STREAM OF UNCONCIOUSNESS TWO

Sid Kaplan Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Resource Management; Acting Chief Financial OfficerTerm of Appointment: 06/01/2005 to 02/20/2006
Sid Kaplan portrait by Howard Christopherson
Ralston Crawford's Funeral, New Orleans , May 4, 1978
photograph by Sid Kaplan


I had just blogged about Ralston Crawfords’ work , stating Crawford made some great New Orleans jazz funerary photographs. In the mail , from Deborah Bell (Photographs) , I received a catalog of the work of Sid Kaplan , whose work I was not familiar. I Googled Sid and found two photographs, of obviously not the same Sid, but very similar looking guys - one serving in the Federal Government and the other, the photographer?

In any case, Kaplan’s work included a great New Orleans image of Ralston Crawford’s Jazz Funeral procession. There is no point to this, except to say , Sid has a look a like in government, he made some great pictures including the Crawford image , and my mind wanders like this all the time!

THE SIGHT OF MUSIC

Christian's Shadow, Metairie LA 2001/2002
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

Christian Patterson's exhibition Sound Affects opens this evening in New York, at Yancey Richardson Gallery. I cannot be there but wish I could! Good luck. The Godfather

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Michael Meads in Lakeview, New Orleans 5/2005
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

Michael Meads , an Alabama born artist, ended up in New Orleans. I got to know Michael by a strange circuitous route via a color printer who was making prints for us both. In any case, I found Michael to be an extremely talented artist with a most wicked sense of humor to match! We would, ever so often , meet up for drinks, tell a few stories , laughing about everything and everyone.

Michael's home was very close to the 17th street canal levee, which broke and helped to flood New Orleans. Michael's house was on the wrong side of the canal and he lost most all of his archives. He is starting over.

We just caught up with each other again , here are some poignant thoughts of his about a city we both love and miss!

The show must go on.

It is one thing to go see the circus when it comes to town, but it is a totally different experience when you choose to live in the middle of the circus.

When I was a boy I remember my father listening to the radio broadcasts of a hellfire and brimstone Baptist minister preaching from Bourbon Street. Even at that young age I knew there was something about New Orleans that was enticingly forbidden as my father would warn me repeatedly "never go to that wicked city." Over time my curiosity about the Crescent City became greater and greater.

I moved to New Orleans on the first day of hurricane season in 1998. It was miserably hot, even for June, and the realtor who had taken care of so many details of the move was waiting at the house with beer and po-boys. I was home.

New Orleans is a tough town. Visiting New Orleans as a tourist is nothing like living there. New Orleans has never embraced change and if you move there you must be willing to accommodate her, and not the other way around.

I have had my highest highs and my lowest lows in New Orleans, and I would rather have had my worst day there than my best day anywhere else. She gets under your skin, into your system, and very quickly you are seduced by her exotic charms.

The entire collection of my New Orleans images came within two inches of rising flood waters from being completely destroyed. Much of Eastaboga did not survive. The images in the New Orleans collection represent a very personal record of a time and a place. I made these photographs not as a detached observer but as an active participant immersed in the drama of life in this legendary city.

This is my love letter to the only place I ever wanted to live, the only place that made me feel welcomed, that embraced me, made me feel normal. I pray for her eventual deliverance from the monumental hardships she faces, I pray for the lives lost there and for the those who remain, who stubbornly refuse to give in, give up.

I never had any intention of leaving New Orleans, and I know that one day I will once again find myself gratefully back in her sticky embrace, blissfully unaware of the outside world.

Michael Meads
www.michaelmeads.com

When Photographers Paint

Ralston Crawford
Turbine Shafts, Coulee Dam #2, 1971
Oil on canvas , 20" x 30"

William Christenberry
Tenant House V 1964
Oil on canvas, 54" x 66"

William Eggleston
Richard Strauss DAPHNE
Colored felt pen on paper, 7" x 7"


William Greiner
The River Runs Upsteam at Night 2006
Acrylic on panel, 5' x 6'6"

When Photographers Paint

I am sure there are quite a few examples of photographers who have also painted, but my favorite has to be Ralston Crawford. Crawford was an incredible photographer, making some of the best New Orleans Jazz funeral pictures I have ever seen and he also worked as a print maker with equal success. His Modernist paintings however rival these other mediums in terms of success!

