Vanessa - Bob Mazzer: Underground

You know when you buy a present for a friend that you secretly want for yourself? Happens quite often, for me at least. After an hour or two randomly trawling online for present ideas recently, I came up with a true gem.

Have you heard of this guy? Bob Mazzer doesn't seem to be widely recognised, he had his first gallery exhibition only this year. But one of his photos inspired Mark Knopfler to write the Dire Straits song 'Walk of Life', and became the artwork for the single, so he must have had a following for a while.

Mazzer spent the 70s and 80s photographing commuters on the London tube, mostly at night, as he went to and from work as a projectionist in a porn cinema (an unnecessary detail in some ways, but every write up includes it, and I couldn't resist either). As Mazzer describes it, "Coming home late at night, it was like a party and I felt the tube was mine and I was there to take pictures."

I just received the book in the mail and it's a beautiful object. When I turned to the first page, I expected to see the usual third person praise by some gallery curator, art historian or fellow documenter of 70s/80s London. But I was pleased to find that all the text is by Mazzer himself, mostly small notes that reveal a little more about particular photos. His character comes through really nicely in his writing - my impression is of a curious, good humoured fellow who just loves people and images.

I particularly liked the note that went with the above photo:

"If you don't want to be photographed, you must put a bag on your head. If you see someone with a bag on their head, you have to photograph them. These women were part of the army of workers that clean the stations and tunnels when we have all gone home to bed. On no way did I intend to make them figures of fun, but it is funny."

The photos reveal what it is to be a true street photographer. Being there, a lot. Spending time in the realm of strangers, up close, ready to capture moments as they flit past. Being part of what you are photographing. So many serendipitous moments in these shots, that you only get by waiting and watching closely. Add to that a beautiful technique - Leica camera, film, and darkroom.

You can see a selection of Mazzer's photos at the link below (and a whole lot more if you do a Google image search):

http://howardgriffingallery.com/exhibitions/bob-mazzer-underground

This book could be a good companion piece to the book I gave Sean for his birthday this year, Londoners by Craig Taylor, an oral history of the city. Here is the radio talk that made me want to buy that book:

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/weekendarts/2013-05-25/4691236

And then there's that Londoners podcast that you mentioned ages ago, Sean. I now can't find it, can you remind me of the link? That's why we need this blog rather than using work email to swap links!

Sean - Random intense conversations

Here are two conversations I happened to catch on RN this weeks as I was driving around doing workshops. I found both fascinating, not just for the content, but also for the manic character of those "in conversation". They are not so much conversations, as intense raves from two very different men.

Speaking with Richard Fidler, Michael Ware is a journalist who has specialised in reporting from Iraq. He gives a gripping account of what exactly is going on with the jihadist group, Islamic State. And he seems kind of shrill and on edge throughout. Fair enough given the terrifying content, and the fact he was kidnapped by jihadists in 2004.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/08/21/4071673.htm?site=conversations

Meanwhile, here's theatre critic Alison Croggon at NEON in Melbourne, "talking" with Barrie Kosky. Well, Barry is just raving free-form style, and Alison can't get a word in edgeways. But it's pretty entertaining.

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksandartsdaily/neon3a-aussie-theatre-director-barrie-kosky-in-conversation/5684710

Sean - "O, Excellent Air Bag"

Here's a quick and very odd read, from the Public Domain Review

http://publicdomainreview.org/2014/08/06/o-excellent-air-bag-humphry-davy-and-nitrous-oxide/

Sonya - Into the darkness by Helen Garner

Helen Garner has published a new book, and an excerpt featured in a recent edition of The Weekend Australian magazine.

The subject matter is chilling - she follows the trial of a father who drove his sons into a dam on Father's Day in 2005, killing them. There are multiple trials, appeals and Garner spent 8 years following their developments.

In many ways this excerpt reminded me very much of her book, Joe Cinque's Consolation that followed another eerie crime, in which a university student is accused of injecting a lethal dose of heroin into her boyfriend as he slept.

