Assuming the Pity Position.

A young squirrel noted the feeding stations being filled, and I noticed young squirrel. Told him no, because dinosaur photo day. I was back inside, where I normally am to shoot birds, with the window open. Young squirrel looks at me, I say no again. Young squirrel opts for the pity position, curling one hand in against the chest, a signifier of just how effing cold it is, have pity! No is reiterated. Young squirrel goes the full court pity position, with both hands curled in, it’s really really really really freezing cold! I remarked to young squirrel that he should not have chosen a day with the sun shining and the temp a very unseasonable 54 F.

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© C. Ford.

On Christopher Street.

Mark Seliger, “Adrian Torres and Carmen Carrera” (2015), gelatin silver print, 36 x 36 inches, Edition of 7+2AP (all images courtesy the artist and Von Lintel Gallery).

Mark Seliger, “Adrian Torres and Carmen Carrera” (2015), gelatin silver print, 36 x 36 inches, Edition of 7+2AP (all images courtesy the artist and Von Lintel Gallery).

Mark Seliger, “Mahayla McElroy” (2015), gelatin silver print 36 x 36 inches, Edition of 7+2AP.

Mark Seliger, “Mahayla McElroy” (2015), gelatin silver print 36 x 36 inches, Edition of 7+2AP.

Mark Seliger, “Benjamin Melzer” (2016), gelatin silver print, 36 x 36 inches, Edition of 7+2AP.

Mark Seliger, “Benjamin Melzer” (2016), gelatin silver print, 36 x 36 inches, Edition of 7+2AP.

LOS ANGELES — Mark Seliger is a widely known photographer, with over 125 Rolling Stone covers to his name, yet there is something new and revelatory in On Christopher Street, his current exhibit at Von Lintel Gallery showing portraits of trans women and men. Seliger lives and works in Manhattan’s West Village, and although he is primarily a celebrity photographer, this new body of work arose from engaging with the trans people in his own neighborhood.

Seliger has the rare ability to get his subjects to open up to the lens, their deeper layers rising to the surface of the picture. The photographs are black and white, executed in the high-gloss stew of hero worship and advertising we have come to expect from images of the famous. Though the Christopher Street subjects are mostly ordinary folk, his visual style confers a measure of stardom upon them without eclipsing their human vulnerability.

You can read all about this fabulous exhibit, and see more, at Hyperallergic.

Local Life.

From rq: 1) busstop artwork, for a campaign to build a publicly but not governmentally funded arthouse/gallery, title: Don’t Need War; 2) a street – if you go to the touristy places, things are cleaned up, but this is more typical, plus some cold February sun right down the middle!

Gotta say, I love Don’t Need War! Click for full size.

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© rq, all rights reserved.

Colour Avoidance.

Meltdown Avoidance, bright colours version. This is rather tricky, the injected colour doesn’t stay solid long before it explodes, and it makes focusing difficult, but still…fun. And distracting! Not at my best today, with being patient and stuff, so I’ll revisit this at some other time. I know 3 and 4 seem the same, but they aren’t. 4 is much more fetus-y. :D Click for full size.

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