STUDS TERKEL

Links:
Studs Terkel
Studs Terkel interviews (Democracy Now!)
Studs Terkel obituary (Guardian)
Studs Terkel obituary (BBC)
Studs Terkel Wiki

MAN OF LA MANCHA: The Impossible Dream

The film isn't perfect; it's a musical with some off-kilter, retro Bollywood-style dubbing but this scene works. The performance, the song, the tone, the set... it has taken a permanent place in me since seeing it 25 years ago.

Links:
Man of La Mancha Wiki
Man of La Mancha (TCM Database)
Man of La Mancha Soundtrack (Amazon)

Man of La Mancha Soundtrack (Varèse Sarabande)

Rageh Omaar's ISLAM IN AMERICA: The American Crescent

Rageh Omar's fascinating documentary Islam in America has been put online by Aljazeera. It makes for an apt accompaniment to Colin Powell's recent comments:

"Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America.

"Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion - 'he's a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists'. This is not the way we should be doing it in America."

Links:
Aljazeera
Aljazeera (YouTube)
Aljazeera magazine
Rageh Omaar profile (BBC)
Rageh Omaar Wiki
Rageh Omaar interview (Guardian)

THE PENNY DREADFULS - Victorian Sketch Comedy Troupe

"The Penny Dreadfuls are Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck, who together present their splendid brand of Victorian comedy, centering around the world of noted Victorian explorer and dandy, Aeneas Faversham."

Here is a sample of their work:

The sound was recorded on the finest wax cylinders in front of an audience of living souls. The moving images are an artist's impression of the events as they unfolded that fateful evening. This film is brought to you by the magic of electrons. And also by Mr. Humphrey Ker, Mr. David Reed and Mr. Thom Tuck. Animation is by Mr. Tim Sagar.

Links:
The Penny Dreadfuls
The Penny Dreadfuls (MySpace)
Aeneas Faversham blog
The Penny Dreadfuls Wiki
More Brothers Faversham (BBC Radio 7)

Meet GLEN CAMPBELL

This one caught me off guard. Glen Campbell's cover of the Foo Fighters' "Times Like These" is brilliant in an entirely different vein from the original. From his new album, Meet Glen Campbell which obviously takes inspiration from Johnny Cash's latter covers.

The album is a strange beast as I'm not a fan of Campbell's older work and dislike a number of the songs he's covering but the combination alters both to such an extent that it takes on a new and wonderful life.

Links
Glen Campbell
Meet Glen Campbell
Times Like These, Foo Fighters (YouTube)

BANKSY's Manhattan Menagerie

Banksy has set up a pet shop in Manhattan("The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill") featuring fish sticks in fish bowls, sausages as hamsters, a monkey staring blankly at a television and other oddities.

Links:
New York Times
Wooster Collective
Banksy
The Independent

* image: detail from photo by Robert Stolarik for The New York Times

Featurette: AINSLEY BURROWS

I just discovered spoken word artist Ainsley Burrows from Saatchi & Saatchi's latest advert for Guinness(with visual work from Shilo).

Poem for Obama

Here's an excerpt from his MySpace...

Internationally acclaimed poet, Ainsley Burrows has performed at festivals, cafés and institutions across Europe, America, Canada and the Caribbean, receiving numerous awards. These include Best International Performer of 2001 and 2002 from the Farrago Poetry Café in London, Munich’s International Poetry Slam Championship award in 2001 and awards from the Nuyorican Poet’s Café in 2001 (for participating in the National team) and the in 2004 (for being the Coach of the National team). In addition, Ainsley has conducted many workshops from London’s Hackney Community College to New York’s Julliard School of Music.

Links:
Ainsley Burrows MySpace
Ainsley Burrow profile (Poetry Slam)

DAVID GALLO: Underwater Astonishments

Oceanic explorer and ambassador David Gallo presents some beautiful imagery and fascinating insight into the deep sea in the following pair of talks from the TED series.

And here's a fascinating glimpse of an 18 foot six-gilled shark filmed at 1000m. Also have a look at these snail fish(Limparidae) filmed at an amazing 7700m.

Links:
Underwater astonishments (TED Talks)
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Edith Widder: Ocean Research & Conservation Ass.
Robert Hanlon, Marine Biological Lab
Planet Earth Online
snail fish(Limparidae)

HOOGERBRUGGE's New Book

The retrospective book of Han Hoogerbrugge's work not only displays his creations along with a handy DVD but also outlines his work process. I'm quite surprised that I haven't included his work earlier in the Wire, but for the unitiated, he is principally known for his animation works such as Modern Living, Flow, and Nails as well as his graphic/animated web series Prostress.


From Submarine Channel, publishers of the new book:

We're proud to present a coffee table book/DVD about the unparalleled work of one of the most original artists-slash-animators currently active on the web: Han Hoogerbrugge. The 200-page book covers all aspects of Hoogerbrugge's work and career: from the early beginnings of the Neurotica web series, up to Hotel, Nails and his commissioned works, such as illustrations, music videos and idents. Hoogerbrugge finally reveals how he makes his animations - comic strip style - in the chapter "How does he do it?"

Links:
Hoogerbrugge book
Hoogerbrugge.com
Modern Living
prostress 2.0
Skinover.biz
Interview (Submarine Channel)

Featurette: DEVON ODER

Los Angeles' Devon Oder has some lovely work in her portfolio making use of the now sadly defunct Polaroid instamatic film. See more of her work HERE.



Links:
Devon Oder(fourteen30.com)
Devon Oder review - The Oregonian (source)

TILT-SHIFT PHOTOGRAPHY

I enjoy the way the tilt-shift photographic technique can make a scene both real and surreal in the same breath. Ben Thomas' images are a good example. Other tilt-shift links HERE & HERE, and or see other miniature work HERE.

It's worth noting that a good number of people like to take credit for the technique despite the fact that it's been around for nearly four decades. I've noticed similar claims of "discovery" for light painting as well. Oh well. While I'm charmed by these images, I have yet to see anyone push the technique beyond the realm of novelty.



Links:
cityshrinker
tilt-shift links
tilt-shift Wiki
tilt-shift (Cheapshooter)
Build a cheap tilt-shift lens (CreativePro)
Fake tilt-shift using Photoshop
Creative Review blog (source)

KONDOURA's Miniature Railways

Having recently put together a model railroad for my son's fifth birthday, I discovered the intriguing work of Japanese enthusiast Kondoura whose creations are inspirationally individual. Throughout his blog, there are images of the places that have inspired Kondoura as well as the creations themselves and it's fascinating how much character and sense-of-place he is able to invest in his work.

Links:
Kondoura - blog (Japanese)
Kondoura (YouTube)
Kondoura (Japanese)