I am honored to have had one of my images critiqued by the art historian John Walford.  He wrote an interesting critique of my image Window Squared Garden Door.  I will repost the the text and the image below.  Be sure to go and take a wander though his writing and his flick image stream.

Window Squared Garden Door

“The Tussle between Nature & Culture”

What man makes is straight and sheer,
Submits to measure, 3-3-1, lines full clear.
Manu-facture now means machines,
That press, and cut – it’s all so Schere.

A Creator-God does differently:
All lines have curve, none quite the same,
Species more than man can name,
In orange, purple, blue, and red.

Held up on stems, all twisty, bend;
Throw out sun-panels to catch
The rays and rains send down. –
But time and frost, He too does send.

From birth to grave, there is this dance,
Like plants that twine around man’s struts.
Interdependent, they lunge and lance,
As Jacob, with the angel, bends and butts.

–John Walford, for Jacob Schere/twisty331, July 8, 2010,
a salute for your scrupulous eye.

Originally published on Only Connect Blog, by John Walford

July 8, 2010

I was fortunate to curate an exhibition on the Flickr group Shade that opened this week.  I had to choose from many of the fine works that are represented on that group.  The theme I chose for the curation was Reflections.  Reflection is a method of expression that many artists, especially photographers explore.  Therefore I would like to invite you all to have a look at the current exhibition Reflecting on Reflections.

A special thanks to the groups moderator the fabulous Brancolina

please check the following links to explore some of the exhibitors photostreams.

twisty331 aka lucidcommunication aka Jacob Schere aka m2c

Brancolina

w.eras

Steffen Tuck

kate mellersh

poolah2006

akiruna

-feva-

tapa

daliborev

The image that set off the curation

I have been meaning to post this for a while.  I am so thankful for the people over at FABRICA and across the world who participated in the COLORS NOTEBOOK project.  I like others got their blank template in my post box, and thought about what to put in this notebook of anything I wanted to be, and then sent it off.

A good few months later, I find out that it had been selected to be shown in some of the FARBICA exhibitions of the Notebook Project.  Including Shanghai, Tokyo, Europe. Later I was contacted by Carlos, over at Fabrica that they were using my images from the magazine in a collection of the book FACES.  I was one of the many artist to be selected in the publication.

A special shout out to to Carlos and Isotta at Fabrica for opening a beautiful relationship.  For my brother Frederic in Paris for helping get the french right.  And my brother Brimstone127 for providing one of the inspirational portraits and pieces in the my colors notebook.  A beautiful blog that was created with notebookers from all over the By the Rest of the WORLD.

the text in French and English is below the images.

the can be ordered here Colors Notebook Faces

Jacob Schere, 1971, artist and photographer, Japan

I would shrivel up and die as a human being if I didn’t allow myself a creative outlet. I am never without art least one camera. If I forget a camera, I’m like, “oh shit, I am butt-ass naked!”

Treat others with respect, question those that have authority. Use our god-given ability to reason to seek out the light in the midst of the darkness. As an Expressionista, I know there is evil in the world. We are surrounded daily byy this imagery. I want to create work of Expression that shows the positive side, too.

My grandmother passed away in 2000, and in the Jewish tradition one year later there is the unveiling of the gravestone. This happened just three weeks after September 11. I debated with my wife whether we should travel to the unveiling. It was in New York City. Eventually we chose to travel and to be with my family. Wandering the streets with camera in hand, I was overcome. I couldn’t control myself. I just took, picture after picture. On a warm day my wife and I ventured down to Ground Zero. You have to remember this is only a couple weeks later – the ground was still smoking, everything was closed. Again, I couldn’t control myself. I shot endlessly.

There wasn’t time to take it in. Just capture in now. Be in the moment of getting the images, When I went back to Tokyo and started to edit my pictures I let the images seep into my soul, and I realized that I had after so many years found my voice as an artist.

Je me recroquevillerais et je mourrais si je ne m’autorisais pas un exutoire créatif. Je ne sors jamais sans mon appareil photo. Si je l’oublie, je me sens tout nu. Traitez les autres avec respect, remettez en cause ceux qui détiennent le pouvoir. Utilisez la capacité à réfléchir que Dieu vous donne pour chercher la lumière en pleine obscurité. En tant qu’expressionniste, je sais que le Diable vit sur Terre. Nous sommes entourés quotidiennement par des images le représentant. Je veux créer des oeuvres expressionnistes qui montrent ce que le monde a de positif.

