New Editorial - UYW - Issue 29

I am pleased to say here's another lovely editorial in UYW, Issue 29 of "Miss Titus Becomes A Regular Army Mac." This issue, a very beautiful one shows the works by Amy Friend, Dafna Talmor, Daisuke Yokota and Noah Wilson, here is an except about the concept;

" A new project often begins with an idea trying to take form in ones mind - the need to investigate and explore a vague dream, wild experimentation and often a mistake.

This issue is about play, trying out new processes and creating unique connections to the past; working with archives and photographing the same photograph multiple times to create mysterious images. It is not so much only about the photos themselves anymore, but the process behind them. It is questioning the photographic medium that we know and are familiar with.

Often by using found images and reinventing photographs taken by someone else, these artists apply their vision to reinvent the medium. These projects reveal photography as a medium that is no longer traditional and "straight forward".

With only a few copies left, my publishers have now sold out, please contact us directly for your copy.

Download the full magazine here: http://www.unlessyouwill.com/ISSUE-29

Royal Photographic Society Review

The first of a few great editorials this year, first a review of "Miss Titus Becomes A Regular Army Mac" and what a nice way to start, than with The Royal Photographic Society and a review by Brian Steptoe FRPS. Here is a little excerpt from the piece;

"This is an artist book, conceived by Melinda Gibson and published October 2013 by b.frank books, who specialise in artists books. It's a 46-page book, with French folds printed on both sides. Each copy is unique, signed and dated... Miss Titus, in common with many recent award-winning contemporary photobooks, uses 'found' images, in this case from the archive collection of Brad Feuerhelm... 

This book is not easy to get into, to attempt to 'read', but a steer is given in the text; that the back images establish the context for the hidden images. However, in most cases there is no connection between the two, which is the actual message implied by the book - that we seek connections and meanings where there just aren't any. It's about the 'lies' of photography, about photographs never showing the 'truth.' 

It also has a psychological element; should readers resist the temptation to cut open these hidden pages and for how long? It's a book as much about the tactical experience of handling as about the content." 

Read more in the Winter Issue, number 54 of the magazine, Contemporary Photography.

New Stockists & Editorials

 

January is proving to be a very busy month indeed and I am very pleased to say that my second publication, "Miss Titus Becomes A Regular Army Mac" is taking the lead to date, as the next few months see a collection of new Editorials and a wonderful new Stockist selling the publication. The Wonderful Tipi Bookshop in Belgium now has Miss Titus available through them and what a beautiful shop it is indeed, I must take a trip to see it when I am next in that part of Europe - soon I hope!

New editorials will include; The Royal Photographic Society,  UYW (UnlessYouWill) and PiK Magazine, but here is a little extract from Colin Pantall who not only wrote 1 review about the book, but 2, 1 for Emaho and 1 for himself.  I love it when something really gets under the skin of someone, somethings aren't meant to be easy, a test for the senses on all levels!

"She selected key images and made a book of them. But not just any book. It's a kind of annoying book that I'm still not too sure about, but then again for a book that I'm not too sure about, I sure spent  a lot of time looking at it. The next annoying thing about it is it's handmade, beautifully - so you know that Gibson spent an inordinate amount  of time on it. It's gorgeously made, tactile in a paper wrapping with a kind of glassine sleeve cover (to go with the archive picture theme). It feels lovely in the hands. Wait a minute, that's not annoying, that's good isn't it. Perhaps a bit of envy is creeping in here. If schadenfreude is taking pleasure is someone else's pain, then freudenschade is the word for taking pain in someone else's pleasure. It's just too darn smart! So it's a book that makes you work to see the images, where the images connect to their origins, where multiple layers form multiple narratives (including the narrative of construction)! Fabulous." Colin Pantall.

There are only a few copies left of the publication now, so make sure you get yours and make your own mind up...

