The Frenetic Work of Jon Sarkin

Solstice Solargraphs

Philippus-Lansbergen Observatory in Middelburg, the Netherlands encouraged people to come and create pinhole cameras in order to capture the movement of the sun through the sky over a 6 month period. The cameras and images are solargraphs. The compilation of images creates a montage of haunting beauty that rivals imaginary, cinematic CGI visuals. Each individual photo has its own mysterious look.

The ‘camera,’ even the most primitive low tech camera, can see more than the human eye, giving us time rendered images of natural phenomenon. In this case we see the shifting arc of the sun from December to June. When the cameras were dismantled after the lengthy exposure, the photographic paper was scanned into Photoshop where the contrast was tweaked, revealing the details within the prints. Thanks to Jan Brown for bringing these images to my attention.

Photos: Philippus Lansbergen Observatory/National Pictures

So you want to make your own Solargraph?

http://inatarius.wordpress.com/2009/07/01/solargraph-building-guide/

You can also look up Justin Quinell on pinhole photography.
http://www.pinholephotography.org/

Philippus Lansbergen Observatory - Solargraphy
http://www.lansbergen.net/site/nieuws/124-veel-solargraphy-blikjes-ingeleverd.html

Preserving the Legacy of Harald Szeemann

Preserving the Legacy of Harald Szeemann

Collections and Sojourns

In the fall of 2007, I had the pleasure of helping David Coleman, curator of photography at the Harry Ransom Center, prepare for the upcoming exhibition: Dress Up: Portrait and Performance in Victorian Photography. Here's the press release.
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/press/releases/2007/dressup.html

In conjunction with the exhibit, a portrait studio was set up, and the digital images are
viewable online.
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/photobooth/

At the time I was writing a screenplay based in 1848 Ireland and was able to observe David's scholarly application of performance and identity concepts to curated images, while having a close look at the clothing of the era. David's show is an additional chapter
in the critical history of photography.

The Ransom Center has recently acquired a portion of the Magnum Photo Collection. David expresses his enthusiasm for the new acquisition in the following video interview by
Will van Overbeek.
http://vimeo.com/9830948

Recently, several Magnum photographers have embarked on a sojourn, Postcards from America, which is chronicled via tumblr.

http://postcardsfromamerica.tumblr.com/

Check out the route here, with cursor as magnifying glass.

http://postcards.magnumphotos.com/

Safe travels!

Looking around in Wiki Commons

I found this image while looking to see what is available on Wiki Commons. Even though it is a highly scientific image made through photomicrography, I was drawn to it for unscientific reasons. It illustrates histopathologic features of aspergillosis. I see it as a dandelion-like micro-organism in a field of pink and magenta. I'm not a painter per se, but it makes me want to paint. It allows me to see the scientific - medical attraction to understanding the language of health and disease of the human body.

Still perusing through Wiki Commons led to this photograph of the fundus, or interior of the eye. Its an abstraction derived from the details of the human body, though an opthomologist may look at it as wonderfully detailed. I see visual parallels to this image and NASA and Hubble telescope images.

Wet Collodion for Today, Jody Ake

http://www.jodyake.com/

Cultural Fusion Through a Camera

Cultural Fusion Through a Camera