Helen Levitt died Sunday at age 95. She is one of the reasons I adore photography. Check out the NPR article here.

* Photograph by Colin Pantall, from the series, Sofa Portrait
* Photograph by Colin Pantall, from the series, Flora

represented by Witzenhausen Gallery in Amsterdam. (There is one in New York too, check it out)

Dealing with spoiled rich kids drives me crazy, which brings me to Tina Barney's work. Love these two together. Both telling on their own, put together... the context is brilliant.

*Photograph by Tina Barney, Marina’s Room, 1987
*Photograph by Tina Barney, Marina and Peter, 1997

Nothing makes me happier than an afternoon in Beacon NY, stomach full of good cheese, bread, and squash soup, hanging inside Richard Serra's sculptures with my best friend in the whole world. (tear)

I've been suffering from extreme nightmares lately. The kind that scare you so much you wake up in the middle of the night sweating and your heart races so fast you don't know if you should calm yourself down or go in to shock. I can't remember what they are about, or who is in them, but this morning all I could think of was the photographer Simen Johan.

*photograph by Simen Johan, from the series Evidence of Things Unseen, 2000-2003, 44x44 inch c-prints
*photograph by Simen Johan, from the series Evidence of Things Unseen, 2000-2003, 44x44 inch c-prints

One day I was walking by, and it was just a unicorn. The next day there was a German Shepherd. I'm hoping that tomorrow there will be a dino.

I have been admiring Shen Wei's work for some time now, and I happy to say that the gallery that represents him in New York, Randall Scott Gallery, will be opening up their new location down the hall at 111. Front St Suite 204. Opening for Wei's work will be April 2, 2009 6-8pm.

*Photography by Shen Wei, Emily and Matt, from the series Almost Naked 2003
*Photography by Shen Wei, Yemi, from the series Almost Naked2007

The kind of light I dream of.

*photograph by Larry Sultan

*Photograph by Kent Klich, from the series, Home

* Photograph by Jury Rupin, Kharkoc Girl, 1977
* Photograph by Jury Rupin, Portrait of Majackaja, 1985

A new portrait by my dear friend, Caitlin Arnold

*Photograph by Lovisa Ringborg untitled 2007, C-print, 92x73cm
*Photograph by Lovisa Ringborg untitled 2007, C-print, 92x73cm

La Haine, one of my favorite films

*Photograph by Adam Jeppesen, DK·Ørestaden 07·14·07 (digital c-print, 114 x 144 cm, ed. of 5)
*Photograph by Adam Jeppesen, US·Grinnell 09·03·05 (c-print, 70 × 90 cm, ed. of 3)

Family Blowout

When things seem to be going nowhere fast, I try and remember the exact time I first fell in love. It had to be in high school during art class. My teacher brought in a Keith Carter book when I was 14. I knew from that second, that my path would lead me somewhere special. Thanks Ms. Brown for helping a young girl fall in love with photography. If you could only see me now.

Above is a small selection of works that I first started to study as a kid.

*Photograph by Keith Cater, Wedding Rings 1981
*Photography by Marry Ellen Mark 1983
*Photography by Sally Mann, The Last Time Emmett Modeled Nude 1987
*Photography by Roy DeCarava

I saw this at the Brooklyn Museum the other day, and totally fell in love.

*Painting by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait Ah! You Naughty Fawn, You Have Been Eating the Flowers Again.

* Photograph by Beth Lesser, Musician Gregory Isaacs in front of his African Museum store on Chancery Lane, Kingston

It's one of those days. Chan Marshall, thanks for making my fingers type faster.

miss you

*David Goldblatt. Left: In Boksburg town, corner of Commissioner and Eloff Streets. 1979. Silver gelatin print Right: In Boksburg town, corner of Commissioner and Eloff Streets. December 2008. Pigment ink on cotton rag paper

I have been lucky enough to be asked to join the NoCommercialValue.org family. I curated two boxes this week for the portrait show. I am so happy that Kristin Freeman and Terttu Uibopuu agreed to take part in this weeks theme.

NoCommercialValue.org is a weekly showcase of six original works and
hyperlinks curated by a variety of international contributors.
Featuring artists,journalists, activists, photographers, social
scientists, writers, filmmakers and musicians who want to share their
creative perspective on the world. NoCommercialValue.org
provides a space between user generated content and a traditional art
gallery. Moving away from the widespread and often convoluted format
of present-day media sharing sites, our objective is to provide a
"clutter-free" platform for content that can challenge, entertain,
provoke, and inform.

* Photograph by Terttu Uibopuu
* Illustration by Kristin Freeman

Thelma Golden is the Chief Curator at the Studio Museum in Harlem. She is one of my biggest inspirations and I feel very lucky to be living so close to someone with such smarts and class.

*photography by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

David Byrne, I love you.

*photography by Amizin' Jane, pulled from Gothamist.