"Night News" - an occasional missive from the darkness
Vol.10 No.2
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"Far between sundown's finish an' midnight's broken toll
We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing
As majestic bells of bolts struck shadows in the sounds
Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing
Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight
Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight
An' for each an' ev'ry underdog soldier in the night
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing."
-Chimes of Freedom by Bob Dylan (1964)
(See a fascinating bit of footage of the original Bryds performing
this song at Monterey - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGylaoBt6M
)
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Friends of The Nocturnes,
Well, once again it has been a long while since our last missive – sign of
the times, we suspect (like the times we live in, as much as anything) – what’s
that oft-mentioned Chinese Proverb (or is it a curse?): “May you live in interesting
times.” Interesting, indeed - just don’t confront us with too many deadlines,
or try to keep us on schedule!
As you’ve probably noticed, in the past year or so we’ve resorted to “NightNews_FLASHES”
to get the word out to you re: our various offerings, etc. Of course, the
“regulars” to the Web site and the Blog have a better track on updates to
our activities, etc. So, hopefully this fuller version of “NightNews” is a
return to form, perhaps – and we’re starting it on July 4th – may be a good
sign. By the time you read this another long weekend will have passed, so
lets get on with this, shall we?
As always, you can read this edition of NightNews here, or online at http://www.thenocturnes.com/newsletter/newsarchive.htm
where a more readable, printable version resides.
EXHIBITS NOTED
Lots going on with NPy Exhibits of late. An upcoming show, “Nocturnes . .
. in Berkeley?” is currently bright on our night radar, right now. For this
exhibit Tim gathered some of “the usual suspects” who live, work, teach, or
photograph around Berkeley to explore, interpret, and reveal the “hidden nocturnal
nature” of Berkeley. The show can be seen at The LightRoom, 2263 Fifth Street,
in Berkeley from July 14 to August 22 - with a reception for the artists on
July 19 from 2-6pm. See you there! For a preview of some of the work go to
- _ http://www.lightroom.com/current/2008_galleries/The%20Nocturnes/nocturnes/index.html
Our Fifth Biennial exhibit, “The Nocturnes 2008” is currently “installed”
on The Nocturnes Web site - http://www.thenocturnes.com/exhibits/2008.html.
Jurist Mark Hobson of the Landscapist Blog - http://landscapist.squarespace.com/
- definitely (definitively?) tapped into some of the more primal elements
that infuse, motivate and elevate NPy, we think. You should have a look at
his thoughtful comments on his selections for award-winners for the show.
“A moveable feast” here – The “Darkness, Darkness” (D2) exhibit of Contemporary
NPy has moved, with some notable NPrs added to the roster, from its inaugural
location at Harvard University to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center,
where it will reside thru August 31, 2008. Visit the D2 Web site for more
information - http://www.darknessdarkness.com
The roster for our Sixth Annual “Studio Nocturne” has been finalized, as we
return again to Fort Mason Center, as part of San Francisco Open Studios on
October 11 and 12. Ten intrepid Night Photographers will again participate
in this year's event. Landmark Building 'A' Fort Mason, October 11-12, from
11am to 6pm.
Artists in this year's “Studio Nocturne” include:
Tim Baskerville
Rebecca Chang
Todd Friedlander
Mark Jaremko
Marilynne Morshead
Deborah Rourke
Greta/Manu Schnetzler
Lena Tsakmaki
John Vias
Roxanne Worthington
BTW, we are looking for "a few good docents" for this special event - if you
are a night photographer, or just have an interest in this exciting genre
of photography and want to learn more about it, why not volunteer to act as
a docent for a few hours on either day? - Contact us directly at studio@thenocturnes.com.
While it would be great if you are well-versed in the 'nocturne,' a general
interest in art or photography is all that is required, to greet and direct
visitors to the respective artists in the show.
WORKSHOP NEWS
Night Photography offerings for the fall have been announced and can be viewed
on the Web site at http://www.thenocturnes.com/workshops.html
Again, our early warning night radar reveals an Urban NPy Workshop with Tim
Baskerville at RayKo Photo Center in San Francisco, August 7, 14, and 21 (Thursday
nights); as well as a College of Marin Course starting September 15, 2008.