I trust her as a narrator and observer, having read The First Stone and Joe Cinque's Consolation and being a keen admirer of her writing. She lets you know when she's confused and mad about what she is witnessing both in and outside court, and includes what she's doing in between the court dates, sketches of places, as well as insights into her personal life.

Despite this, I still felt uncomfortable reading parts of this excerpt when I could feel myself really feeling for the father, despite his terrible actions as she sketches out the breakdown of his marriage some 10 months prior. It could be what makes her books so captivating to me, you get confused along with her, you have strong opinions about the crime and the accused and try to wrestle with an idea of justice, and how muddied it can be when it's dealing with human lives and relationships.

There's a six photo slideshow that sits above the excerpt that I found so sad but couldn't help feeling that it really added something extra to the text story.

Why did Robert Farquharson take an evil turn on that country road? By Helen Garner

Sonya - Tiny studio, formerly a double garage

I am slightly obsessed with tiny homes and recently came across this one, which is actually a cleverly converted garage in Melbourne.

It is beautifully fitted out, and inspired by the handmade houses movement of the 1970s, as well as Swedish and Japanese design. It reminded me of your place Vanessa!

Take a look: The Design Files: The Melbourne home of Alex Kennedy

Sean - Some RN programs

Is it cheating to link to programs that are RN, rather than digging deeper? Truth is, I pay regular attention to RN, and find myself enjoying a lot of what I hear. I'm really enjoying Soundproof, on Sunday nights. Field recording, and vinyl records, seem to be two recurring themes on that program! Just discovered in the Soundproof podcasts that a few weeks back one of my favourite local improvising musicians, Jim Denley, produced a full episode, Last Day at Turkey Creek. Jim has been traveling to Turkey Creek to run music workshops for the local Indigenous kids. Jim's main instrument is the saxophone, but he uses the sax unconventionally as a sound producing device. In his music, Jim also engages frequently with the landscape. His CDs have often been distilled documents of weeks walking, camping, and playing in the bush. Turkey creek of course provides a great environment for Jim. What I particularly like about this program is that Jim really holds on his various field recordings from Turkey Creek and surrounding country for a long time, often running at several minutes. You have to listen with focus and patience, preferably on headphones. I felt really immersed in the places, and a subtle narrative emerges as well. At the Turkey Creek shop, in the classroom, the cabin, surrounding hills, and finally at a special waterhole. Where a sudden storm hits. Here there's an unusual twist to Jim's narrative. I won't give it away, but I know exactly what he's talking about having myself entered special places with equipment in hand. And had weird stuff happen!

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/soundproof/last-day-at-turkey-creek/5560634

And on Background Briefing yesterday, this program about Gaza, The shadow of the Israel-Gaza war.

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas raged, Hagar Cohen visited two neighbouring villages in the West Bank, one Israeli and one Palestinian. She found a level of hostility that does not bode well for future peace efforts.

The program doesn't provide answers, except that perhaps there are no simple answers in this conflict. The conflict is seemingly based on a pretext from ancient times. In the minds of many, it stretches back thousands of years, and may take as long again to play out. It's particularly chilling that the people Hagar speaks with on both sides are just regular people - mums, dads, farmers - except that they'd all like to kill each other. Reconciliation doesn't seem to be an option.

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/2014-08-17/5343476

Sonya - Here's The Thing with Alec Baldwin

Technically, this is Tony's discovery from last week. It's an interview show, hosted by Alec Baldwin that promises to explore 'the lives of artists, policy makers and performers.'

I was apprehensive at first, only knowing Alec Baldwin from his schmoozy TV and movie roles but I listened to a few episodes with Tony on the drive to Sydney and I really enjoyed them. In lots of ways, what ties these interviews together is that they're all about success, and what it means to work and get a break. For this reason, I'd probably cherry pick people that I'm interested in to listen to.

The Erica Jong and Molly Jong-Fast episode is my favourite so far. The pair are a mother and daughter, who spend much of the episode interrupting and undermining each other but it's funny rather than painful.

