The following photo series of samurai masks is the second installment of a series made in response to visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms and Armour department. The first installment is on samurai armour. The masks evoke something otherworldly to me. While working on this series, I kept imagining them coming into light through smoke and mist; a merging of the ethereal and the physical. About Samurai Masks Samurai masks were made primarily of iron and/or leather and were often finished with lacquer to offer protection from the elements and to enhance the beauty and craftsmanship of the piece. The masks were worn to protect the face … [Read more...]
Samurai Armour From The Edo Period (1603 – 1867)
On my most recent trip to New York I spent the better part of two days at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the greater part of my first day being spent in its Arms and Armour department. The museum boasts a Japanese collection that is considered to be the most complete outside of Japan.¹ The following series on concentrates primarily on the Edo period - this wasn't intentional, it just seemed to happen that way. Shooting the following photos proved to be an interesting task. I'm an amateur in all aspects of the process. My post production play tends to be a sort of let's see what happens when I do this in Photoshop type of process mixed with a hey, I wonder if there's a … [Read more...]
Things To Do In Windsor – A Guide For People Who Hate Malls
I grew up in the city of Windsor, Ontario, Canada and from the time I was somewhere between twelve and fourteen years old I was intent on getting out. Windsor was a dusty, grey hole - its only redeeming factor was that it bordered Detroit, Michigan, USA. That says a lot, as at that time in history I believe Detroit was the murder capital of the U.S. Back then, I thought, "Well, at least Detroit's interesting. And has great bands". Windsor had air that tasted like fertilizer and various Tim Horton's littered throughout the city. It took a decade or two for me to realize the incredible in Windsor. I grasped this mostly while away. For a city of a little over … [Read more...]
Photo Series: North American Black Historical Museum
All photos were taken at the North American Black Historical Museum located in Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada. Amherstburg played a vital role as a crossing point for Americans escaping slavery during the nineteenth century. From the Museum's website: Amherstburg meant freedom, as the Canadian destination for many Black people escaping slavery in the United States. The Museum is uniquely situated to resource a profound history, steeped in its surroundings, to further extend public knowledge and enjoyment. The Museum features an original residence and church of former slaves, toward its mandate to acquire, preserve, interpret, research and exhibit a collection of objects of historical … [Read more...]