christmas decorations, Providence, Rhode island: photo by Jack Delano, December 1940

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas trees for sale, Woonsocket, Rhode Island: photo by Jack Delano, December 1940

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Day before Christmas in Greyhound bus terminal, Washington, D.C.: photo by John Vachon, December 1941

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Young lady and naval officer during Christmas rush in Greyhound bus terminal, Washington, D.C.: photo by John Collier, December 1941

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas rush in Greyhound bus terminal, Washington, D.C.: photo by John Collier, December 1941

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas shopping in Woolworth's five and ten cent store, Washington, D.C.: photo by John Collier, December 1941

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas shopping in Woolworth's five and ten cent store, Washington, D.C.: photo by John Collier, December 1941

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas shopping, Radford, Virginia: photo by John Vachon, December 1940

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

Wandering Christmas carol singers, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands: photo by Jack Delano, December 1941

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas in the home of a government executive, Virginia: photo by John Collier, December 1941

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

Children playing with their Christmas toys on a side street, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands: photo by Jack Delano, December 1941

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas in the home of a government executive, Virginia: photo by John Collier, December 1941

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

Little girl playing with her Christmas presents on a side street, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands: photo by Jack Delano, December 1941

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

Martinetti grandchild and her Christmas tree, New York, New York: photo by Marjory Collins, December 1942

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas in a Washington, D.C. home: photo by John Collier, December 1941

Image, Source: intermediary roll film

Christmas in a Washington, D.C. home: photo by John Collier, December 1941

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

Christmas Eve in the church, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico: photo by John Collier, December 1942

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

At the bar, merchant seamen's Christmas party at the Andrew Feruseth Club, Christmas Day, New York, New York: photo by Marjory Collins, December 1942

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

At the bar, merchant seamen's Christmas party at the Andrew Feruseth Club, Christmas Day, New York, New York: photo by Marjory Collins, December 1942

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

Drinking beer at the bar, merchant seamen's Christmas party at the Andrew Feruseth Club, Christmas Day, New York, New York: photo by Marjory Collins, December 1942

Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

The week before Christmas at R.H. Macy and Company department store, New York, New York: photo by Marjory Collins, December 1942

Image, Source: digital file from original neg.

Unemployed workers in front of shack with Christmas tree, East 12th Street, New York, New York: photo by Russell Lee, January 1938


Christmas Eve, headlines posted in street-corner window of Brockton Enterprise newspaper office, Brockton, Massachusetts: photo by Jack Delano, December 1940

Photos from Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Collection, Library of Congress

Samuel Beckett: Watt / Andreas Gursky (Tiny Details of the Big Picture)


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Pyongyang III: photo by Andreas Gursky, 2007 (Sprüth Magers, Berlin/London)

As for his feet, sometimes he wore on each a sock, or on the one a sock and on the other a stocking, or a boot, or a shoe, or a slipper, or a sock and a boot, or a sock and a shoe, or a sock and a slipper, or a stocking and boot, or a stocking and shoe, or a stocking and slipper, or nothing at all. And sometimes he wore on each a stocking, or on the one a stocking and on the other a boot, or a shoe, or a slipper, or a sock and a boot, or a sock and shoe, or a sock and slipper, or a stocking and boot, or a stocking and shoe, or a stocking and slipper, or nothing at all. And sometimes he wore on each a boot, or on the one a boot and on the other a shoe, or a slipper, or a sock and boot, or a sock and shoe, or a sock and slipper, or a stocking and boot, or a stocking and shoe, or a stocking and slipper, or nothing at all. And sometime he wore on each a shoe, or on the one a shoe and on the other a slipper, or a sock and boot, or a sock and shoe, or a sock and slipper, or a stocking and boot, or a stocking and shoe, or a stocking and slipper or nothing at all. And sometimes he wore on each a slipper, or on the one a slipper and on the other a sock and boot, or a sock and shoe, or a sock and slipper, or a stocking and boot, or a stocking and shoe, or a stocking and slipper, or nothing at all. And sometime he wore on each a sock and boot, or on the one a sock and boot and on the other a sock and shoe, or a sock and slipper, or a stocking and boot, or a stocking and shoe, or a stocking and slipper, or nothing at all. And sometimes he wore on each a sock and shoe, or on the one a sock and shoe and on the other a sock and slipper, or a stocking and boot, or a stocking and shoe, or a stocking and slipper, or nothing at all. And sometimes he wore on each a sock and slipper, or on the one a sock and slipper and on the other a stocking and boot, or a stocking and shoe, or a stocking and slipper, or nothing at all. And sometimes he wore on each a stocking and boot, or on the one a stocking and boot and on the other a stocking and shoe, or a stocking and slipper, or nothing at all. And sometime he wore on each a stocking and shoe, or on the one a stocking and shoe and on the other a stocking and slipper, or nothing at all. And sometimes he wore on each a stocking and slipper, or on the one a stocking and slipper and on the other nothing at all. And sometimes he went barefoot.




