Stephen Gillette, Tondi (Big Sur #13), pigment on mulberry paper, 11.75 x 8.25"
By rights, these shouldn't work, and I guess I'm not sure all of them do, at least not equally. But some of them sure do. As a friend of mine once said, "it's not the idea, it's how it looks." If you live near Big Sur, you can see them. Here's the scoop, and some more.
(By the bye, I think the prettiest one is #5, but Eolake already posted that one on his blog, so I'm not going to ditto it. Take a look at all of them and pick your own favorite.)
Mike
Hey, he stole my idea. He didn't really. He's at the other end of the country and I'm sure he's never seen my stuff just like I never saw his until it was featured on The Online Photographer. Interesting that two people so far apart come up with similar stuff.
http://picasaweb.google.com/jim.bullard/MIXEDDOZENEntries#
Posted by: James Bullard | Tuesday, 03 November 2009 at 08:22 PM
Mike, the show is at Cypress College of Orange County, way far south of the beauty of Big Sur.
Posted by: Martha Benedict | Tuesday, 03 November 2009 at 09:18 PM
Well, my Rorschach using #9 suggests multiple animal faces, some of which appear again on other images. You see them, too, right?
Posted by: Jeff | Tuesday, 03 November 2009 at 09:49 PM
I think you mean *my* idea... ;-)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=83210&id=76565913233
Don't know whether to be pleased or disappointed!
Posted by: Christian | Tuesday, 03 November 2009 at 11:56 PM
Glad to see you post this. Since finding Msr Gillette (I think via tOP) I have liked his semi-abstract work, and he has become a friend due to our common love of compact cameras. And I think this exhibition is excellent, if I lived nearer, I'd turn up for sure.
Posted by: Eolake Stobblehouse | Wednesday, 04 November 2009 at 06:34 AM
Christian, You got the water part but yours aren't round (tondo or tondi if you want to sound artsie). I just call mine round.
Jim Bullard
Posted by: James Bullard | Wednesday, 04 November 2009 at 08:15 AM
Interesting images and his is the first Artist's Statement that tells it like it is: “In Hell, you sit at a table reading ‘artist statements’ for eternity.”---Stephen Gillette, artist statement
Posted by: Jeffrey Goggin | Wednesday, 04 November 2009 at 08:31 AM
I've liked much of Stephen's work since I first saw it several years ago. (This piece is new to me.) Perhaps because it seems that his visual thinking is similar to mine. Good humor, good vision, evocative execution. Thank you for bringing his work forward.
Posted by: Ken Tanaka | Wednesday, 04 November 2009 at 11:50 AM
... Well, just like photographing clouds or reflections in windows, it's one of those things that's "Been Done", but each photographer and viewer brings something new to it every time.
Posted by: Eolake Stobblehouse | Wednesday, 04 November 2009 at 12:05 PM
Me too, but they're not round...
http://davereichertphoto.com/Current/Water/9335565_8eHvu
Posted by: Dave Reichert | Wednesday, 04 November 2009 at 01:54 PM
Thanks Ken, Eolake and many others who have found images to enjoy in this series. That is always gratifying to hear.
Is it possible to aim a camera at something that has not been previously photographed? Be it the nude, water, shadows, the urban environment, etc.? Probably not. My intent with this series of photographs is to present a cohesive body of work that resonates with me, and to the best of my ability, avoid cliche.
Have I succeeded? That answer will vary with each viewer. I wish all of you could experience the prints directly: the interplay of the large 4' x 4' Lambda's (installed without glass) with the small washi paper prints is an important part of the show, but not, sadly, part of the online experience.
This work not your cup of tea? Perhaps you find better in your own online galleries? Not to worry. I'm sure that Mike's "Random Excellence" postings will continue to highlight a varied menu of photographic offerings that many of us have yet to discover.
Thanks to all of you who have visited Big Sur Tondi.
Posted by: Stephen Gillette | Wednesday, 04 November 2009 at 07:02 PM
Not round, but: http://www.rockslidephoto.com/cgi-bin/gallery.pl?gallery=7
Had a gallery show of the work a few years back. This is one of my favorite series of my career, and I still occasionally shoot to try and add new images to it, the experimental, not-sure-what-I'm-going-to-precisely-get aspect of it is a joy to work with.
Posted by: Joe Decker | Thursday, 05 November 2009 at 12:24 AM