Monthly Archives: September 2023

In Memoriam: Sam Gilliam

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I learned about abstractionist, Sam Gilliam, at the Brooklyn Museum.

I stood in the museum, looking down at his work from the stairs. The more I stared, the more I could connect with it.

Ahhh, yes! Memories of my sophomore year in high school returned to me. Art club with Ms. Skelly!… the Met and The Gates by Christo and Jeanne- Claude…

While in high school, I couldn’t believe hanging up fabric for the public could be so exciting and fulfilling, but it was. My friends and I posed for photos and tried to touch the fabric blowing in the wind. We were given little squares of orange textiles, which I glued in my photo album.

I approached Gilliam’s work and read the text. I also researched him and enjoyed the backstory of how he came to paint canvas and let his work hang without restrictions. He was looking out the window in D.C. and noticed the cloths on the clothes line.

Towards 1-2-5

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I walked by this Monsieur twice. Going and coming.

When I asked him if I could photograph him he asked

Parlez-vous francais?

I was a bit shocked that he didn’t speak English. The little bit of French that I learned in college did not come in handy. I forgot everything.

I should have said, Puis-je prendre votre photo? but I pointed at his clothes and used the word photo instead of picture.

Ahhh, oui, oui.

merci beaucoup!

Louis Mendes’ Camera

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Louis Mendes is one of the few authentic photographers around. He built the camera he is holding to develop polaroid film. In this photo, he is showing the curious child, all the many parts of his camera and at the same time, unscrewing the blown out light bulb- which he gave to her for keep sakes.