fabric | rblg

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Via The Guardian (via City of Sound)

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Most family photo albums are a form of propaganda, where the family looks perfect and everyone is smiling: we try to create fabrications about who we are. But if you're doing a portrait of someone, ask them not to smile. You will get a much more dignified, interesting portrait, and it won't look like a family snap.

Don't be scared of photographing a storm-out, crying fit or strop. The instinct is to capture people only when they are smiling around a birthday cake or at a wedding, but never during an argument or funeral. On holiday, of course photograph the daytrips and good times, but make sure you document when everything isn't going to plan as well.

You have to overcome the feeling that it isn't the right time to take a photograph if you want to get away from this version of the perfect, harmonious family. I would argue that the more valuable document is the honest one.

One of the things that photographs are very good at doing is showing change. So take a picture before you go on holiday and when you have just got back. Similarly you should take before-and-after shots when you redecorate your bathroom, or if you replace your car.

You need to think carefully about what appears to be prosaic: no one would dream to think that going to the supermarket is an important event, but when you look back in the future, you'll be amazed at how interesting it is.

When you are away, why not record all of the food that you eat? If someone has spent a lot of time cooking a meal, or if you're going out for a treat, photograph the food. You could make a series of each breakfast, lunch and dinner that you ate. That would be fascinating.

Photograph the caravan, guest house, tent – wherever you are staying. Think of yourself as a documentary photographer; up the ante and take yourself more seriously.

And the other thing you must do is print them. We are in danger of having a whole generation – and this will continue into the future – that has no family albums, because people just leave them on their computer, and then suddenly they will be deleted. You have to print them and put them in an album or a box, otherwise they could be lost. And write captions. You might think you are going to remember what is happening in a picture, but you probably won't in 10 years' time.

Via Domus (web)

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2010 Venice Biennale: all the ideas, designs, faces and voices of the main players at the Biennale directed by Kazuyo Sejima in a Domus online special.

Biennale Highlights

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Personal comment:

Check out also the video of Junya Ishigami (Golden lion winner) about his fragile and minimal work in this biennale.

Via Dedale newsletter

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17, 18 septembre 2010
A Paris, en Ile-de-France et partout en France

CITOYENS, LA VILLE VOUS APPARTIENT!

Parking Day, c’est bientôt et ça bouillonne un maximum! Artistes, citoyens et autres green guerilleros investissent pendant deux jours les places de parking qui prennent des allures inattendues : stand gratuit de limonade bio, compost géant de quartier, parc pour animaux de compagnie, stand de massages, aires de jeu, galerie à ciel ouvert, concours de pétanque sur gazon, mini-ferme urbaine… A Paris et dans toutes les villes de France, laissez libre cours à votre imagination pour créer des parenthèses originales aux espaces bétonnés, les 17 et 18 septembre 2010. Alors n'attendez plus et participez vous aussi !

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Via Dezeen

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September 1st, 2010

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