Bibliothek: photo by Andreas Gursky, 1999 (Sprüth Magers, Berlin/London)

Here he stood. Here he sat. Here he knelt. Here he lay. Here he moved, to and fro, from the door to the window, from the window to the door; from the window to the door, from the door to the window; from the fire to the bed, from the bed to the fire; from the bed to the fire, from the fire to the bed; from the door to the fire, from the fire to the door; from the fire to the door, from the door to the fire; from the window to the bed, from the bed to the window; from the bed to the window, from the window to the bed; from the fire to the window, from the window to the fire; from the window to the fire, from the fire to the window; from the bed to the door, from the door to the bed; from the door to the bed, from the bed to the door; from the door to the window, from the window to the fire; from the fire to the window, from the window to the door; from the window to the door, from the door to the bed; from the bed to the door, from the door to the window; from the fire to the bed, from the bed to the window; from the window to the bed, from the bed to the fire; from the bed to the fire, from the fire to the door; from the door to the fire, from the fire to the bed; from the door to the window, from the window to the bed; from the bed to the window, from the window to the door; from the window to the door, from the door to the fire; from the fire to the door, from the door to the window; from the fire to the bed, from the bed to the door; from the door to the bed, from the bed to the fire; from the bed to the fire, from the fire to the window; from the window to the fire, from the fire to the bed; from the door to the fire, from the fire to the window; from the window to the fire, from the fire to the door; from the window to the bed, from the bed to the door; from the door to the bed, from the bed to the window; from the fire to the window, from the window to the bed; from the bed to the window, from the window to the fire; from the bed to the door, from the door to the fire; from the fire to the door, from the door to the bed.



Bahrain I, 2005a

Bahrain I: photo by Andreas Gursky, 2005 (Sprüth Magers, Berlin/London)


The room was furnished solidly and with taste.



Rhein II: photo by Andreas Gursky, 1999 (Sprüth Magers, Berlin/London)