William Christenberry was painting before he ever picked up a camera, also making some incredible works on canvas. In recent years, William Eggleston has experimented with colored pen and paper.

I began thinking about this after reading Alec Soth’s blog in regards to photographer/filmmakers. I too painted years ago, before starting to make photographs. I recently had the opportunity to make a painting for dear friends in London and the experience made me want to continue!

Smell the Roses

Lone Rose Bush, New Orleans 4/2006
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

Chris Rose , a columnist for the Times - Picayune in New Orleans, who so gallantly wrote about hurricane Katrina and its aftermath , confessed yesterday in his column the depression he suffered after the storm. It was also recently reported that another T-P staffer, photographer John McCusker , attempted to have the police shoot him after a short car chase in an effort to commit suicide. McCusker also covered the hurricane and its aftermath with great valor. And only days ago, it was reported that a young couple , who braved the storm and stayed to rebuild the city had died in a gruesome murder-suicide.

I wonder , and worry, about the long term mental health of all those who endured and continue to endure the pain and hardship of rebuilding New Orleans.

OLEY SHOOTS BATON ROUGE

Racer's Helmet, Baton Rouge Raceway 10/2006
Race Track Advertising, Baton Rouge 10/2006
Air Freshner, Baton Rouge Raceway 10/2006
Racetrack Mud, Baton Rouge Raceway, 10/2006
Red Tow Truck on Set, Baton Rouge Raceway 10/2006
Set Stylist's T Shirt, Baton Rouge Raceway 10/2006

My friend, New Orleans based filmmaker, Oley Sassone is in Baton Rouge making a movie. He invited me to the set to make some photographs. Oley is keeping the torch alive for his New Orleans based film production company, La Producers!

all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

ENGULFED opens at NYU Tisch School of the Arts

MIST GREEN

Tennis Court net Post, Maryon Park, London 10/2006
Tree near Tennis Courts, Maryon Park, London 10/2006
Blue Sweat Shirt, Maryon Park, London 10/2006
SUGI I LOVE U SO, Maryon Park , London 10/2006
Under Tree Canopy, Maryon Park, London 10/2006

It was a familiar place, I had seen.

In this park, like a dream.

And on this day, in the rain,

it was all green.

Maryon Park was the location , where the park scenes for the film Blowup were shot
40 years earlier.

All reproduction rights reserved William Greiner.
From the ongoing series UK is OK

RUGBY RULES

Rugby Clubhouse Portraits, London 10/2006
Ball in Play, London 10/2006
After the Scrum, London 10/2006
Boys Rugby action, London 10/2006
Parent catching Rugby Ball, London 10/2006

On a cool, breezy Fall Sunday morning outside of London, the boys played on..

All reproduction rights reserved William Greiner.

Images from the ongoing series UK is OK

Blownup

William Greiner visits Maryon Park , London 10/2006

photograph by Tom Rice-Smyth

Maryon Park, London was the site for the park scenes from the film Blowup.

There was much that still looked the same and much that did not.

Back to England

Royal Enclosure, Royal Ascot , London UK 2006

all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

I will be returning to London next week for the Dayfour Winter Notes on Summer Impressions exhibition and book launch. I , again, watched the film Blowup the other night and as an excursion , I will visit and photograph locations from scenes in the film. My in-town guides , and fellow photographers, Tom Rice-Smyth http://rice-smyth.blogspot.com/ and Jim Green http://jimbus.my-expressions.com/ will guide the way!

Crash Landing

Plane over Miami Beach 8/2005
from the series South Beach Sample
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

Microsoft cancels 3 New Orleans visits

It was reported today , that due to inadequate number of flights in and out of the city , Microsoft Corp. has been forced to cancel 3 meetings slated for New Orleans in 2007. A total of 16,000 visitors had been expected to attend.

It is difficult to understand how New Orleans will recover , if people cannot come to spend the money we need to bring citizens back!

