Brancusi
“Excalibur”, I breathlessly breathed. My little feet carried me to the ends of the earth. I wielded my magical sword toward the skies. Knights followed behind me. I was Arthur, King Arthur of my backyard Realm.
T.H. Whites’ “The Sword in the Stone” has had a secret hiding place in a hemisphere of my brain. The story’s (and of course others) revelatory dreamy heroics rescued this child whenever I was in need. Every child has secret treasures hidden in one lobe or another. At five years of age one doesn’t know the secrets exist, yet.
Age five was a magical age. But for me five might as well have been yesterday or possibly today. I am still tempted to wield my Excalibur toward the skies. I dream with every breath. With every breath I dream. I hold my magical Excalibur close. Everyday I search for some magic. My camera is my Excalibur.
Sometimes I imagine I am like towers of ice crystals pirouetting across highways and landscapes. Refracting lights luring me towards new exploration, new discoveries. The lights led me to Artists, Architects, Designers and so much more. The discoveries led me to the art of science, the science of art. A seismic shift entered my life.
There are people who are made to explore: creators who are crossing lines and challenging disciplines. da Vinci was a unique beast. There is almost nothing that he couldn’t master. Others are comfortable narcissist. Some are bored and need to move on. Then there are those who genuinely have the wherewithal to put the challenge to the test. Plainly said, I have been introduced to some of “the extraordinary”.
I Have Seen Their Secrets
#Thomas Heatherwick#London
My camera has found good fortune by luck and sometimes what might seem like a fribrillator.
When on a commission in London, I was racing with equipment strapped to my back. I was to meet a client at the London Paddington Station. “Late, late, late I screamed. Suddenly there was this Thomas Heatherwick. I had left Heatherwick’s office the day before. I had a list of his “pieces” locations. Here I was just about running like Buster Keaton smack into his sculpture.
Out of breath and late. My mind begged for a fribrillator. I knew I had to shoot it and sacrifice my appointment. I snapped and screamed again; “I can make it, I can make it”. A bit late but there I was.
#HerbertBayer #Artist
I had spent a shooting session with Herbert Bayer. He had suggested that he would like to see what I come up with shooting his outdoor pieces. My life was about knowing his photographs. But I was to discover his brilliance on a Los Angeles boulevard by accident.
The music in my car was caressing my temples, soothing my angst. Traffic was one thousand cars trapped fender to fender. My first Bayer appeared suddenly. It was strange, bright and waving hello to my camera. The light turned green. I selfishly stood up in my sun-roof. I held up a thousand cars while a snippety snap snap snapped. The fm radio cranked. I breathed and thanked a million motorists.
#VitoAcconci #Tokyo
Vito Acconci was known for his performance and installations. While shooting his portrait I told him about my book. He stood away from my lens and said;” Please shoot my store in Tokyo. Please include his Tokyo architectural design in my Portraits of The New Architecture 1 book.
Tokyo was new to me. I was lost. It was my last day. I had so many things to accomplish. But I promised I would take a look.
Tokyo is not a city one can cross on foot. But run I did. From one corner to another, from one ward to another I ran. Yes the train or a taxi might have worked out better. I thought I was near. But being wrong isn’t a terrible thing in a new city. I felt as if I had my face in the middle of Hallmark flip cards. One hour later I stood in front of my Acconci. For me in that moment all of the sweat that poured across my forehead was worth it. I stood, framed and made my Vito Acconci. I was proud. I never learned if he was.
My subjects have sought the special in the ordinary, and have made the ordinary extraordinary.
#RossLovegrove
I have engaged every moment as if it is my last. There are only so many moments in a lifetime. What does it say about the curious: those who investigate possibilities.
My camera has been in thousands of moments where the fusion of art into science, design into art, art and design into architecture. Then I rewind. I replay every moment that has shattered my expectations
My friends Greg Lynn and Ross Lovegrove have enabled me to tackle their brilliance.
#GregLynn #sailboat
Or in their words: “do whatever you want”. My camera slows the earth’s revolution. My camera stands front and center. My mind sees the extraordinary in the ordinary. My camera wields like “Excalibur’ to illuminate their magic.