Thursday, May 28, 2009
Goldsworthy's Spire
Jackie and I were running on a trail in the Presidio a while back when we were surprised by this huge wooden spire that had appeared.
It was pretty startling, and then intriguing. Turns out it's a work by Andy Goldsworthy. I like his work, and even more so his attitude toward his work and his process.
I watched Rivers and Tides some time ago. I was most struck by a scene where Andy Goldsworthy is carefully stacking rocks. He builds them up to a certain level, but the rocks suddenly collapse into an indiscriminate pile. He hangs his head in frustration for a moment but then says "This is my work".
You can find Spire by entering the Presidio at the Arguello Gate. Make a right at the gate and follow the road down the hill. After maybe a quarter mile, you'll see on overlook on your right. Look left and you should see the spire.
It's a ways from downtown, but if you catch the 38 Geary from downtown, get off at Arguello, and walk north, up the hill, about six blocks. That'll put you at the Arguello gate. Cabbies might not know where the spire is, but they should know the gate.
If you feel like getting some golf in after, the Presidio Golf Club is a public course. Or you could head down to Clement St and get a bite to eat. Giorgio's Pizza, Burma Super Star, and the tiny sushi place that's between those two are all great places. Avoid the sushi boat place however.
Finally, it seems that Andy Goldsworthy has inspired some imitators near the spire:
It was pretty startling, and then intriguing. Turns out it's a work by Andy Goldsworthy. I like his work, and even more so his attitude toward his work and his process.
I watched Rivers and Tides some time ago. I was most struck by a scene where Andy Goldsworthy is carefully stacking rocks. He builds them up to a certain level, but the rocks suddenly collapse into an indiscriminate pile. He hangs his head in frustration for a moment but then says "This is my work".
You can find Spire by entering the Presidio at the Arguello Gate. Make a right at the gate and follow the road down the hill. After maybe a quarter mile, you'll see on overlook on your right. Look left and you should see the spire.It's a ways from downtown, but if you catch the 38 Geary from downtown, get off at Arguello, and walk north, up the hill, about six blocks. That'll put you at the Arguello gate. Cabbies might not know where the spire is, but they should know the gate.
If you feel like getting some golf in after, the Presidio Golf Club is a public course. Or you could head down to Clement St and get a bite to eat. Giorgio's Pizza, Burma Super Star, and the tiny sushi place that's between those two are all great places. Avoid the sushi boat place however.
Finally, it seems that Andy Goldsworthy has inspired some imitators near the spire:
Labels: MySanFrancisco
Monday, May 18, 2009
Love and Hate
I finished these shots quite some time ago - the red background ones are outtakes from the Resolutions project, and the blue ones were prompted by getting shoes as a Christmas gift.
I just pulled them out of my stack of work prints. I haaaaated the running shoe shots when I first finished them. I thought they were hokey and overly contrived. But I like them now. They're still kinda hokey, and I'm certainly ok with contrived, but some affection for them has appeared.
It's a strange process sometimes, the convolutions in the relationship between me and my photos. Some I love immediately, but the love fades over a couple weeks. Others I recognizes as technically great, but I hate whatever happened to the idea on it's way from my head to the paper. And there are some I have loved for a long, long time.
But in thinking about it I realize this is also true for the work of other photographers, and even movements or trends within photography. I loved the Jill Greenberg look when I first encountered it...now, not so much (although I still love the apes).
I suppose it's worth a look at what images have been extremely durable, to see what's there, what helps that to happen.
I just pulled them out of my stack of work prints. I haaaaated the running shoe shots when I first finished them. I thought they were hokey and overly contrived. But I like them now. They're still kinda hokey, and I'm certainly ok with contrived, but some affection for them has appeared.
It's a strange process sometimes, the convolutions in the relationship between me and my photos. Some I love immediately, but the love fades over a couple weeks. Others I recognizes as technically great, but I hate whatever happened to the idea on it's way from my head to the paper. And there are some I have loved for a long, long time.
But in thinking about it I realize this is also true for the work of other photographers, and even movements or trends within photography. I loved the Jill Greenberg look when I first encountered it...now, not so much (although I still love the apes).
I suppose it's worth a look at what images have been extremely durable, to see what's there, what helps that to happen.
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