Another matter of Time

North Broad Street, New Orleans circa 1930's
photograph by Marion Post Wolcott

North Broad Street , New Orleans 10/2006

I recently discovered the Marion Post Wolcott image from New Orleans , dated around 1935. In the background is a billboard advertising my grandfather's lumber business, Kross Lumber and Wrecking Company. I am named after him, William Kross Greiner. The billboard , or its predecessor, remains today and you can still see Kross on the sign, if you look closely.

EGGLESTON WAS SEEN THREE YEARS AGO

Picturing Bill exhibition poster New Orleans
Picturing Bill Installation shot, New Orleans 10/4/2003
Winston Eggleston (L) and Christian Patterson (R) view show installation 10/4/2003
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

Picturing Bill: Portarits of William Eggleston exhibition opened this night in New Orleans at the now defunct John Stinson Fine Art Gallery. The show comprised some 30 portraits of Eggleston, spanning 35 years.


“Picturing Bill- Portraits of William Eggleston”

October 1-31, 2003

artists

Abraham Aronow, MD
Adam Bartos
Jane Rule Burdine
Justin Fox Burks
William Christenberry
Caldicott Chubb
Langdon Clay
Maude Schuyler Clay
Philip-Lorca diCorcia
Robert Earnest
Andra Eggleston
Winston Eggleston
Nan Goldin
William Greiner
Volker Heinze
David Julian Leonard
Everett McCourt
John Ramsey Miller
Barbara Norfleet
Christian Patterson
Tom Rankin
Rebecca Sakoun
Jerome Schlomoff
Alec Soth
Phil Swango
Lisa Thanner
Tom Young


Footnote about PICTURING BILL

I first met William Eggleston over twenty years ago. It was only a few years removed from his landmark show at the Museum of Modern Art in 1976, a show which put color photography on the map as fine art. Since that time, I have seen the countless number of photographers, a whole generation, who have been influenced by him. Not coincidently many of these photographers, including myself, have made the trip to Memphis to meet Bill and glean some insight into the way he sees and makes photographs. Photographers, being photographers, many have made portraits of Eggleston.

I have thought for years that a documentary should be made about William Eggleston , his work and career. If I had the time, resources and talent, I would volunteer for the job. However, I thought the next best thing would be to assemble and share a group of portraits of him made by a divergent group of photographers, some well known and some not so. “Picturing Bill” is the result.

William Greiner
2003

'ROAD HOME' Program looks a long one!

Posted Remnants , Maple Street , New Orleans 9/2006
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

'ROAD HOME' program payments limited so far

'Road Home' is the state of Louisiana's plan for spending $7.5 Billion to rebuild homes in New Orleans. Homeowner's are eligible for up to $150,000. each for uninsured damages to repair or rebuild after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Out of 123,000 homes damaged or destroyed , thus far, 13 homeowners have received a total of $616,000. of the Federal funds! Of the 123,000 potential recipients , only 27,353 have applied for the aid! At this rate, it is going to be a long road home?

As reported 10/3/06 by Michelle Millhollon

Capital news bureau - The Advocate

Winter Notes on Summer Impressions *

Unhappy Swimmer, Miami Beach 8/2005
from the series South Beach Sample
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

Exhibition and Book launch:

Winter Notes on Summer Impressions *

Dayfour #5

October 11, 2006
London, UK

http://www.dayfour.info/

The book will be on sale in specialist bookshops including: The Photographers’ Gallery Bookshop, London; OurHouse, Brighton; and Modern Art, Oxford.

*About this title: In June 1862 Fyodor Dostoevsky left Petersburg on his first excursion to Western Europe. Ostensibly making the trip to consult Western specialists about his epilepsy, Dostoevsky also wished to see firsthand the source of the Western ideas he believed were corrupting Russia. Over the course of his journey he visited a number of major cities, including Berlin, Paris, London, Florence, Milan, and Vienna. He recorded his impressions of everything he saw, and published them as "Winter Notes on Summer Impressions" in the February 1863 issue of Vremya (Time), the periodical he edited.

Thus the inspiration for Dayfour #5