Happy 2010!
It seems like the start of every year comes with an overwhelming amount of hope and promise, all of which comes crashing down the morning after. Sleep still pulling you down and wine swirling in your head - it's then that you realize something just isn't right.
That is to say, it's the 4th and I've already started biting my nails again. I believe this is the 10th year of making the same resolution and, of course, the 10th year of me breaking it. And so it is.
Yesterday Samir and I went to see a Warhol exhibit at a nearby museum. It wasn't his typical Campbell Soup Can pop art, instead it was his snapshots of people old and young - celebrities and ordinary people. Using stark lighting and the same makeup on every subject (pale face, black eyes, red lips), he showed much more than glamour and status. Instead, the portraits portrayed the depth in each person's eyes, the secrets held inside. Some perfectly taken, some with obvious errors such as half closed eyes, these almost mundane images were all interesting, all raw. I really liked them.
Apparently Warhol took around 100,000 snapshots in his lifetime, which is simply incredible. As a resolution of sorts, I'm trying that this year. Everyone who comes over our apartment will receive a snapshot to be displayed on our walls somewhere. It may not be flattering, it may not be glamorous, but it's them. And sometimes that unposed caught-in-the-moment shot is so much more beautiful. An unestablished, unimposing presence. I've always found those pictures so much more inspiring. And so much more real.
**Side note: Happy 2nd blog-birthday Half Deserted Streets!
11 comments:
Dang! Guessed I came over just a tad too early. :\ I want a awkward face on your wall!
i went to a friends house once who had a wall of everyone that had been over. he tried to take my picture, but said it was out of film, so when i made a terrible face the camera magically had film. my ugly picture is now on his fridge.
Huh! Going to have to look for that exhibit. I had no idea it was around here. Oh, and by the way, happy bloggiversary!
As Warhol would say, "Um . . . oh, gee, wow, that's fabulous."
In one of my old apartments we had a union jack hanging by the front door and I snapped a picture of everyone who visited, in front of it. I have them all in a facebook album somewhere!
That sounds like a fabulous idea! You can never have too many pictures :)
Happy bloggy birthday!!
Happy Blog Birthday and Happy New Year. :)
I love Warhol - I really do. I think he was fabulous. I would have loved to have been a Warhol superstar. I think your idea of a snapshot of every person who comes over is a great idea! You have to show us the collection as it grows!
that's an awesome idea taking everyone's photo! i want to do that :) and happy birthday, blog!!
Happy bloggy birthday! There was a Warhol exhibit in Milwaukee recently too that I was intrigued by. Sadly I didn't make it there in time :(
i am all about that snapshot idea
I read that if you pat hot sauce on your fingernails, it can help keep you from biting them.... For what that's worth.
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