Here's a preview:

'Both mother and daughter are writers. Erica is best known for her 1973 book Fear of Flying, a feminist classic about liberation, in many forms.

Molly, a mother of three kids herself, published her second novel, The Social Climber's Handbook, earlier this year.

Alec talks to Erica and her daughter Molly about sex, divorce and the impact on sexuality on young women today.'

I also enjoyed his interview with David Simon, the creator and writer of The Wire and Treme.

Next up, I'm planning to listen to his interview with Jill Abramson, who was unceremoniously dismissed as the executive editor of the New York Times in 2013. She had been the first woman to act in the role and it's thought that this interview may have had something to do with her dismissal.

Sean - The Woodmans

This is one of the most intriguing documentaries I've seen in a long time. It was on the ABC a few months ago, and it's stayed with me ever since. I had never heard of the photographer Francesca Woodman before I watched this - when it came on I was only half paying attention, but as it unfolded it had me enthralled. Not so much in the filmmaking itself, which is fairly straightforward, but the story of Francesca and her eccentric family, and her amazing photographs. I've since bought one of her photography books, and it really is incredible work. She uses a lot of elements that could risk being obvious - empty rooms, deserted spaces, the naked body, costumes, props - but she uses those elements in such an idiosyncratic and creative way that the photos are truly the work of an artist with a singular vision. As is often the way with original artists, she didn't receive the recognition she craved at the time (early 1980s), and she committed suicide when only 22.

"A fascinating, unflinching portrait of the late photographer Francesca Woodman, told through the young artist's work (including experimental videos and journal entries) and remarkably candid interviews with her artist parents Betty and George (a ceramic sculptor and painter/photographer), who have continued their own artistic practices while watching Francesca's professional reputation eclipse their own."

The film is available for download, or streaming

http://alivemindcinema.com/req.php?req=static.php&page=TheWoodmans

Vanessa - The New Yorker Tables for Two column (especially for Sonya)

I came upon the Tables for Two column after reading this article in the Saturday Paper about Amelia Lester, an Australian expat who works at The New Yorker. I'd heard her interviewed on The Media Report a while back, a young woman living the ultimate fantasy of so many young writers and journalists. Amelia now writes for the longstanding Tables for Two column, which seems to be a bit of an institution.

This isn't my usual territory at all. I used to love reading restaurant reviews, even though I very rarely eat out, but I kind of lost interest over the years. Now I spend more time reading cooking blogs, even though I rarely follow recipes. So I only really went down this rabbit hole for Sonya's sake, but I was happily transported for an hour or two on a chilly Sunday afternoon.

Amelia Lester describes the column like this: "Tables for Two is a sketch of a place, a time, a neighbourhood. Food happens to be involved, but that's because food means more to residents of this city than just about any other...restaurants have become our personal space, the extra room that New Yorkers often dream of having. They're where love affairs, breakups, and family fights take place, and we have all entered into a contract of pretending not to hear the conversation at the adjacent table when they happen."

As suggested by the quote above, the reviews cover the nuts and bolts - what the place looks like, what the food tastes like, who goes there - but they also deftly tell a story in very few words. A description of a couple of dishes, a couple of anecdotes about the clientele, and you have a fully-formed picture of the place in your mind. It feels like a great hybrid of food and travel writing in consummate New Yorker style, and my stomach was rumbling as I read it.

And for our very own girl-about-town who's about to embark on a NYC adventure, there is an interactive map of all the eateries that have been featured in the column. Even though I'm not planning to travel to New York any time soon (and I never have money to spend in restaurants when I travel anyway), I'm finding the map quite addictive. The concentration of eateries in such a small space is mind boggling.

http://projects.newyorker.com/story/tables-for-two/

And while we're on the topic of dream job, I also happened upon this wonderful job application to the New Yorker written by a young and very sassy Eudora Welty, featured In Letters of Note. Welty never did get the job (or even a reply to her letter), but did go on to become a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist.

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/05/12/eudora-welty-new-yorker-application-letter/