This N That: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
© Shane Balkowitsch - Greta Thunberg when she visited the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation on Oct. 8
Mural of Greta Thunberg Derailed
Shane Balkowitsch, an artist from Bismarck who specializes in a form of glass plate photography known as wet plate collodion, had planned to create a 7-foot-tall mural of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The image in question (seen above) was supposed to be put up on the exterior wall of Brick Oven Bakery, but following threats of boycotts and vandalism to the bakery halted the placement of the mural. The mural had been proposed to Ben Ehreth, Director of Bismarck Community Development, who said the mural application had been withdrawn following the numerous threats. Balkowitsch, whose work is displayed in the Smithsonian Institution and Swedish History Museum to name a few, is rethinking the venue of the mural for the time being as he remarked that the art work did not necessarily have to be put in Bismarck.
© Luca Locatelli, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Environment , 2020 Sony World Photography Awards
Sony World Photography Awards
The 2020 Sony World Photography Awards shortlist and finalist for the Professional category were announced last week. Sony invites photographers of professional, student and amateur skill levels to compete in attempt to further grow and promote photographic culture. The awards highlight an Outstanding Contribution to Photography award, a Professional competition, an Open competition, and a Student and Youth prize. The Student and Professional competition winners are awarded a $3,500 grant or a $7,000 respectively, with the student category having three winners, and the professional having four. The Open completion shortlist and category winners are to be revealed at the end of this month on Feb. 27. Announcement of the winners of Photographer of the Year, Open Photographer of the Year, Student Photographer of the Year, and Youth Photographer of the Year are to be announced on April 16 at the Sony World Photographer Awards ceremony in London.
30 finalist series and 63 shortlisted series have been announced, you can view each of the galleries online, here.
Pieces from McQueen's "Dante" and "Highland Rape" collections, courtesy of New-York Historical Society Museum and Library
Alexander McQueen: Off the Runway
On Friday, Feb. 14 the New York Historical Society held a preview of the late iconic British designer Lee Alexander McQueen’s early work in a three day exhibition titled Alexander McQueen: Off the Runway. The work includes two dozen individual one-off designs from the genre defying show, Dante, and a number of pieces from McQueen’s Highland Rape collection. Aside from clothing, the collection includes original sketches, images and patterns for garments which were featured in some of McQueen’s earliest works and runway shows. The collection was curated by Ruti Danan, who worked with McQueen’s team from 1994 to 1996 and will be auctioned off in Boston by Bobby Livingston from RR Auction on Feb. 22.
You can view all 72 items and their estimated bidding prices up for auction for yourself at RR Auction’s website, here.
© Janelle Lynch - Stream Loop, 2016
Farming Nature to Form Objects
Janelle Lynch, American landscape photographer explores the interconnection of lifeforms in her newest series titled Another Way of Looking at Love. With a heavy focus on the symmetry, shapes and form that nature holds, Lynch begs her viewers to stare more, look deeper into each image and ask questions that transform the viewer’s perspective of what the photo contains. It may take a minute at first, but after enough time, objects and lines start to form some of the most basic elements and shapes. Lynch’s approach to photography in this series is not rushed. She spends most of her time studying her subjects of twigs and small flowers, weeds and plant matter dead or alive. Staying low, or more often sitting down, Lynch spends a grueling amount of time setting up shots with a large camera and lens paired with a tripod and tape measure used to individually measure the length of her desired focal point. Her dedication to her craft is undoubted – Lynch was also shortlisted for Prix Pictet 2019.
If you’d like to stare long and hard at more of Lynch’s images, you can do so on her website, here.
All images may be subject to copyright.
