SUKURA MATSURI 2018

WHY YOU SHOULD STILL GO TO SAKURA MATSURI AT THE BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDENS

Masses of visitors descend on the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens during the Sakura Matsuri festival, a festival welcoming in spring and honoring the Japanese culture. It's an event it seems most of New York and all its visitors want to attend. I know this for a fact, first the lines were long just getting into the park (I pre-bought a ticket saving me about an hour wait). Then once in you were subjected to more lines especially if you were looking for some food or a port-a-potty.

There was a trick when it came to getting into the very popular Japanese gardens; if you by-passed the main entrance and walked to the back entry into the gardens there was no line. The only crowd you had navigate was the one with all the amateur photographers trying desperately to take selfies with those selfie sticks on a path so tight we were forced to wait until they had finally adjusted the angle, their make-up and snapped the half-a-dozen attempts at being Kim Kardashian.

The great lawns were packed with people spread out on blankets enjoying the tradition of a Japanese picnic with something that looked like an algae encrusted rice ball the size of a navel orange.

Tons of iPhones were out everywhere held in the hands of all those beaming photographers taking pictures of the flowers and all the costumed participants who station themselves in photogenic locations posing for their fifteen minutes of fame.

All this energy was overwhelming especially when combined with the pulsating beat of the Taiko drums coming from the main stage.

What was missing this year was the cherry blossoms. This year's long and I mean long hold winter held over much of the nation has delayed the blossoms bursting out at the normal time to coincide with the festival. The great cherry orchard was only a sea of mostly tightly closed up buds. Last year the festival took place at relatively the same time of year and that year the cherry blossoms were at the end of their lifespan littering the lawn with a blanket of soft pastel petals.

Despite the crowds, lines and missing blossoms Sakura Matsuri is still a magical event.

Seeing the crowds of young people dressed as their favorite cosplay characters of which I have no knowledge but still appreciated is still intriguing.

Watching the sweetlolitas in their ruffled baby doll clothes is as mind-bending as it is beautiful in a very saccharine way

And then there were the beautifully attired people in traditional Japanese costume.

As beautiful as the gardens can be I, obviously, came to people watch and this is what I saw.

THE GALLERY

Tokyo Tower, 2010
David Stephenson, photographer
Represented by Julie Saul Gallery

DIVINE TREASURES SALE SPRING 2018

THIS IS HOW YOU DO A SALE

I actually rearranged my travel plans so that I could attend this sale, a sale that is so much more than an antique sale, and that says a lot about the this event. Twice a year the women of Lake Mills take over this former church and transform it into a magical fairyland filled with stories of dragons, animal hunts and princess gowns and the best part is it's all for sale.

Every corner of the church's interior is filled with vignettes depicting the hunting world of Wisconsin, a child's world of dolls and toys, a flapper's dressing room and a prewar kitchen table set with depression glass and grocery store china giveaways.

I've highlighted this sale several times and I'll probably do it again as long as they continue to hold this twice yearly event. Maybe it's best to leave it at that and keep this post to a visual essay. For anyone interested in being notified for the next Divine Treasure Sale here's the link to their site: https://divtre.com

Oh! Don't be afraid of the gorilla at the door. He's only there to scare away lookers. You should come prepared to buy.





















THE GALLERY

Bunny Hammer
Antoni and Alison, photographers
Represented by Gallery Vassie, London

AIPAD SHOW NEW YORK 2018

A PERSONAL TOUR

Once a year I get to put on my "wish hat" and head on over to the AIPAD Show (The Association of Internatinoal Photography Art Dealers). Like many of the events centering on the art world and the worlds of design the venues tend to change and revolve around the aspects of availability and cost. It seems that more and more of these events have been gravitating to the Upper Westside Piers (not my choice) but once beyond the somewhat seediness of the Piers and the difficulty in getting that far west the photography in this case is always drool worthy for me.

