I'm home now after a 5 week stint in the U.K. I feel blessed to have been a part of an amazing project and to have been able to make some highly treasured friendships. The most interesting was being reunited with a friend I made 2 years ago in Edinburgh who has recently taken up photography. In addition to me following around Miss High Leg Kick, there was Steve Nice documenting the adventures as well. I've always had a secret desire to be the subject and have outspokenly complained that I don't have any enough photographer friends. We had a ball photographing each other.
Photograph above by Steve Nice.
As for Miss High Leg Kick's show, here's a video taken by an audience member.
Currently Im in London working with and photographing the lovely Francesca Baglione (Miss High Leg Kick) as she produces an epic theatrical fashion show commissioned by the British Arts Council for the Trafalgar Square Festival. As I was checking in at LAX, I caught a group of Japanese girls laughing at me for wearing a Sushi Chef's kimono. I laughed back because it knew it was the equivalent of seeing a Japanese girl in an In & Out Burger Apron. Suddenl y I found it strange that Im being flown to London to put on a fashion show. To make matters more hilarious, the airline lost my luggage and I was stuck wearing that kimono for 3 days. Upon arrival, Miss High Leg Kick and I went straight to Trafalgar Square to start working on a film that will play during the show. I was sufferring from extreme jet lag but laughter and food are always the best rememdies and so is faling asleep midsentence. For the next month we will be filming, rehearsing, and putting together costumes for the big show. The most exciting of which will the the construction of a catwalk which will extend from the National Gallery up to Nelson's column. From Monday August 18-Aug21 Trafalgar Square will be roped off and belong to us so that we can deliver hope and humor to the people come August 21. Here is a link to information on the show: http://www.london.gov.uk/trafalgarsquare/events/tsf/week3.jsp
SHOW DATES : TRAFALGAR SQUARE AUGUST 21 9:40pm AUGUST 22 9:40pm AUGUST 23 9:40pm
For years I have been discussing collaborating on a book with writer and video game enthusiast RAINA LEE. Recently she moved to Los Angeles and now nothing can stop us. Our first venture out together was to photograph and interview some of the cast from the documentary KING OF KONG As Raina had worked with them before, not only did I meet a bunch of the competitive classic gamers, I got to hang out with them for entire evening and get to know them on a personal basis.
Unfortunately that night Steve Wiebe attempted to take back the Donkey Kong crown, but it was too much of a media spectacle.As soon as he sat down to play he was surrounded by photographers, including myself, blinding him with flashes. I then heard him tell Walter Day in a very relaxed tone, "it's kinda weird playing with no sound." The situation was not ideal to beat Billy Mitchell's 1,050,200 high score. The game also crashed twice as he well deep, nearly an hour, into the game. He wasn't fazed by it at all, which was telling of his super pleasant disposition. Raina and I give thumbs up to Todd Rogers who holds 2000+ world record high-scores and is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records for the world record on the arcade game GORF. Which is an acronym for "Galactic Orbiting Robot Force".
The lovely visionary, Walter Day, founder of TWIN GALAXIESthe world authority on player rankings, gaming statistics and championship tournaments, for pinball and video game statistics. All high score attempts are video taped to make them official. Tonights camera operator was Todd Rogers, who took the job very seriously. If you haven;t seen the film, here's a clip.
I took a month off, saw 15 movies in the theatre (none of them current releases), and got in some pool side leisure. Without getting too comfortable, I'm onto the next big project. This time starring Leslie Hall in her debut role as the world's greatest in love with love teenager, Tammy Pierce, in "Unlovable" based on the comic by Esther Pearl Watson. For the next few months we'll be working side by side to make Esther's vision come to life. This will be Telefantasy Studios first non-science fantasy production, but not to worry it will be magical nonetheless.
Two new series of work, "Non-Stop Picture Show" and "Shadowplay" are now up on my site for viewing. One night last summer, I went to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show because a friend of ours had never seen it. I was sitting in the audience with my camera around my neck when one of the staff, approached me and said, "Well, aren't you going to take any photographs?" To which I replied, "Is it OK to use a flash?" At the end of the film, someone in the cast grabbed me and told me they we're going to do a production of SHOCK TREATMENT and wondered if I might want to photograph it. I freaked out. I was never a huge fan of Rocky Horror, however I did go through a phase where I watched SHOCK TREATMENT (the sequel(equal) to Rocky Horror) every night. I know every word to every song in that movie. It was a big secret. Now I finally have a reason and the strength to admit it. Embarrassing as it is, the following week I I was running around photographing the cast. At the end of the evening, as I was congratulating the man who played Farley, he mentioned to me they we're going to be doing a production of John Water's CRY BABY. At this point I realized how important it was for me, not only as a photographer but as a life long movie lover, to represent those who felt compelled to orchestrate a shadowplay. Let's just be thankful I didn't join the production.
In August I'll be leaving my California estate to spend a month in London with Miss High Leg Kick, featured below. I'll be following her around with my camera and helping out as she puts on FASHION BUS, a live fashion and video show for the Trafalgar Square Festival. Plus we'll be doing some performances as Bodies International. Now that's what I call a vacation.
HIJACKED @ The Australian Centre for Photography Curated by Mark McPherson Gallery 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 (GALLERY 3 CLOSES 6 JULY) 13 June to 19 July | Opening Thursday June 12, 2008
Providing a voice for some of the most exciting and provocative new photography from Australia and America, Hijacked takes a road less travelled. The exhibition erases traditional boundaries between art, document and snapshot to point towards the future of contemporary photomedia.
Shunning repetitive and predictable curatorial structures, Hijacked’s aesthetic is driven by the mindset and energy of young and emerging practitioners. Embracing the prevailing wanderlust of their generation, their work exhibits a fascination with international subcultures, fragmented trends, alternate life styles and urban landscapes. The exploration of suburban pleasures is placed on par with ‘high’ artistic experimentation.
I'm proud to be included in the Hijacked exhibition and publication, which features the work of some of my favorite contemporary photographers. Check them all out below and celebrate the new future of photography.
