London Design Museum by John Pawson
I remember sitting alone in a Parisian cafe. I played on the “Jukebox” the song “Avalon” a thousand times.
I was sitting by the window. I was looking on to busy Montmartre streets. I was both a tourist and a photographer. It depended on the day. The day that nobody rang me up, I was a tourist. The day the phone rang I flew to one arrondissement and then another. It is pretty much what happens to me in most cities.
I like to eat. I like to be somewhere where I can grab something delicious quickly. I am not going to list all of the cities; New York, Paris, Barcelona and Istanbul are at the forefront.
con edison in New York
When I recently listened to Roxy’s “Manifesto” song, my life with a camera made some sense;
“I am for a life around the corner
That takes you by surprise
That comes leaves all you need
And more besides.”
My life with my camera needs not only meaning, but it has to be about an experience that instructs me, builds me and it is something I can share visually or through conversation. A life without experiences is not a life.
The experience I used to have when I made portraits was that some pretty unique characters shared some pretty intimate feeling and experiences.
I mostly felt like I was a psychiatrist with patients asking for guidance. Though there were times that some subjects couldn’t wait to bubble over with stories about their inner sanctum.
It was a privilege that I have cherished for decades.
ShenZhen China Factory
The experience photographing architecture and design makes me feel like I am an astronaut
floating in space staring at the planet earth and thinking about the way it looks to my eyes.
There are only the sounds of space(whatever that may be) whispering galaxy stuff.
When I stand in front of a building or an object, there is only me and the whispers that my space may or may not have.
I have photographed an astronaut. He was the one who told me what it feels like to see earth from above and hear nothing. He joked that martians may have said hello
But he did whisper that to me. He figured NASA might be listening and he did want to come across as “bonkers”. When I am alone with a building I could never reveal what is exactly going on in my head: I have to maintain some sense of sanity, as joyfully difficult that might be.
I am sharing today some pieces from my travels to cities. Of course I wont share what I was thinking
ButI hope you enjoy the experience.
Reflection through Rafael Vinoly Building 277 fifth Avenue