"If I can make it there . . ."

Michael Kenna
New York, Mont St. Michel, Guilin, Chausey, Hokkaido
March 26 - April 26, 2008
Stephen Wirtz Gallery
49 Geary Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108

Flatiron Building, Study 2, New York, USA, 2003

Perhaps this image by Michael Kenna is a quiet homage to any number of unmentioned and anonymous photographers (Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglist, Alvin Langdon Coburn, Karl Struss, etc. - come to mind, having photographed the Flatiron building from almost the same vantage point, some, a century ago) - it's that " . . . On the Shoulders of Giants" idea - perhaps not. The show also includes work done in Japan, China, Mont St. Michel and other parts of France, and yet it is the New York work that I think is a bit of a departure for Mr. Kenna. This is one of the quieter images - for a more ferocious night photograph, see the next one, below - whimsically titled: "Mary Poppins Over Midtown, New York, New York, USA, 2006."

The Artist Reception is Thursday, April 3, 2008 from 5:30 to 7:30, and yes, Mr. Kenna will be in attendance, as will some of The Nocturnes, we're sure.

BTW, when you stop by the gallery, say hello to Wirtz staffer Julie Casemore (a former neighbor of ours - before we deserted the City - and tell her "The Nocturnes sent you."

BTW2, Michael Kenna has agreed to contribute to the traveling exhibition, "Darkness, Darkness" (see post below) - more details to follow!

("These little town blues, are melting away . . . ")

Darkness, Darkness

"Darkness, darkness, be my pillow,
Take my hand, and let me sleep.
In the coolness of your shadow,
In the silence of your deep."
(Darkness, Darkness lyrics by Jesse Colin Young)

Nightscape 1, 9:43pm by Mark Jaremko

Well, it looks like Andy Frazer and Joe Reifer have "scooped" me again. That's really okay tho - all three of us ("the NPy Bloggers") are in the "Darkness, Darkness" exhibit (along with fellow Nocturnes instructors Mark Jaremko, Lance Keimig and Tom Paiva, as well as Alumni Suzanne Friedrich) opening back at Three Columns Gallery at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. and we're nothing if not a laissez-faire-type community. The show runs from March 18 through April 30, with an opening reception March 19, at5:30pm.

Described as "An Exhibit of Contemporary American Night Photography," it includes work by NPy pioneers Steve Harper and Arthur Ollman, as well as Troy Paiva of LostAmerica.com, and other illuminaries of the NPy world.

Get all the details here. Also, have a look at the "Resources" of the D2 site - lots of "nocturnal fodder" there!

(From the desk of The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man)

Is there anybody out there . . . ? (still)

Calling all Nocturnes! Well, it's that time again! - For our 15th AlumNight (now a semi-annual) event, sponsored by The Nocturnes NPy Web site, at a "secure undisclosed location" in the SF Bay Area, on March 22nd.

We have a number of announcements to make, much to talk about, and work (from you!) to see. All this, and a few more surprises - should be a another great AlumNight! So-o-o, if you're an Alum, be sure bring your latest work, promo pieces, 'leave behinds,' and just news of what's goin' on in your photo-life!

We are posting this notice here to catch a few of our "fair-weather Nocturnes," whose email addresses may have changed since our last event - in the hope they'll catch the news here!

If you're alumni, and for some reason have NOT rec'd email re: this event - please contact us (you know where to find us . . . ) re: the details for AlumNight. Or, if you know of an Alum who fits this category, give them a buzz, won't you?

Hope . . .

In case you haven't heard, the film "Once" ("The little film that could") won the Oscar for Original Song for "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. Much deserved award, very moving acceptance comments by both artists, and Jon Stewart's "call back" of Markéta was brilliant!. For those who weren't able to view the show - here, thru the miracle of YouTube are the clips!

ACCEPTANCE - NOTE: Try this link - embedded video no longer works



PERFORMANCE - NOTE: embed no longer works - try the Letterman clip here. "Fairplay to those who dare to dream . . ."




("Make art. Make art.")

Simply titled "Nocturnes"

Waiting at the Crossing, Lincoln, NE 1993 by Chris Faust

Having seen the panoramic night work (done with a rare Cirkut rotational panorama camera) of Chris Faust previously, I was curious to see just what format his new book would take. I am pleased to announce that the review copy I recently received from the Univ. of Minnesota Press is a beautifully designed 9x15 (Horizontal) monograph, with an introduction by Joan Rothfuss of the Walker Art Center. Chris braves the rough Minnesota winters to photograph scenes that recall Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Hopper (our favorite NPr who did not use a camera) - with a little bit of 'snow-noir' thrown in for good measure.

