BOWMEN

Ian Panter (left) and Dr John Harvey examine two conserved longbows recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose. From the Encyclopedia of Archery by W.F Paterson (Hale, 1984).

I think about this photograph a lot.

SNAPS IV

 

SNAPS III

 

It seems unnecessary to reiterate that these are random selections, what else could they be in this Universe?

SNAPS II

 

More photographs from the archive / dungeon / memory hole. Today's theme? Stuff.

SNAPS I

I'm not an unhappy or cynical person, but I am something of a nihilist: I struggle to get the point of it all.  That said, I am moral and law-abiding and absolutely fascinated with the world, particularly the world we humans have made for ourselves to see out our meaningless lives. As I stumble around I try to record as much surface detail as I can. I'm not a particularly good photographer, but I am persistent, and the world presents a never-ending cavalcade of stuff - here is just some of it.

DIRK BOGARDE RELAXES ON SET

I don't know why, but I'm obsessed with this publicity photograph of Dirk Bogarde and a parrot. My wife says there's something wrong with me, and I can hardly disagree. What I like to do is to put it up in different places in the house and see how long it takes her to discover it. It's a form of psychological warfare, really, and I feel bad about it, I really do, but I won't stop because I can't.

What do I like about it? First and foremost, it's the forced, fake nature of the thing. Secondly, because I know that Dirk was waspish and acerbic in real life, I'm sure he hated every second. Third - I'll bet the parrot disliked it too and, in a best case fantasy scenario, told Bogarde to 'fuck off out of it' after a few snaps of the camera.

I have been working on a Dirk Bogarde impersonation for a while, and, after an enormous amount of work, have finally managed to sound simultaneously posh and tremulous and sardonic and tired and angry and arch whilst reciting a couple of key lines. The house is dropping to bits, my hair is falling out, the world is on fire but, on the plus side, I'll be able to do a passable rendition of this dead British actor by 2027.

RUFF NIGHT

 

Thomas Ruff is a German photographer who specialises in dislocated images. His Emperor series from 1982 (#6 pictured here) calls to mind Scottish artist Bruce McLean's similarly chiropractic Posework For Plinths, but, in not showing the face, Ruff's perfectly colour co-ordinated photos take on a far more sinister edge, resembling a gruesome crime scene.

ROUGH SEA @

The Victorians had a thing for depictions of rough seas - not only on these oddly fragile postcards that mix photography and painting, but also in short films. Perhaps it was the allure of the primeval power of the elements being made small and safe and separate by technology, or just a new way of presenting an old obsession. Either way, I collect these odd artefacts in a casual way, and they fascinate me, so I thought I'd share a few from time to time.. The internet is all about sharing, isn't it? Whether you like it or not.

These rough seas @ Bournemouth, Eastbourne and Dover, respectively.

ANIMALISTIC

I like animals in general more than humans. That said, there are a number of humans who I would hold protectively in my hand if I were able to. None of us are just one thing, are we? Life doesn't work like that.  

UP THERE, UPTOWN

It apparently took Francis Thompson twenty years to perfect the lenses needed to realise his kaleidoscopic vision of Manhattan, but the result, N.Y, N.Y (1956), shows it was time well spent. I was in New York in April, I can't wait to get back there.

SOUTH SEAS SCIENCE

Try working topless and wearing flip flops in a laboratory type environment now, health and safety will shut you down like that - it's political correctness gone mad!

FOUR MEETING PLACES

THE BLANK VERSE OF VIOLENCE

A PHASE I WENT THROUGH

PHASES OF THE MOON (2012)