Presence, or Polaroid Ghosts (Part 12)

Part 11 Not all memories are as sacred as Tarkovsky’s. If time can be expressed in photos taken by the public at drunken parties, then it can certainly present in work by other artists, even those driven by less transcendental aims than Tarkovsky. Considering this, the first body of work that comes to mind is that of the American photographer William Eggleston. The Tennessee photographer … Continue reading Presence, or Polaroid Ghosts (Part 12)

Presence, or Polaroid Ghosts (Part 8)

Part 7 Remembering Afterimage ‘At times,’ the Nobel Laureate and novelist Patrick Modiano writes, ‘it seems, our memories act much like Polaroids.’ This interesting thought comes from the semi-autobiographical perspective of a character in his novella Afterimage (1993). It is a narrative filled with strangeness, derived in part from the recollection of memories once forgotten; put to one side, left in the back of a … Continue reading Presence, or Polaroid Ghosts (Part 8)

Winter Waves: Marguerite Duras And Trouville

Marguerite Duras lived in a little flay in what was once the Hôtel des Roches Noires in Trouville on the Normandy coast for over thirty years. She spent long periods of time there from 1963 to 1996. She would stare out of the window towards the horizon line, or at least was photographed often staring out of the window towards the horizon line. Though undoubtedly … Continue reading Winter Waves: Marguerite Duras And Trouville

Marcel Proust Turns Away

“What the Photograph reproduces to infinity has occurred only once: the Photograph mechanically repeats what could never be repeated existentially.” – Roland Barthes Marcel Proust turns away. His head is straight but not quite obscured. It could be considered a picture in profile if not for the angle of his body, crumpled and creating the illusion of multiple positions. His hand weakly grips his lapel, … Continue reading Marcel Proust Turns Away

2017 Review

Like last year, I have tried to keep up with enough new releases to eventually have something say at the end of the year.  And exactly like last year, I have virtually failed to see ten new releases that I’ve actually enjoyed.  I quietly accepted once again that, with some notable exceptions, new digital films are not especially for me and require a huge crossover … Continue reading 2017 Review