One of our favorite soundbites, from the Photographer's Notes in the book, where Chris makes the point: "To make a photograph is still magical and soulful, very much like making Music."

The book is simply titled "Nocturnes" (catchy, no?) and is available thru The Nocturnes link to Amazon

(Like music to our ears . . . )

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme . . .

One of the most graceful, fluid examples of time/motion study I've seen in a long while can be viewed at Jeff Hillhouse's photography site. This particlular image really struck me - no title (at least it's not noted on his site), no indicator of how it was accomplished either - just light, color, cloud movement, and time. And, just look at the scale of that landscape!

BONUS POINTS - if you can figure out how this image was accomplished BEFORE you click over to Jeff's Web site. BTW, Jeff's site (as well as the work by 100+ other NPrs) is now linked, pretty handily, on The Nocturnes site - at O. Winston Links!

(from The Nocturnes Network Detective)

Waiting for Bono

Continuing with the 'eyebrow thing'- this clever little piece (available thru the efforts of eyebrowy.com!) features St. Glen Hansard and an amazing sound-likeness of Bono. Hansard, of course is one of the stars (along with Markéta Irglová - all of a worldly 17 at the time the film was made) of the runaway indie hit/music film "Once." Just released as a DVD right before Christmas - if you haven't already done so, see this movie!



(“Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it’s awful.”)

Light Painting the mainstream?

Page One:
An AP Photo of "light painting," celebrating the New Year, over the wire, syndicated in newpapers 'round the globe - see it here!

Page Two:
Throughout 2007, Sprint/Nextel unveiled a number of one-minute long commercial spots, using stop-motion photography with digital cameras, a small creative bunch of artists who COULD draw a [necessarily] not-so-straight line, and the time honored technique of "light painting" during the exposure(s). A little different than the approach we Nocturnes use in our NPy (mostly lengthy exposures), but the principle is the same, and the cumulative aspect of "gathering light over time" rings true.



The performance aspect that comes across in these pieces (which I've always felt was an important part of the attraction of/to NPY) is there, as well - one of the producers/participants in the production of the spots even equated the process to a dance. That about sums it up for me - process and performance art - and these commercials, while hawking cellphones, document the craft and art of this thing we do and are some of the greatest promotional pieces for the study of NPY that I've seen in a bit.

This embedded clip was the spot that I first happened onto (and it hit me!). View the 'behind-the-scenes'commmentary about the production here. Favorite quote from the commentary: "Here, it's not about the perfection, it's about the imperfect on that happens." And, see more spots from the series here, here, and here.

(Ever the evangelista . . . )

Random Conciliatory Notes / Hot Shots

- The Nocturnes has struck a deal with the Writers Guild of America, so befitting a "Wide World of Pants," we're back in the Nocturnal Entertainment business this new year!

- One of our goals for 2008 was to be more faithful in posting to this here Blog - we would like to have a post up everday (holidays excepted, or not) or maybe every-other day. Well, we'll just have to see . . .

- I am also contemplating participating in AIDS/LifeCycle , the long bike ride to Los Angeles (from San Francisco) that happens in June. So the new year (at least half of it) might be a balancing act between blogging and biking. More about all this later.

- Our first featured NPr of the New Year is none other than the father of modern industrial and locomotive Night Photography - O. Winston Link! See his famed "Iaeger Drive-In" image on the New York Times site.

- BTW, did you know that the comprehensive links page on The Nocturnes site is entitled "O. Winston Links" in the man's honor?

(Yeah, and if you buy that first point . . .)

The Eyes have it.

After watching the Rob Thomas video of "Little Wonders' (see previous post) many, many times in the past few months (even tho' it actually struck me pretty early on, but I'm nothing, if not quiet about these things sometimes!) I found that I was not only impressed with the song (sounds) and the lyrics, but the performance, as well (forgetting about the Disney part, tho' cute it is . . . ). Thomas, the great E-NUNC-I-A-TOR, really has those "Depressor supercilli" working the words to that song. I'm reminded of the great bassist, Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) and his virtuosic performances of the "bass eyebrow" - see clip here - incidentally this performance also took place on a rooftop, like the Thomas video.

A side note here: the Airplane's 1968 performance of the doomsday "House at Pooneil Corners" on a New York rooftop preceded the famed Beatles rooftop concert (seen in the "Let it Be" movie) by a year, and was captured on film by Director Jean-Luc Godard (the film was never released). Especially watch for those eyebrows between the 3-4 minute and the dervish-like delivery at the 5-6 minute mark of the clip!

(Don't think Marty said "S-uckers" - maybe something that sounds like that . . . )