As tradition dictates, the following is a round-up of all the year’s viewing, reading and working. 2025 has been a somewhat tricky year and I’ve decided to not be quite so exhaustive in writing up the detail of my viewing in particular, not least because the quality of films has been somewhat lower than previous years. Juggling the requirements of my work with a few … Continue reading 2025 Review
Part 16 Andy Warhol was far ahead of his time, in both the deathliness of his Polaroid portraits and in his use of the camera as a kitsch object. Other photographers found potential in similar Polaroid deathliness, but without such kitsch elements at play. Walker Evans in particular found a new dimension added to his own style of portraiture when he used the Polaroid rather … Continue reading Presence, or Polaroid Ghosts (Part 17)
Part 15 We are the Goon Squad and we’re coming to town When David Bowie died in 2016, it felt for a moment like someone had removed a piece of my spine. The feeling was a mixture of frustration, at having only fully appreciated the musician’s work later in life, and worry, at having relied on his work to get me through my own on … Continue reading Presence, or Polaroid Ghosts (Part 16)
Celluloid Wicker Man 