This solid and tasteful furniture was subjected by Mr. Knott to frequent changes of position, both absolute and relative. Thus it was not rare to find, on the Sunday, the tallboy on its feet by the fire, and the dressing-table on its head by the bed, and the night-stool on its face by the door, and the wash-hand-stand on its back by the window; and, on the Monday, the tallboy on its back by the bed, and the dressing-table on its face by the door, and the night-stool on its back by the window, and the wash-hand-stand on its feet by the fire; and, on the Tuesday, the tallboy on its face by the door, and the dressing-table on its back by the window, and the night-stool on its feet by the fire, and the wash-hand-stand on its head by the bed; and, on the Wednesday, the tallboy on its back by the window, and the dressing-table on its feet by the fire, and the night-stool on its head by the bed, and the wash-hand-stand on its face by the door; and on the Thursday, the tallboy on its side by the fire, and the dressing-table on its feet by the bed, and the night-stool on its head by the door, and the wash-hand-stand on its face by the window; and, on the Friday, the tallboy on its feet by the bed, and the dressing-table on its head by the door, and the night-stool on its face by the window, and the wash-hand-stand on its side by the fire; and, on the Saturday, the tallboy on its head by the door, and the dressing-table on its face by the window, and the night-stool on its side by the fire, and the wash-hand-stand on its feet by the bed; and, on the Sunday week, the tallboy on its face by the window, and the dressing-table on its side by the fire, and the night-stool on its feet by the bed and the wash-hand-stand on its head by the door; and, on the Monday week, the tallboy on its back by the fire, and the dressing-table on its side by the bed, and the night-stool on its feet by the door, and the wash-hand-stand on its head by the window; and, on the Tuesday week, the tallboy on its side by the bed, and the dressing-table on its feet by the door, and the night-stool on its head by the window, and the wash-hand-stand on its back by the fire; and, on the Wednesday week, the tallboy on its feet by the door, and the dressing-table on its head by the window, and the night-stool on its back by the fire, and the wash-hand-stand on its side by the bed; and, on the Thursday week, the tallboy on its head by the window, and the dressing-table on its back by the fire, and the night-stool on its side by the bed, and the wash-hand-stand on its feet by the door; and, on the Friday week, the tallboy on its face by the fire, and the dressing-table on its back by the bed, and the night-stool on its side by the door, and the wash-hand-stand on its feet by the window; and, on the Saturday week, the tallboy on its back by the bed, and the dressing-table on its side by the door, and the night-stool on its feet by the window, and the wash-hand-stand on its face by the fire; and on the Sunday fortnight, the tallboy on its side by the door, and the dressing-table on its feet by the window, and the night-stool on its face by the fire, and the wash-hand-stand on its back by the bed; and on the Monday fortnight, the tallboy on its feet by the window, and the dressing-table on its face by the fire, and the night-stool on its back by the bed, and the wash-hand-stand on its side by the door; and, on the Tuesday fortnight, the tallboy on its head by the fire, and the dressing-table on its face by the bed, and the night-stool on its back by the door, and the wash-hand-stand on its side by the window; and, on the Wednesday fortnight, the tallboy on its face by the bed, and the dressing-table on its back by the door, and the night-stool on its side by the window, and the wash-hand-stand on its head by the fire; and, on the Thursday fortnight, the tallboy on its back by the door, and the dressing-table on its side by the window, and the night-stool on its head by the fire, and the wash-hand-stand on its face by the bed; and, on the Friday fortnight, the tallboy on its side by the window, and the dressing-table on its head by the fire, and the night-stool on its face by the bed, and the wash-hand-stand on its back by the door, for example, not at all rare, to consider only, over a period of nineteen days only, the tallboy, the dressing-table, the night-stool and the wash-hand-stand, and their feet, and heads, and faces, and backs and unspecified sides, and the fire, and the bed, and the door, and the window, not at all rare.



kuwait stock exchange 2007a

Kuwait Stock Exchange: photo by Andreas Gursky, 2008 (Sprüth Magers, Berlin/London)



For the chairs, also, to mention only the chairs also, were never still.



Andreas Gursky Dortmund, 2009a

Dortmund: photo by Andreas Gursky, 2007 (Sprüth Magers, Berlin/London)


“The best situation to be confronted with your work is to come into a room or a space, and you don’t think about approaching your work, you just come from another world and you see it and you have an immediate emotion. This is the original reason to have pictures in the small size, but then I found they attracted me in the same way as the big pictures.

The size of the work affects its reception, offering two different experiences: one immersive, one intimate.

“In a way, the reading of the pictures is the same. Even if it’s a really big picture, if you want to get the details, you have to approach the picture and you read the picture line by line, and the same if you read a very tiny picture. For in a way, the tiny picture could be a detail of the big picture, no?”

(Andreas Gursky, interviewed in Canadian Art, 9 July 2008)


Samuel Beckett, from Watt, 1953

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Samuel Beckett: Worstward Ho


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http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/images/2008/great_depression_2008.jpg

Great Depression 2008: photographer unknown (via marketoracle)



All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

First the body. No. First the place. No. First both. Now either. Now the other. Sick of the either try the other. Sick of it back sick of the either. So on. Somehow on. Till sick of both. Throw up and go. Where neither. Till sick of there. Throw up and back. The body again. Where none. The place again. Where none. Try again. Fail again. Better again. Or better worse. Fail worse again. Still worse again. Till sick for good. Throw up for good. Go for good. Where neither for good. Good and all.

