Avedon's Happy accident (?)

This is my first post since the blog's resurfacing back in February, still puzzled by the fact that the internet remembers and knows all, yet the previous contents are all gone. 

I'm starting a new one, no problem. I've done that plenty of times. I am bored, both in life and work. I am threatened by new talent out there. I am tired of the art world and it's shitty economy and therefor life balance. I am hoping that thinking about all the work out there, which I do love, will help me in some way. 

This first post is a meditation on a photograph by Richard Avedon and an exercise/project that may become the main focus of this blog, then again, who knows? 

I am not an expert on Avedon, but have enjoyed a great deal of the late photographer's work. When i think of him though, my thoughts are, beauty, power, sex, money and sophistication. 'Classic' thoughts i think. Therefore, this photograph stood out to me. It's titled 'Killer Joe Piro, dance teacher, NY January 3rd 1962.' And what would be the reason for my thoughts on this particular Avedon photograph? Avedon's work is often meticulous and deliberate; this feels different, haunting, and technically out of character for his body of work. When looking up 'Killer Joe', I learned that he was born in Harlem, the son of an Italian tailor, considered himself skinny and unattractive, and learned how to dance to attract the ladies. This ultimately became his career, as he became a dance instructor to the higher society of NYC.

Let's get into it.

Section 1. How does this photograph make me feel, and what do I see?

As mentioned in the title of this entry, I do believe that this might be a happy accident of sorts. "Happy accident," referring to, what feels like a beautiful break and a moment of technical surprise.The long exposure and the movement of the subject making the image feel haunting and unnerving. It also makes me feel excited. Like something is about to/ or is currently 'happening'. The imperfection makes the images feel like one big feeling, a maddening relief in a way and a departure of perfection.

Section 2.

For the second part of this post, I have created a version 'on' my feelings for this work. Stress 'the feeling of'. Several things have been done differently, but my focus was to make an image that made me feel like Avedon's and using parts of the method that made that feeling happen.

A few things.

- What I did differently: Among other things, I shot this on a Mamiya 645, which was the medium-format camera I had available at the time; the proportions differ. I scanned the negative.    

- What I attempted: The meeting of the static and the mania.

Subject: My assistant Nûno. Location: The basement at Werkstette. Date: May 26th, 2025.

The result:

Section 2B.

How did this make me feel and think?

It was fun and fast. I never shoot in black and white, maybe I should do that more. Maybe I also need to be more focused on finding manic creeks and breathe some air into the way I do my own work.

I wanna think more about the focus of perfection, money, and power.

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Additional notes and excerpts from this exercise and what might inspire the next: