While I like the photo work of Ananké Asseff (Remnants of the Paradise, for example), I was particularly excited to come across her interactive video piece entitled Contemplation.

Model of Contemplation, 2005-06
© Ananké Asseff

The piece consists of a girl sitting on the ground, contemplating the landscape with her back to the viewer. As the viewer approaches the screen, the woman turns (triggered by a sensor) to look at the viewer. When the viewer moves away from the screen, the girl turns back.

A simple installation that works quite beautifully.

See more of Asseff’s work here.

Ira Glass, host and producer of This American Life

Last night Ira Glass brought This American Life to the big screen for a one-night only live event. I was able to catch the broadcast at theater in Boston. From his DJ desk, Glass showed some episode previews, outtakes, and took questions from the audience in New York.

I realize the two are entirely different mediums, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, but I’m curious if the television show will eventually begin to overshadow the original radio program. Maybe it’s because I’m a photographer and spend too much of my time in a “visual” world, but there is something especially nice about just listening to the stories.

Anyway, fans, the new season looks great. Both programs are brilliant.

Betty Sitting on Kitchen Counter, South London, 2007 (from “Squat Life”)
© Glen Erler

Glen Erler e-mailed me the other day with really nice things to say about my work. After replying to his e-mail, I ended up on his website and was equally impressed with his – particularly some of images from his series Squat Life and earlier project Ratty Rat Rat.

The images for “Ratty Rat Rat” were taken in an abandoned toilet factory at the brink of its take over. It’s now inhabited by around 10 people. I decided to go back and photograph several of the people living there along with a few just passing through. I also went to a few other squats lived in by friends of theirs and photographed a few of its inhabitants along with some of the objects in and around their environment. I found everyone to be very open and creative. It seemed to be a time in their lives where the journey is just beginning. They all seemed alive and energetic and in pursuit of their next creative project. I know they were very helpful with mine. Thanks to all of them.

The more I browsed his work, the more I was reminded of Todd Hido’s stark interiors and portraits. But with Glen’s photographs, I feel a greater connection to the people and places in the images.

See more from both projects on his website.

(from “Obviously”)
© Audrey Corregan

Audrey Corregan was one of the selected photographers in this year’s Hyères Festival International de Mode & de Photographie for her series entitled Obviously.

A little about Corregan and her work, from the Hyères Festival website:

She began her studies in photography at the Vevey School before finishing at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. For this year’s Hyères Festival, Audrey Corregan presents a series of portraits entitled “Obviously”. Imposing creatures seen from the back expose their shuddering feathers with the utmost indifference to the presence of the spectator. They seem to breathe softly, captivated by something that we cannot perceive.

Her images are reminiscent of Marjaana Kella’s Reversed Portraits series:

L: Woman In a Patterned Chemise, 1997/2002 R: Grey-haired Man, 1997/1998
© Marjaana Kella

See more of Corregan’s work on her website.

Production still, on location of Untitled (Forest Clearing), 2006
© Cosi Theodoli-Braschi

Whether you’re a Crewdson-lover or a Crewdson-hater, it’s worth checking out Aperture’s behind the scenes exclusive. Read two interviews with him, see production stills on location, and learn about his process and some of the people involved in the making of an image.

I recently discovered the work of Leigh Ledare, a recent graduate of Columbia’s MFA program. Ledare’s project Pretend You’re Actually Alive is an intimate portrait of his mother, a once-promising prodigy ballerina, and an exploration of his relationship with her.

Currently, Pretend You’re Actually Alive is on view at Andrew Roth in New York, up until June 14th. As the press release states,

Pretend You’re Actually Alive can be viewed as an archive of a mother and son’s shared, private moments amidst the desperate attempts to renew her identity as a dancer – this ­time working as a stripper in a club beside her parents’ apartment. Pretend You’re Actually Alive is also a mapping of Ledare’s mother’s efforts to commodify herself – initially through her precocious childhood talent, later through her overt sexuality, and eventually through the portrayal of herself as an archetypal victim – in efforts to find companionship, attention, financial security, and a benefactor before her youthful, marketable currencies expire.

Ledare’s photographs and videos bring to mind the work of Larry Clark, Nan Goldin and Richard Billingham. The work is both haunting and beautiful.

Mother in New Home, 2006
© Leigh Ledare

Mother As Baby Jane, 2004
© Leigh Ledare

Pink Stain, 2007
© Leigh Ledare

Black Wig (Mom in New Home), 2006
© Leigh Ledare

The book of Pretend You’re Actually Alive, which is now available signed through Dashwood, comes in a slipcased edition of 1,000. If I had the money, I’d buy one.

See more of Ledare’s work here, here or here.

Hartford, 1980 (from “A Storybook Life, 1976–1989″)
© Philip-Lorca diCorcia

Philip-Lorca diCorcia has always been one of my favorite photographers. I know I’ve mentioned his photographs on the blog a number of times but recently I came across a website that features a large amount of his work all in one place, including a selection of commercial/editorial/fashion work that he’s done for Adobe, Bottega Veneta, Fendi, and W Magazine.

It worth seeing; he has led quite an inspiring career in photography. Take a look!

Steidl is yet to reveal a third incarnation of Alec Soth’s Sleeping by the Missisippi and the potential designs (above) look very promising.

While I never got my hands on the first edition – a huge mistake for the “book collector” in me as a signed copy is now selling for $1,500 – I do have a signed copy of the second edition on my shelf but have always been unimpressed with the feel of the book compared to the previous edition, in part because I’m a lover of cloth covers. This new edition, however, seems to have it all.

If you’re interested, you can pre-order a copy for yourself here or get it directly through Steidl. I believe it’s set to arrive in June.

Blast, 2005
© Naoya Hatakeyama

Japanese photographer Naoya Hatakeyama’s Blast series is quite remarkable. He has been working on it since 1995.

See more of his work here.

After the long and tedious making of Sound Affects, Christian Patterson gives us a preview of how his book looks in the end. Love the music choice.

I spoke with Christian on the phone the other day and he said that there are about 7 copies in the U.S. right now, but that’ll change very soon as Dashwood will be selling and distributing the book in early May. Otherwise, it is available through Schaden.