Ma grand-mère est morte en 2000, et dans la tradition juive, l’année suivante, on inaugure la Pierre tombale. Cela s’est passé juste après le 11 septembre. Ma femme et moi avons discute pour savoir s’il était sage de se rende a l’inauguration qui avait lieu a New York. Nous avons finalement décidé d’y aller et d’être aux cotés de ma famille. Tandis que je me promenais dans les rues, mon appareil photo a la main, j’étais bouleversé. Je ne pouvais me contrôler, je prenais photo après photo. Une journée ensoleillée, ma femme et moi nous nous sommes rendus a Ground Zéro. Ce n’était pas fermé, le sol fumait encore. Encore une fois, j’avais du mal a me contrôler, je n’arrêtais pas de pendre des photos, je n’avais pas de temps a perdre, il fallait que je capture tous ces moments. Quand je suis rentré à Tokyo et que j’ai trié mes photos, j’ai laissé ces images infiltrer lentement man âme. C’est a ce moment-la que j’ai ai réalisé que j’ avais finalement, après toutes ces années d’errance, trouver ma voie en tant qu’artiste. Mon travail et mes photos sont le but de ma vie. ce n’est pas temps ce que j’ai envie de faire mais ce que je dois faire.

Today is lovely.  It actually hints at being spring.  The air is warm and full of pollen making me sneeze.  The windows are open letting in the slight breeze.  So before I get on  flight across the ocean blue back to my hometown of Miami, I thought it best to post the rain, so to avoid it later.

So, rain rain go away.

For I got to go away.

My good mate in NYC has written a wonderful intro to my piece on Bahia Honda.

I hope you all take a moment to go over there and check it out.  Thanks to all the good people over at Beliefnet for making this happen. It is a good way to round out the year.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/onecity/2009/12/bahia-honda-the-edge-of-forever.html

This is a summer fashion and style piece I did for the hipster magazine Imagozine a while back.  It has finally come out and will be available though the Imagozine website and Borders Books.  If you are feeling hit go out and get yourself a copy.  I will post the article’s text below the picture.  A special shout out goes to my lovely models Azure and Yoshimi for making it a day to remember out in Tokyo.  Hugs girls!!

Hot, hot, hot was the day when I met the 2 hip models Azure and Yoshimi at Naka Meguro station in the heart of Tokyo.  We were out for a day of fun.  Ummm, I have always wondered what do glamour girls do when they are not walking down runways, being prepped for a glamorous photo shoot or being shown into the VIP lounge at a club.  Like most other girls they GO SHOPPING.

First these 2 stylish Tokyoites.  Azure with 2 big bushy pig tails came dressed in a beautiful zig zag print short dress.  A pair of vintage sunglasses helped to keep the blistering sun off her eyes.  I admired her sandals but she remarked later, ” I can’t remember where I got them.”  Ah the life of a model.  Yoshimi was rocking a Monoprix top,  French, but picked up in Vintage shop in Tokyo.  A pair of fresh sandals bought somewhere in the back streets of Shibuya.  These girls are ready to hit these steamy streets and see what we can find.

As we walked along the canal to Azure’s favorite shop in this part of town.  The clack clack of the sandals could barely be heard over the semi, Cicadas whining of a 2- stroke engine.  “It’s HOT,” moaned Yoshimi.  This is an often repeated mantra in the muggy summers in Tokyo.  Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE bitches about the heat.

10 minutes on foot from the station.  Here, in Tokyo everything is stated in time from the station.  We ducked down to a basement store.  I was Indy Jones like looking for the LOST TEMPLE OF FASHION, cause by the time we turned into the Janus store ( www.janus-nakameguro.com ) , It felt like a subterranean cave.  The rush of chilled air soothed our over heated bodies.  The girls browsed though the rack pulling some clothes that they wanted to try on.  The cool grey cement compliment the luscious earthy colors.  Janus clothes hug the body tightly to show off all the curves.   Which looked fab on these trend setting models.  Azure gleamed with exitement, “WOW that looks HOT on you, Yoshimi!”  After an impromptu fashion show with bulb flashes galore, the girls end up buying some sexy gear.   They each pick out something to take home an add to their already flashy collections.

Back out into the heat of the day.  The sun was now blistering down on us.  Lots of passerby’s used umbrellas to keep from being roasted.  We stop into a couple shops, one in particular was full of all sorts of vintage goods in an old car mechanic shop.  Azure’s dress was a perfect match for the day glow 60’s pattern on the vintage bedspreads.  The narrow isles were packed with toys, furniture, lamps, if you can imagine it, it was probably there tucked in somewhere.

“OH my, I think I’m going to pass out, all this shopping has me famished,”  declared Azure.  So, we pop into a Luigi’s Cafe for lunch.  You know the kind of place, lots of trendy types, hiding behind designer glasses eating stunningly prepared food.  Yes, these models DO and CAN eat quite a lot.  They need the energy to hit the pavement all day.  Food was all fresh, curries, Thai noodles, focccia, quite the eclectic fusion cuisine.

