Yearly Archives: 2013

Matthew Albanese’s delicious landscapes

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30-year-old Matthew Albanese has an appetite for landscape photography. Sort of. Using common “material” like jelly beans, cooked sugar, garbage bags and ostrich feathers, the New Jersey-based wizard has conjured a series of tiny, life-like and absolutely beautiful dioramas. With its deep-blue sky, fluffy clouds and cocktail waters, Albanese’s tasty “DIY Paradise” is one my favorites. Take a close look. Can you guess what it’s made of?

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Cotton, salt, cooked sugar, tin foil, feathers and canvas! Employing his art-school skills and photographic techniques, Albanese has magically transformed the appearance of things many of us only use for cooking into the most beautiful stuff. As of today, there are 19 pieces presented on his website and the series “Strange Worlds” keep growing. Here’s a recent, flashy masterpiece reminding me of the British science-fiction series Thunderbirds.

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To achieve the lightning effect in this diorama, Albanese used a piece of black plexiglass with bolts carefully etched out so that light could flash through. No additional light source was added in the final shot. The result is wicked, terrifying and spectacular, not far from the real deal. Ingenious! In the video interview below, Albanese explains how the idea of Strange Worlds struck him like a bolt from the blue, and what it all means to him.

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Made from sewing thread, sticks, wood, hand dyed ostrich plumes, potting moss and dip-dyed cotton batting, the handsome willow tree (pictured to the right) took about two months to construct. I deeply admire Albanese’s patience, passion and determination. In particular as the final product is nothing but a photo. Or is it? Perhaps the process of creating, exploring and learning (partly time-lapsed below) is a goal in itself. If you read this, Matthew, could you please tell us what happens to your models and material once the final photo is shot? Thank you very much, and please keep feeding us delicious landscapes. We are hungry for more!

All photos in this post are embedded from Matthew Albanese’s Facebook page. None of the photos have been cropped or altered, only resized. Enjoy more delicious pieces at Albanese’s website and check out his recently published book (September 2013), Strange Worlds, featuring behind-the-scenes images and other goodies.

The adolescent tragedies of Heinz Schwarz

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Swiss sculptor Heinz Schwarz (1920 -1994) was a genius. “Genius” is a big word, I know. It is the anatomist in me that is filled with admiration for his rendering of the human form. But there is more: much more. His works are true-to-life, poignant and smooth. They tell stories. Geneva is fortunate to be home to two of his most well-known statues: both touchingly evoke adolescence but speak also of tragedy and loss.

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L’adolescent et le cheval, 1976.

There is a story in these parts of a young boy who, many years ago, was swimming on the lake edge with his horse. The boy drowned. Schwarz made this tragedy the theme of this huge work. The distress of the horse is evident. But how does Schwarz denote the boy’s tragic end? The beautiful solution he found can only be seen from a particular angle as you come down Avenue de France towards the lake. In the last moment of his life, the sinking boy’s desperate hand reaches up from the waves of the horses back. Genius!

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View from Avenue de France.

From the lake edge, take yourself up to Place Bourg de Four in the old town. Prepare to have your heart-strings pulled!

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Clementine, 1974.

Schwarz’s “Clementine” is much more than an exquisite statue. She is a symbol of solidarity for women and girls – especially those forced into prostitution – all over the world: the reason why there are often floral tributes strewn at her feet. Clementine is overpoweringly sad and beautiful in her budding adolescence. She is unspeakably delicate and stands fully and unashamedly naked.  She is quiet but her vulnerability screams out. You can only weep for her innocence that has been or is soon to be brutalised. And Schwarz has evoked all this in bronze! Genius!

I have to wait to take my photograph because an obese man  – to the amusement of his tourist friends – drapes an arm around Clementine’s shoulder and fingers her right breast. Digital shutters click amid giggles. My disgust wells inside. Clementine doesn’t flinch. She’s seen and felt it all before.

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Gondebaud by Roger Ferrier, 1957.

But there is hope. Clementine has a guardian high on a wall nearby. King Gondebaud “des Burgondes” (480-516) looks like such a nice old guy. He watches over her. He may just unleash reasoned violence with that sword if one more person violates her adolescence.

Heinz Schwarz’s sculptures were sponsored by Ville de Geneve, Fonds d’art contemporain.

Gabriele Croppi’s European metropolis

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Have you ever been to Milan, Paris or another European metropolis? Chances are you have snapped photos of landmarks like the Duomo di Milano and La Tour Eiffel. Italian-born photographer Gabriele Croppi for sure has. But, unlike most photographers shooting left and right, this gentleman has added touch and perspective to some of our most recognized and photographed beautiful stuff. With contrasty and monochromatic photos, reminding me of a film noir, his work is spectacular and suggestive. Voilà:

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During a recent visit to Oslo, I stumbled upon Croppi’s work at the excellent Nobel Peace Center, located at the heart of the Norwegian capital. Featuring eight photographs like the one above, “Metaphysics of an Urban Landscape” is part of European Identities, a temporary photo exhibit on display until 15 September 2013. If you happen to be up north, this is a must see. For those of you who cannot be there, take a look at this video:

In the dramatic setting of architectural beauty, bathing in shadow and darkness, Croppi illuminates one subject with a few strokes of light. By masking the bustling, vibrant and chaotic urban landscape in black, he unveils the faces of European metropolis. The people. The heterogeneity. Croppi helps us to see the trees for the forest. I think this is an important and beautiful message worth spreading. If you are reading this, Gabriele, can you please tell us more about these photos and what they mean to you? Thank you!