More Pictures Of Pictures

I love to play "name that artist" whilst perusing the files of interior designers; since I'm not teaching anymore, nothing else keeps my mental archive of photographers up to date. But, while last week I felt like a badass -- like some sort of a genius with an, ahem, photographic memory -- this week I feel like a bonehead without a clue. I suppose that's just my hubris coming back to slap me upside the head, all Greek tragedy style. I can take it, though. I can admit that sometimes I just don't know.

I spy Diane Arbus... and maybe Lee Friedlander? via David Netto.

So let's play Name That Artist together, shall we? For some of the pics I can give you the skinny, while some I can't. For some I might hazard a guess, and some I shan't. Feel free to fill in the blanks. Please. I'm afraid a tapeworm named Ike may be eating my brain.

Looks like Candida Hofer...? Via Moris Moreno.

I think this is from a book on a German natural history museum, but I can't remember for sure and IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY. Gold star if you can figure this one out. via David Duncan Livingston.

Watch me cheat! Works by Naia del Castillo, Diane Arbus, Wolfgang Tillmans. Thank you, caption gods. via Yatzer.

Clueless. But I am really interested in those bizarre muslin wrapped chairs... via From the Right Bank.

Looks like Adam Fuss, but I kinda don't think it is. via Elle Decor.

Barbara Ess, perhaps? But -- ok -- the real draw here is that coffee table and those chairs. via David Duncan Livinston

I have seen this series of images a zillion times. I'm pretty embarrassed not to know who did them. Can anyone help me? Anyone? Anyone? Buelllller? via Nate Berkus.

John Baldessari. Yeah, I needed a little something something to boost my ego. via Momoy.

via David Prince

I'll just suck it up and admit that I'm a bit out of the loop, but even the well versed may have difficulty identifying particulars in this ever expanding sea of media. Not to mention the fact that many works hide in plain view, a la Vik Muniz' chocolate syrup rendition of the classic Harold Edgerton photograph of a milk droplet. Part of me wishes that every interior photo had all its sources documented -- both artistic and otherwise -- but another part of me would be bored to tears if that were the case.

My brain has a serious case of jelly belly, and I really need the mental exercise.

Pictures of Pictures

Art is an undervalued endeavor -- it does not create algorithms to invest money, invent pharmaceuticals, or generally further business interests in any way. And so, when the young and ambitious set their sights on the humanities, parents get nervous and friends shake their heads, and the young and ambitious learn to eat ramen and wear black. Street cred is a necessity, but so are clothes that hold up to paint, chemicals, and infrequent laundering. It's pretty glamorous, the life of an artist is.

Photograph by Tracey Moffatt, via Emmas Designblogg

I have spent 15+ years slaving over a hot darkroom sink, many more poring over art books, and several years teaching, but I still can't get enough of the photographs that set me on the path to poverty in the first place. Once afflicted, there is no cure for what ails you, save to embrace the disease.

Photograph by Andres Serrano, via NYT

And as much as I enjoy just browsing images on the net, it warms my cold, dirty black heart even more to see some of my favorite artists in the homes of the rich and famous. Thank jeebus somebody can make a living off their work, because who else could inspire the young and ambitious to sacrifice wealth, hygiene, and nutrition, in the name of art?

Vik Muniz, Bernd and Hilla Becher, and Christopher Bucklow, via David Netto

Photos by Mark Shaw via Nate Berkus

Images by Rineke Dijkstra via Fox Mahem

Work by Adam Fuss via David Duncan Livingston

Image by Candida Hofer via Richard Powers

Image by William Eggleston in the home of Krysten Ritter

Photos by Thomas Struth and Andreas Gursky via Michael Richman

Photo by Thomas Struth (on the right) via Met Home

Photo by Gilbert and George via OWI

Works by John Coplans (left bottom) and Loretta Lux in the home of Vicente Wolf

Photos by Steven Klein in the home of Nacho Figueras

I got a little obsessed while doing, ahem, "research" for this post, so I hope you won't be terribly disappointed if I hit you with a two-fer. Back on Monday with another roundup of not quite so epic proportions. In the meantime, I'm entertaining out of town guests, but Karly will be here to regale you with her always acerbic wit.

Have a great week!