Like the girls the day went fabulously well.  It was fun hanging in Tokyo with too vivacious ladies.  Popping into stores.  Trying on some super sexy gear.  Trying not to overheat in the powerful midday sun.  It’s one of the best ways to see this metropolis.  Link up with someone who knows all the hip spots, and let your feet do some walking.  Catch up with all of you next time in Tokyo.

After a torrential down pour yesterday, the skies opened up to reveal the most beautiful cloudless skies over the Kanto region today.  The blue was deep, clean and a shinning snow capped Mount Fuji could be seen on my way today.  As I strolled breathing in the clean crisp air, I kept my eyes in the sky, until I came across the plethora of shoe horns hanging in a window store front in Ichikawa

May we all be blessed with beautiful weather, before the it turns nasty and cold.  Amen.

The storm blew though on Thursday this week, leaving scattered leaves and twigs about.  All the signs that it was here.  All of these signs will soon be forgotten till the next big one.  Moving in taking a closer look.  Trying to look at things more clearly, they turn into abstractions.

The latest edition of the ink or print Ysin Embargo Magazine dropped this monday.  It is full with fabulous artists reaction to the ever changing relationships of analog and digital medium.  There are many superb contributions to this issue.  Make it a point to check them all out.

My piece is a analog and digital conversation with my maternal grandmother.  Surrounded by the analog sights and smells that surround her.

I am ever thankful to Y Sin Embargo’s creative hurricane of Fernando Prats.  The layout and impact of the magazine would not be the same with out him.  Much respect Fernando.

you can download the PDF file here.

you can go to LULU and order the magazine here.

be sure to browse the past issues and all the happening over at Y Sin Embargo Magazine.

I will re print the text below in both English and Spanish.

they both tell a story.

interwoven expressions. of silver oxide and pixels.

together searching to unlock the gifts that lay underneath.

lifting skywards across time dimensions.

3 axis collide at the moment

the time pins the location to its x, y, z,.

across the digital waves of, 1s and 0s.

A lucid communication opens the gates between,

the converging axis.

The lens draws back, and froward, interpreting

the light into its components.

into the hands of all can access image creation.

but with access, comes pursuit of fullness.

Tmatriarical manisfestation of the n the fusion of the axis. provides the onlooker with a security code.

# # #

ambos cuentan una historia.

expresiones entrelazadas. de óxido de plata y pixeles.

juntos buscando abrir la llave de los regalos escondidos debajo.

elevándose hacia el cielo a través de dimensiones temporales.

3 ejes colisionan en el momento

en que el tiempo fija la ubicación en su x, y, z,

a través de las ondas digitales de 1s y 0s.

Una comunicación lúcida abre las puertas intermedias,

los ejes convergentes.

La lente se desplaza atrás y adelante, interpretando

la luz hacia sus componentes.

hacia las manos de todos puede acceder la creación de la imagen

pero con el acceso viene la búsqueda de la plenitud.

Manifestación matriarcal de la fusión n de los ejes. Proporciona al espectador un código de seguridad.

I love hip hop.

I love graffiti too.

However, when it comes to photographing it I am not always that interested.

I do enjoy finding examples of the unique Japanese bad boy graffiti.  Its simple, to the

point and usually, just Japanese text.

It is all about expressing ones self.

The wonderful folks at Fabrica that put out the dope magazine COLORS, are up to their elbows in teens.  Teens from around the world, and doing all things imaginable.  Check out the m2c lucid communication contribution.  It is a series of images from the Breakn Bread event at Youth Expressions hosted by Brimstone127.

http://lab.colorsmagazine.com/contributed/94-breakn-bread-b-boy-battle-miami-fl-usa

also, feel free to pass on the link, and if you like you can register and send your story or images

Coming soon from the design minded peeps of Y Sin Embargo Magazine.

More images to come.

Those featured on the blog are part of the process I used to edit the series for the

publication in addition to some text.

http://ysinembargo.com/uebi/2009/08/17/a-pit-os-pit-and-energy-jacob-schere-yse-21/

Is there such a thing as Urban Nature?

Sun was beaming down and sizzling the concrete today as I

strolled back to the station.  The morning started off cool enough.  It didn’t last

long, it is July, you know?  The heat of the day sometimes bleaches the colors into

a nothingness, but I strive to find the colors in the City.

P.S. There is a cheeky self portrait in this batch.

ciao.

My image Boy, Steps, Paris, Life Paris 2007 was selected as one of the top images posted on Flickr groups in May.  There are other great images there so check it out.

Holgblog Best of May

http://www.holgablog.com/