2008-03-20
The Economist杂志的封面果然犀利，文字和照片都透着标题党的至高范儿，我在Chapters结帐时毫无抵抗力地被它抓走。自然，正文难免就和所有标题党文章一样顾东言西，还夹带着主流杂志甩不掉的态度暧昧和观点全无之类的臭毛病。可是，我还是那么喜欢它——我有严重的恋封面癖。
Key caps pulled off from a mishapped Thinkpad X31 and February cinema calendar of The Bookshelf.
2007-11-23
It was a beautiful ship which I liked to be on board some time in my life. But it was gone this morning, lost into the freezing sea in Antarctica after struck by ice. A sad sad news except that all her 154 passengers and crew members are safe and sound.
The ship:
http://www.gapadventures.com/explorer/
The story in news reports:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/11/23/cruise-ship-sink.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7110550.stm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2007-11/24/content_7136240.htm
MS Explorer on expedition at high sea (G.A.P Adventures)
2007-11-21
It was not long after I saw Brian Ulrich’s photo essay American Happiness and the Need to Consume (selection from Copia*) on Mother Jones Magazine that I watched this solid and honest presentation by him in the PhotoShelter podcast. He addresses various issues in his presentation, from candid photograph making in public spaces to coming-of-age years of art photographers to flickr pictures. It’s a timely call for I did find myself curious about his way of working with media/large format cameras in public venues like big shopping malls and food marts where timing and lighting can definitely be tricky. Throughout the speech, Brian Ulrich explains his know-how to cope with the niche he choses. Highly recommended to everyone who is interested in this matter.
Black River Falls, WI 2006 by Brian Ulrich
Chicago, IL 2003 by Brian Ulrich
Smithhaven, NY 2003 by Brian Ulrich
Me and my friends recently have had some inspiring conversations on myth of consumerism as well as American patriotism, social spectacle, totalitarian machinery and so on, in similar discourses that Brian Ulrich does, not necessarily on photography though. Ulrich clearly has a social critical way of thinking on photography and shows both his earnestness and capacity to talk on these things. He seems to me a guy with attitude instead of pretentiousness. And, in the first place, he takes good photographs. Thumbs up!
Flushing, NY 2004 by Brian Ulrich
Kenosha, WI 2003 by Brian Ulrich
Some quotes from the presentation
1. everything being commodified in our culture…
2. early on right after graduate school…you know,
frightened to death of the ideal of being an artist….3. it’s dangerous to think that mediocrity sells.
*Copia (Latin) means abundant, in a large number.
2007-11-14
听上去很熟是吗？没错，现在最LOMO的时尚就是一双上海产的飞跃牌中古田径鞋。
NEW WINTER 2007 SERIES from Feiyue Shoes
还是那个你童年时只有上体育课才极不情愿换上的飞跃牌球鞋，现在正摆在欧美的时尚专卖店的货架上出售，eBay和Google也能轻易地搜索到网络卖家在推销它们。很像神话对吗？
看一遍网络贩售的推广词，它们都会用”Shaolin”，”Kung fu”，”Martial arts”这些在外国孩子眼里看着很土因而帅到不行的title来招揽生意。只是若哪个上海孩子看到，不免会狐疑自己小时候落雨天穿了打球的家什怎么就有了股江湖气。
弄堂美学, picture from official Feiyue news
其实，若了解LOMO这个词，就不难发觉飞跃鞋运作的方式和罗刹国大名鼎鼎的LC-A神话如出一辙。少林东方神功和KGB间谍相机传说无不浸透着远方专制国家的禁忌和刺激。对了，还不能忘了Holga，我们的老海鸥……这些早已端坐于lo-fi/snapshot流行消费美学众神殿云端中的先圣们。
当然，穿上飞跃以后是帅到抽筋还是土得掉渣，那就全凭你的时尚感觉了。穿对了，谁说The Sartorialist上就不会哪天突然看到无敌的飞跃鞋青年呢？至于我，当务之急还是找一对新鞋带，用来把自己靴子上那两根破得不象话的旧货赶紧换掉。
LOMO精神, picture from official Feiyue news
>>“Make it” Exhibition<<
The “Cédille” gallery in Paris presents various artists
works realised on the “Feiyue” theme until October 2006.
(资料：最LOMO的时尚球鞋—飞跃牌田径鞋!)