There is also a pre-announcement of a Death Valley Workshop, scheduled for
November 8-10. We would really like this one to fly (and would like to bring
back a co-instructor), but a lot of that is dependent on full registration
for the Workshop. So if this Full Moon Night Photography Workshop - in a fantastic
location, at a great time-of-year - interests you (or you know of someone
it might interest) email us at workshop@thenocturnes.com . Or better yet,
use the online registration form found online - http://www.thenocturnes.com/workshops/deathvalley.html
- to confirm your commitment to desert Night Photography.
Finally, you can check out the latest information on ALL our offerings at
http://www.thenocturnes.com/workshops.html
BOOKS AND ARTICLES NOTED
So, the word is out (continued) . . .
First off, Alumna Charity Vargas alerted us to the recent Photo District News
acknowledgement of The Nocturnes (#14) as one of “46 Reasons to Love Photography
Now” See OUR mention of THEIR mention on our Blog - http://thenocturnes.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-were-selling-here-part-ii.html
- we’re going to try to get the full text of the article up on The Nocturnes
Web site – real soon, but . . . (see ‘interesting times’ mention above!).
A new, comprehensive book on night and low-light photography by Jill Waterman
is due for an August 5 release. The 196 page paperback, with a foreword by
Michael Kenna, features contributions by what can only be described as a ‘who’s
who’ list of contemporary, practicing Nocturnes. We’ll tease you here, with
the initials only, of SOME of them: SH, LK, MJ, TP (both of them!) – now,
you’ll just have to buy the book to see who the nocturnal luminaries are,
and who else is included in this text. Read more about it at www.nightphotographybook.com
- BTW, it is available on Amazon.com, with a pre-publication discount – so,
ACT NOW!
Lastly, Troy Paiva’s long-awaited second book should be available shortly
after you read this. “Night Vision: the Art of Urban Exploration” published
by Chronicle Books weighs in at 144 pages and documents “a booming subculture
on the rise” – one with obvious ties to the nocturne – we can’t wait to see
it, Troy! – more info at http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index/main,book-info/store,books/products_id,7135/title,Night-Vision/
IN RELATED NEWS
A couple of operational items here – around the last part of July TheNocturnes.com
will be migrating to a newer, bigger, better (and probably more intimidating!)
server. During this period, service WILL be interrupted – hopefully, just
for a few days, but expect delays in getting ALL the pages/depts back up and
running. This is an important move, as it will enable us to expand the current
Gallery space to include some new international artists who’ve expressed interest
in participating in our little show’n’tell. BTW, if you would like to deepen
your participation in The Nocturnes - that would be one way to do it – to
join the growing list of gallery artists. The annual fee is yet to be determined,
but it should be modest and helps us cover the increased bandwidth and the
need for the move to the new server.
Thinking of other ways of donating to "the cause?" Did you know you can personally
help build The Nocturnes Library thru an Amazon.com Wish List of titles to
be acquired! Check our Home Page - http://www.thenocturnes.com/ - OR the Main
page of our Blog - http://thenocturnes.blogspot.com/ - for the link and the
ever-growing list of important titles to be acquired. NOTE: Be sure to go
to Amazon THRU THIS LINK for proper routing to our list, and to ensure we
get credit for the visit/purchase. Maybe drop us an email to confirm the action,
too. As always, we thank you for your support.
We’ve included the above items here, ‘cos over the years many people have
asked how they “might get more involved with The Nocturnes.” And aside from
the usual “take a workshop” or “enter an online show” response, we struggle
to find more options for involvement. A number of people who have taken workshops
or exhibited with our group, over the years, have gone on to become more involved
– some are currently included in our workshops as co-instructors. So, that
definitely does work – but there should be other paths, other areas to participate
in. The expansion of the Gallery and The Nocturnes Library program are just
two more ways to participate in this, our premier Night Photography Group.
ALUMNI NEWS
Charity Vargas has been very busy of late. She currently has work from the
presidio installed at RayKo thru July 14, and the Seeds Gallery in the Thoreau
Center for Sustainability in the Presidio, thru August 15. Web sites of these
two groups can be found below.
