See Awards & Certificate of Participation Glasgow Gallery of Photography Exhibition
‘Private eyes
They're watching you
They see your every move’
Words from the song of the same name by Hall & Oates.
This is another take on our CCTV’d society where anything could be a camera or listening device.
Think ‘Alexa’ from Amazon, they openly admitting to listening in on their customers conversations.
Where we happily and willingly invite the Stasi into our own homes, well, maybe not that bad!
‘Get the girl of your dreams with a Dreadnought, Dreadnought for men.’
Is the full line from Hancocks Half Hour a comedy radio programme from the sixties, written and performed by the man himself, Tony Hancock.
Dreadnought was in fact a rolling tobacco as well as a Royal Navy Battleship presumably denoting strength and manliness?
Smoking perhaps once seen as a manly trait?
Waiting patiently for someone to knock.
I experienced a real sense of loneliness when I stood outside this door. Whether that was because of its neglected state, I don't know? Though someone at some point had intended for this door to make a statement from the colours used to paint it and I still think it does. Its presence is still felt.
I was reminded of the Mike Leigh film, Secrets and Lies and the idea of what goes on within families/relationships behind the windows and walls of every home.
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you.
Words: Don McLean
Not related specifically to this image but it did bring to mind a time before Sat Navs, when probably most motorists would have had a copy of the Collins A-Z map book in the car, you daren't leave home without one.
God didn’t rest, he made little knick-knacks for the multitude and the multitude rejoiced with happiness and praised the Lord.
I do like a play upon words.
The title of a 1948 Film.
And the perils of owning a Bicycle in London
“To see, we must forget the name of the things we are looking at” Claude Monet
I think the role of the creative is to challenge perspectives and encourage alternative views.
Images are often about relationships, subject to background complimentary or not. Both subject and background in this image compliment each other because of the grubbiness of both.
The link to Kate Bush, a favourite artist of mine, well, she did refer to herself as the Rubberband Girl, on the Red Shoes album.
I like letterboxes because they all have people behind them, waiting for news.
Mostly, it’s probably junk mail but from time to time, there could be good news, a celebration perhaps but of course at the same time it could be sad news, a loss or departure.
Without exception, it’s coming.
Looking at these discarded pictures, prints, paintings and artists reminded me of the quote attributed to Andy Warhol;
"In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes."
Clearly their time is up.
Sometimes images are just about random connections.
I was waiting in the barbers to get my haircut, as you do and found myself staring at the back of the chair while I was waiting.
Eventually it dawned on me that the lettering REM, was the name of an American band and Michael Stipe was the lead singer.
These days, like me, Michael is follically challenged so may not go to the barbers and perhaps prefers to do it himself or not?
‘One ring to rule them
One ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them
In the land of Mordor
Where the shadows lie’
From, Lord of the Rings
Allowing my imagination to wander
I wonder if Philip Glass is home?
This image reminded me of the book, ‘The Dice Man’ by George Cockcroft (under the pen name of, Luke Rhinehart)
The book tells the story of a psychiatrist who makes daily decisions based on the casting of a diсe. Cockcroft describes the origin of the title idea variously in interviews, once recalling a college "quirk" he and friends used to decide "what they were going to do that night" based on a die-roll, or sometimes to decide between mildly mischievous pranks.
A play on the film title, The Postman Always Rings Twice
A play on the film title, The Postman Always Rings Twice
Looking at this image, immediately reminded me of those Dog Warning signs that some houses display to discourage potential burglars.
The film, Picture of Dorian Gray came out in 1945 it was an adaptation of the book by Oscar Wilde and before I was born, thankfully but I do remember watching it as a kid much later and it did have a big impact me.
Now whenever I see something grey like this image it’s the first thing I think of and I’ve used artistic licence in the spelling of Gray / Grey.
The band released a song titled, ‘Yellow’