Barbara Davidson photographs

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee Art Gallery has a very well curated photography exhibit now through Dec. 16, 2011. "SHUTTER examines the language of photography from multiple viewpoints." Since this is not a review per se, I want to comment on what I found to be the most striking images. Barbara Davidson won a Pulitzer Prize for her work as a LA Times photographer documenting the victims of gang violence in Los Angeles. Only 7 of her black and white images are being shown at this exhibit, but they are all very moving and disturbing at the same time. Her goal was to give attention to the plight of victims in this American city who suffer just as much, if not more, post traumatic stress as people in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through very personal relationships she developed with her subjects she was able to graphically illustrate the daily toll that gun violence takes on families. It is a harrowing indictment of our inability to get guns off the streets of our cities.

http://www.aux.uwm.edu/Union/art_gallery/
http://framework.latimes.com/who-we-are/barbara-davidson/

My NYC Book

New York City Moments

Just hearing or seeing the words "New York City" can quickly conjure up pictures in our head of iconic buildings, masses of people, seas of taxis, 9/11, the Statue of Liberty, or other memories we may have. The scenes in this book are smaller moments, as people go about their lives in the subway, in the parks, and in the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan. These images capture the feeling and appreciation of being alive through human interactions, quiet gestures, and simple pleasures as part of daily routines.

This book is a culmination of 3 trips in 2008, 2010, and 2011 to New York City to create images of people in their everyday lives. There are scenes from Bryant Park, Prospect Park, Canal Street, the F line, Cobble Hill, Chelsea, and other locales. All of these locations provided fascinating people as the subject matter for this project.

I am a photographer based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My goal is to show people as they are, just being themselves, relating to each other or their environment. "The poetry of human encounters on the street" is how one writer put it when discussing Henri Cartier-Bresson's work. That is a beautiful description and one that serves as my inspiration.

Enjoy the images!

Paul

Paul Matzner article from CoPA website

Subway Texting

For Paul Matzner Life Is Full of Discovery

Article | January 24, 2011

Photo by Paul Matzner

It happened in a fraction of a second when the New York City subway car door opened and Paul Matzner saw both men texting. He framed them and clicked, but it wasn’t until Paul returned to his Shorewood, Wisconsin home that he realized the social statement he had captured.

“We live and work in close proximity, but we spend an inordinate amount of time not acknowledging each other when we are together,” Paul said. “Mass transit seems to heighten that isolation.”

Paul spent four April days in New York to make pictures and visit photography galleries, including Howard Greenberg, Lawrence Miller, Bruce Silverstein, and Felicia Anastasia. He had never been to Brooklyn, but on a “space to spare” website he found an apartment in the borough.

He spent his time walking the streets and exploring Prospect Park, the DUMBO area – Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass – the Fort Greene area, as well as making frequent trips to Manhattan to visit such places as Bryant Park, Central Park, Chelsea, Chinatown, and the High Line, the new elevated park in lower Midtown.

“When I'm out with my camera I am looking for people that interest me,” he said. “Everyone else seems to be ignoring those around them.”

Paul said his goal is to show people as they are, “just being themselves, relating to each other or their environment.” Discussing his art philosophy, he said that a writer once called Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work “the poetry of human encounters on the street.” To Paul that’s a beautiful description that serves as an inspiration. “Life is full of discovery and I try to make that happen with my camera.”

Street photography in New York City is his favorite pursuit. “My senses are fully engaged and it feels like great images are possible wherever I wander. I find that just walking around with a camera opens me up to whatever happens, rather than always having a planned goal in mind.”

A CoPA member since 2006, Paul retired in 2010 after 23 years at Quad/Graphics, where he was a customer service representative overseeing the production of magazines and catalogs. Previously, he was a photographer for the City of Milwaukee in an 18 month federally funded position at City Hall, and also worked for the Milwaukee Public School System in its recreation program and as a substitute teacher.

Self-employed as a photographer, Paul holds a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education from the University of Wisconsin –Milwaukee and is certified to teach nursery to third grade.
– Dan Patrinos

Killing/Guns

You may be reading about Tuscon today, tomorrow, for a long time to come. Yes, it is a tragedy of epic proportions. "A random act of violence" carried out by a lone individual. Somehow that term makes it seem safer, more distant from our everyday lives. Yet, I can't stop thinking about Jonoshia Alexander, the 17 year old girl killed recently in Milwaukee while walking home after getting off a bus from high school. She was an innocent victim of a 17 year old boy with a gun. He didn't know her, wasn't even shooting at her specifically.

I guess what is so troubling to me is that MY everyday life is so different than where Jonoshia lived. She was shot 2 miles directly west from my house in Shorewood. I am pretty sure it's been at least 30 years since anyone was killed in Shorewood by a person with a gun. When my kids were in their teens they had no reason to think anyone would be shooting a weapon in their neighborhood. That is not true for people living so close to me geographically, but so far away in terms of danger. 

Why should being born in a different zip code mean that you have a much greater risk of dying from bullets? What is the difference between terrorism and people shooting each other in their own neighborhoods? Shouldn't Homeland Security mean that people living in American cities can expect to go about their business without being gunned down? 

I wish I had answers.

 

 

My Favorite Albums of the Past Decade

Listening to music on my computer the other day I realized that the end of a decade is soon upon us. As I glanced at my alphabetized iTunes list it dawned on me that a lot of great music was made in the last 10 years! Yes, I still love the Beatles, Stones, and Dylan, but now thanks to friends, family, NPR, and other sources I have fallen for The Wailin' Jennys, Ray LaMontagne, Patty Griffin and ... well, you can read the list below:

YEAR           ARTIST                                 TITLE

2001        Ben Folds                           Rockin' The Suburbs
2002        Norah Jones                       Come Away With Me
2002        Tribalistas                           Tribalistas
2003        Chris Smither                     Train Home
2003        Shelby Lynne                      Identity Crisis
2004        Andrea Bocelli                     Andrea
2004        Patty Griffin                        Impossible Dream
2004        Wailin' Jennys                     40 Days
2005        Death Cab for Cutie            Plans 
2005        Bright Eyes                         I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
                (Conor Oberst)
2005        Jenny Lewis                        Rabbit Fur Coat
                & the Watson Twins
2006        Ray LaMontagne                Til the Sun Turns Black 
2007        Various Artists                    Juno (Music from ...Motion Picture)
2007        Alison Krauss/Robert Plant  Raising Sand
2009        Wailin' Jennys                     Live... Mauch Chunk Opera House

You might have wanted me to provide links or actual reviews, but, hey, I can't be all things to all people. Seven of these artists I have seen in person and they were tremendous. Please feel free to share your thoughts and enlighten me on other music you have grown to love in the past 10 years!

First thought

This is a brand new blog:
The first post of mine of any consequence will be soon when I list my favorite albums of the past decade (taken from what is on my iPod). Stay tuned...