It stands. What? Yes. Say it stands. Had to up in the end and stand. Say bones. No bones but say bones. Say ground. No ground but say ground. So as to say pain. No mind and pain? Say yes that the bones may pain till no choice but stand. Somehow up and stand. Or better worse remains. Say remains of mind where none to permit of pain. Pain of bones till no choice but up and stand. Somehow up. Somehow stand. Remains of mind where none for the sake of pain. Here of bones. Other examples if needs must. Of pain. Relief from. Change of.

All of old. Nothing else ever. But never so failed. Worse failed. With care never worse failed.

Dim light source unknown. Know minimum. Know nothing no. Too much to hope. At most mere minimum. Meremost minimum.

No choice but stand. Somehow up and stand. Somehow stand. That or groan. The groan so long on its way. No. No groan. Simply pain. Simply up. A time when try how. Try see. Try say. How first it lay. Then somehow knelt. Bit by bit. Then on from there. Bit by bit. Till up at last. Not now. Fail better worse now.

Another. Say another. Head sunk on crippled hands. Vertex vertical. Eyes clenched. Seat of all. Germ of all.

No future in this. Alas yes.



J.P. Morgan Co. Building, Wall Street: photo by Paul Strand, 1915

Samuel Beckett: from Worstward Ho (1984)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Total



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photo


Lunar eclipse on winter solstice, 21 December 2010, Kennewick, Washington: photo by Sam Rambo, 201







Amid the violet-underlit bands of storm cloud above the bay

A blue portal opened for a moment

Through which appeared the great luminous orange globe

Wearing a sliver-thin white cap








photo


Lunar eclipse on winter solstice, 21 December 2010, Kennewick, Washington: photo by Sam Rambo, 2010



photo


Lunar eclipse on winter solstice, 21 December 2010, Strathcona County, Alberta: photo by 42things, 2010





Lunar eclipse on winter solstice, 21 December 2010, Bogota, Colombia: photo by Black Rose, 2010

Monday, December 20, 2010

Carl Mydans: Narrow Street / Samuel Beckett: neither


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http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8b26000/8b26900/8b26917v.jpg
Narrow street, New Brunswick, New Jersey
: photo by Carl Mydans, February 1936


To and fro in shadow from inner to outer shadow



http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8a00000/8a00800/8a00803v.jpg

Bed and sitting room, Hamilton County, Ohio: photo by Carl Mydans, December 1935


from impenetrable self to impenetrable unself by way of neither



http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c30000/3c30000/3c30000/3c30070v.jpg
View of the Manville Works, Manville, New Jersey: photo by Carl Mydans, February 1936


as between two lit refuges whose doors once neared gently close, once away turned from gently part again



http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8a00000/8a00800/8a00801v.jpg

Tenement kitchen, Hamilton County, Ohio
: photo by Carl Mydans, December 1935


beckoned back and forth and turned away



http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3c30000/3c30000/3c30000/3c30071v.jpg
The Calco Chemical Company near Bound Brook, New Jersey: photo by Carl Mydans, February 1936


heedless of the way, intent on the one gleam or the other



File:SouthRiverNJ1936.jpg

South River, New Jersey
: photo by Carl Mydans, February 1936


unheard footfalls only sound



http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8a00000/8a00800/8a00802v.jpg

Bed and sitting room, Hamilton County, Ohio: photo by Carl Mydans, December 1935


till at last halt for good, absent for good from self and other



http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8a00000/8a00700/8a00715v.jpg

Van Horn Street, Hamilton County, Ohio: photo by Carl Mydans, December 1935


then no sound



http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8a00000/8a00700/8a00707v.jpg

Interior of a Negro dwelling, Hamilton County, Ohio: photo by Carl Mydans, December 1935


then gently light unfading on that unheeded neither


Image, Source: digital file from intermediary roll film

Room of white man, Hamilton County, Ohio: photo by Carl Mydans, December 1935


unspeakable home



http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8a00000/8a00700/8a00745v.jpg

Tent squatter, common scene along the Ohio River, Hamilton County, Ohio: photo by Carl Mydans, December 1935

Photos by Carl Mydans from Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Collection, Library of Congress

Samuel Beckett: neither, 1976