Two Weekes in Provence and North Florida: August 2014

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Graffiti, Arles

Very fresh. Looks like a duck for Daniel.

This was an exceedingly odd, and not very well done, exhibit, housed in it's own building. It was a collection of Frank Gehry's models for buildings that he eventually built. They were all put on long tables and lit by moving spotlights that revealed very little. So I decided to photograph the hall and the lighting. This tourist snuck in and stole my idea.

Past mascots, Rencontres D'Arles

Here are some of the previous year's symbols. Notice the dots, that I mention again a few posts down.

More resters, Arles

Walking these huge halls can wear one out. But it's worth it.

Chema Madoz exhibit, Arles

I must admit that I had never heard of Chema Madoz until this exhibit. My loss. There were many walls covered with his whimsical, funny, brilliant work. Beautiful prints. As soon as I got home I ordered a book of his work. What a mind.

Resting, Arles

The exhibit is so large and the halls so big that one must rest from time to time. This was between two giant halls, conveniently near a refreshment stand.

Reviewing, Arles

It is an oddity that all of us photographers who go to these huge exhibits would probably feel naked if we didn't bring our own camera. I have never seen so many Nikon D800s (the current "Best" camera) in one place. My little micro 4/3 Olympus felt tiny. My neck, on the other hand, thanked me.

Gallery, Arles

I am sorry to have lost this photographer's name. He or she made these huge and well printed pictures that repeated the same scene, one of which, on the right is of a person going around the corner of a house. It was not fascinating.

Dots, Arles

Dots are everywhere during the Rencontres. Every year there is a new animal mascot for that year's exhibit, which has lots of dots on it. Janie theorized that they come from these windows in the exhibition hall. They all have dots like this. Either that or the pixel-peepers are gonna tell me to get a D810;-)

Decorative grating, main hall, Recontres D'Arles

Even in France, rust never sleeps.

Pizza pie! Arles

The overall quality of pizza in France (and Italy) is incredible. I love thin crusts, the thinner the better, and pizzerias in both countries do that to a tee. This was super crispy with a very tangy tomato sauce, good cheese and real wild mushrooms. Simple and delicious. Sorry about the pizza pie honey.

Whimsical graffiti, Arles

Hydrantologist at work, Arles

I believe that one can see the result of this picture by going to www.blog.blackandwhiteandcolours.de and doing a little searching;-}

Clouds, Arles

Rencontres D'Arles 2014

The Rencontres is centered in what used to be a locomotive repair yard near the tracks in Arles. The buildings are huge as they had to repair giant pieces of machinery out of the weather with giant tools and have room to maneuver while they did it. The usual decay has set in but has been cleaned out, leaving only the bones of the buildings.

Fence and painted building, Arles

This was the first picture I took at the Rencontres D'Arles 2014. Janie and I accompanied my fellow hydrantologist and her friend, to Arles for the annual celebration of all things photographic. The whole town is dedicated to photography and other visual arts. We had a ball and next year we will book a room and spend a few days.