These sculpture (nicknamed The Elgin Marbles) are originally from the Parthenon in Athens. Lord Elgin supposedly bought them from the Ottomans, who occupied the present Greece at that moment. The Greek try to return these marbles for decades, the UK government refuses, saying it’s British heritage. Last week a meeting of the UK prime minister with the prime minister of Greece was cancelled, after the Greek PM reiterated the ownership of the marbles. How mesmerizing and wonderful must it be to see these ornaments in the place they belong, on top of the Acropolis over Athens.
A Magnolia tree. Autumn is a time of rapid changes. It can be light and sunny with wonderful colors on display, or grim and dim in rain. Both have its unique beauty in my humble opinion.
One of my favorite photographers passed last Wednesday. I post a Magnum newsletter, honoring his legacy. The photos of the original one are not in my post, but please click the links and enjoy the work of one of the most inspirational masters of photography. On the bottom you find a link where you can subscribe to the Field Notes Magnum newsletter if you please to do so.
Elliott Erwitt passed away peacefully on Wednesday night at his home in Manhattan, surrounded by his family. This week, we look back and celebrate the life and career of the legendary photographer and long-time Magnum member.
In 1950, a 22-year-old Erwitt stepped off a Greyhound bus in Pittsburg, armed with a Leica IIIc and Rolleiflex. Today, looking back at his early series on the post-war city in Pennsylvania, we see the makings of his distinct and iconic photographic style.
In July 1959, Erwitt captured the iconic image of what appears to be a moment of serious confrontation between U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in a model American kitchen during Nixon’s visit to Moscow.
“It’s hard to portray someone as big as him,” says Adriana Lopez Sanfeliu, past assistant to Erwitt and director of the documentary Silence Sounds Good. Released in 2019, it follows then 80-year-old Erwitt on a trip to Cuba and going about his busy days in New York.
“I am a dedicated people watcher who loves to see art and art watchers watching,” Erwitt wrote in his book, Museum Watching, published in 1999. “In the end all museums are interesting. Even when they’re not.”
“In Erwitt’s work,” writes Darran Anderson, “we find the revelatory thrill of the benevolent voyeur; a position occupied not just by the photographer but also by the viewer and, very often, the subject.”
“I don’t know of any other animals closer to us in qualities of heart, sentiment and loyalty,” Erwitt once wrote of dogs. Here, we revisit the story behind the comical photograph of a bulldog on its owner’s lap — a shot that he had to hastily borrow a camera to capture.
Currently on view at La Sucrière in Lyon, France is a major retrospective of Erwitt’s work, featuring 215 black and white and color photographs. The exhibition reflects the diversity of subjects addressed throughout his career and the profound unity of Erwitt’s work.
Field Notes is a weekly newsletter that brings you all the latest from Magnum photographers and their offerings to the photography community, including stories, exhibitions, educational events, workshops, books, print sales, and more.
A cycle path along a railroad in Autumn, yesterday I showed a version in monochrome. Today the colors and a slightly different feel. Feel free to make up your own story, or pick your favorite.
What's (in) the Picture? 