By this time in our lives we've been fortunate enough to have developed lasting relationships with certain dealers who we now seek out at these shows as they continue to tantalize us with a growing wish list of "I really have to have this image!" For this reason I could spend hours walking the show but if you'll indulge me I'll take you on a shorten tour of my highlights of this year's show.

Once I got through the door and past security I started walking to my left and walked right into this gorgeous image by Massimo Listri. It was almost human in scale measuring nearly six feet high by over seven feet wide. The perspective and repetition in this image were so strong it was as if vertigo had set in after standing in front of this hallway for more than a few seconds. I was dizzy with joy.

After the dizzying effect of iof the Venaria Reale I had to face a tableaux of zebras. There are several photographers emulating this highly art directed approach the most memorable being the work of Sandy Skoglund but this image pared down the sentiment and still stirred the imagination.

Thematically the use of animals in unexpected environments had its run at the 2018 AIPAD Show. "Love at First Sight" by Karen Knorr's gave a more anthropomorphic approach with the interaction between giraffe and mural and a humorous kiss.

This image by Horst P. Horst is just lust in black and white for me. It's an iconic image and it's been on my list since I discovered the camera.

Although this image of John Malkovich taking on the same pose by photographer, Sandro Miller is the one I've come this close to selling our only child for.

Another all-time favorite of mine has been Andrew Moore. His architectural approach and compositional expertise to the stillness of place is mesmerizing. I can't attribute this image to him. I missed photographing the ID tag for this photo, but if this isn't his it's a very good replication of his eye.

Another image that I misinterpreted as belonging to another artist was this image by Rolfe Horn.

This Belgian Canal has been the muse for photographer Lynn Geesaman at least a decade prior to Rolfe Horn's photo. I have to say I'm happy to have purchased Lynn's photo over Rolfe's. I miss her work as Alzheimer has taken away her ability to photograph a world she saw such beauty in.

Innovative technique is another thing that always stands out at the AIPAD show. I really loved these images by Gabriela Morawetz where she uses an outter layer of convex glass printed with silver emulsion bubbling over a second layer of a pigment print creating actual depth and with that a third layer of shadows moves over the base print as walk by the prints. It's very interactive making us as viewers participants in the images creation.

Another all time favorite, I only know this because one of our clients has one of his pieces hanging in their living room, is the photographic/video work of Gregory Scott. His images are in constant motion as the images within the frames change as does the foreground image constantly surprising the viewer with the changing point of view. The price tags on these pieces are not for the faint of heart but they are truly innovative. If you want to see one of his works please go to this link and stare in wonder. http://gregoryscottphotography.com/assets/thisisnotmagritte.mp4

This image by Tony Vaccaro from 1948 is what I look for in a photograph that keeps me involved. For me interest in this type of reportage photography has to give me something beyond a pretty straightforward pic. It needs to show me something that goes beyond the obvious. Millions of pictures of the main floor of Pennsylvania Station prior to its destruction flood the archives but employing the additional element of what I believe is double exposure gives it an interest that takes it beyond the obvious.

This was one of my favorite images of the entire show. The complimentary colors, the use of the door to throw off the symmetry, the textures of the shower curtain, the subtly of the wallpaper and that brilliant head of red hair against that pale body all make this image tantalizing. The image is erotic and fanciful and morbid all at the same time.

Another favorite was this image by Murray Fredericks in The Robert Mann Gallery booth. It was only enhanced by Mr. Mann color coordinating his outfit to match the photograph

To round out my tour of the AIPAD show I'd like to point out this image by Ansel Adams, Sierra Sunrise. Collecting photograph should never be about the financial investment unless you have very deep pockets. It should only be about what you like and what moves you, but there are times when one hits the jackpot in the ever-growing photography market. The selling price on this print is now $495,000.00. Kudos to anyone who bought an Ansel Adams back in the 50's, 60's or even the 70's and 80's. You did very, very well.



THE GALLERY

Irving Penn
Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn, photographer
Irving Penn represented by Fraenkel Gallery