Web sites of some of the Alumni mentioned (or not) in this edition of Night
News, as well any other links we’ve missed (or misplaced):
Lena Tsakmaki - www.lenatsakmaki.com
John Vias - www.johnvias.com
Roxanne Worthington – www.roxanneworthington.com
Joe Reifer – www.joereifer.com
Deb Rourke – www.deborahrourke.com
Charity Vargas – www.charityvargas.com
Rebecca Chang - www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccachang
Mark Jaremko - www.markjaremkophoto.com
Marilynne Morshead - www.marilynnemorshead.com
Denise Fuson - www.denisefuson.com
Sherry Glassman – www.sherryglassman.com
RayKo Photo Center – www.raykophoto.com
Thoreau Center – www.thoreau.org
‘A Moveable Feast’ - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Moveable_Feast
‘Kind of Blue’ - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kind_of_Blue
CALL FOR ENTRIES
Look for the Prospectus for our next online exhibition of NPy, once the new
server work mentioned above is accomplished. Also, look for the archive of
ALL our online and off-line exhibitions from the past 9 years to be re-established
on the site.
Now to the next upcoming show: “Blue Nocturne” – during the past nine years,
we’ve had time to notice a few things in regarding these online offerings.
The primary observation being that when we stage an “open theme” (read NO
theme, other than NPy, we suppose) show, we get a good-to-GREAT response.
When we narrow it, even a bit, to focus on a theme that after all is related
to NPy (perhaps “It was a Dark and Stormy Night”) – well then, the number
of submissions (and therefore the opportunity for a diverse, genre-bending
display of challenging NightWork) plummets. So on this show, which is granted,
a bit narrow thematically, we’ll try to be very clear about what we’re looking
for.
So, what is a “Blue Nocturne?” It’s the visual equivalent of the “high lonesome,”
the rhythms of the delta (again, with the music references!), and the “tungsten-blue”
palette of some of the best in NPy. It’s work that exists in a spectrum dominated
by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm, and is “Kind of Blue,”
too! It’s the cold, steely hue of a noir crime scene, and shooting “night
for day.” It’s the near-frozen atmosphere that gives us Northern Lights in
those extreme northern latitudes of the planet. It’s homage to the color of
the oceans of that same watery planet. It’s the color field and the abstraction
of neon on rain-dampened streets. It’s what you think a Blue Nocturne . .
. is. Expect much more on this later- in the prospectus for the exhibition
- http://www.thenocturnes.com/forms/blue.html
LIBRARY NOTES
Recent Acquisitions:
Nocturnes, by Chris Faust (Review Copy from Publisher). Univ Of Minnesota
Press, 2007. ISBN 0816650160
Navigating by Light, by Philipp Scholz Ritterman. (Gift of Michael Quinn and
Hiroshi Sejima). Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, 2001. ISBN 1-878062-05-0
Approaching Nowhere: Photographs by Jeff Brouws. W. W. Norton, 2006. ISBN
0393062740
Northline, by Willy Vlautin. Harper Perennial; Pap/Com edition 2008. ISBN
0061456527
MUSICAL NOTES
Recent Acquisitions:
Third, by Portishead. 2008 Mercury records #B00011141-02
My Favorite Things, by John Coltrane. 1961 Atlantic Records #1361-2
The Shepherd’s Dog, Iron and Wine. 2007 SubPop Records #SPCD 710
Once, Music from the Motion Picture. 2007 Sony/Columbia Records #8697-10586-2
The Story, by Brandi Carlile. 2007 Sony/BMG #8697-00802-2
South of Delia, by Richard Shindell. 2007 richardshindell.com #RS1809
The Joni Letters, by Herbie Hancock. 2007 Verve Music Group #02517-44826
Raising Sand, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. 2007 Rounder records # 11661-9075-2
_____________________________
This concludes this edition of "Night News." As always, this
and past issues of "Night News" are accessible at http://www.thenocturnes.com/newsletter/newsarchive.htm
And finally, with all those “chimes of freedom flashing” just remember: ".
. . let's be careful out there." Susan Nichols nichols@thenocturnes.com
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"So, you really should VISIT more often . . ."
The Nocturnes family of Web sites:
http://www.thenocturnes.com
http://thenocturnes.blogspot.com
http://www.timbaskerville.com
http://www.mareislandhpf.org
http://www.flickr.com/groups/thenocturnes
http://www.meersfamily.org
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CA 94129
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The Nocturnes, and Pacific Media Arts.
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