Here is the full review here: http://colinpantall.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/miss-titus-gets-her-knickers-in-twist.html

Attire & Equipment for 2014

This week has seen much experimentation and inspiring, thought-provoking finds as the investigations for the Silvermine Collaboration are in full swing. And what better way to start my work than with whole new attire and equipment for 2014! The only thing missing from these pictures are my black rubber, boots, apron and gloves, but it brings so much joy working like I used too many years ago.

For me Photography has always been a tool in which control was an important element and inspiration. I was drawn to this medium for the very fact that you could take an image, process the film, develop the prints and all within the constraints of a wet process. So to be working in a similar vain now, bringing it all back, and to the forefront of my mind, just consolidates why I love this medium and how important it is to push its boundaries to express my vision.

Back to the concrete studio for me, where I don on my mask and other related attire, and get processing... 

Alchemy At Its Best - Silvermine Collaboration

2014 will bring a wonderful set of new work to light as my collaborative project with Thomas Sauvin's Silvermine will debut later this year! It is a very exciting year with much work to be made, and many adventures to be had. It started long before now, in fact back in November 2012, but I shall return to China later this year to finalise the imagery and present our findings.

To work on an Archive of this kind, Time was the most important element, time to look, sit with, enjoy and edit imagery, to make the best possible selection, bring together all the ideas and produce new imagery that presents all our findings and bares the vision that makes my practice my own. Having looked through many hundreds of thousands of images, I feel that it is now the time to start producing the new works and this month see's the start of my second round of investigations, alchemy at its best!

With that I donned on my new black rubber gloves, apron and googles and set to work fusing Science and Photography, in many ways trying to separate the the two, which proved and provided my ideas and findings in magical and mysterious ways. I of course can not quite release what and how the works are made just yet, but keep watching as I post more about the works, as and when, more are made. All I can say is that my Chemistry lessons and some very talented individuals have provided much advice and the best possible way to learn is to experiment, even if that means that there are times, when I find if difficult to catch my breath.

Keep watching, this project is going to reveal some beautiful results and I am so honoured to be working with such incredible imagery...

Archive: Record, Catalyst, Fiction - Talk at The London Art Fair Friday 17th January 4-5pm

I am very pleased to announce that I am 1 of the 4 Panelists, which include Martin Barnes, (Senior Curator of Photography V&A), Pete James (Birmingham Library) and Artist/Archivist Ania Dabrowska talking about the role of the Archive. 

Chaired by the wonderful Sue Steward, the talk titled, "Archive: Record, Catalyst, Fiction" will focus on the notion that, Archives are no longer easily defined and this discussion encompasses a range of approaches: from the historical and institutional; the personal and family record; fictional narrative; digital repository and artists using found images as a catalyst for extraordinary projects.

I will be talking about my Archive influenced projects, from my last publication, "Miss Titus Becomes A Regular Army Mac"  to my long developing collaborative project with Thomas Sauvin and his much acclaimed Silvermine Archive. I will be showing imagery from the Sauvin Archive which is unseen from my residency in Beijing and discuss the future our collaborative project, which will debut later this year.

It's a talk not to be missed with some incredibly insightful and extraordinary visions, see here for pre booking information: http://www.londonartfair.co.uk/page.cfm/Action=Form/FormID=73/t=m

A Way to Watch The New Year Arrive 2014!

Welcome to 2014!!!! And what a magical way to welcome the New Year in than an extremely special trip to The Royal Albert Hall to see an exclusive screening of the multi award winning film "The Artist" live in concert! It is almost difficult to explain just how incredible this evening was, as the original composer Ludovic Bource was present playing his piano part, the wonderful Ernst van Tiel, original conductor of the film score conducted the amazing London Symphony Orchestra, bringing this film score vividly to life! It was absolutely beautiful, inspiring and one of the most memorable experiences of a life time, truly spectacular, what a way to see in 2014.

And this year is going to be a great one, not only starting with seeing in the new hours with this experience, but there is much great news which I will slowly release, as and when the time is right. But keep watching, 2014 is going to see some wonderful, wonderful things happen!

Here's a little trailer of what we saw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gypdaTWqL6k