Picture of the Week # 331 "Wrapped & Rap Bicycles" Shanghai, China 1980 & 2014 Signed & Stamped

Working on my "MAO to NOW" exhibit. I returned to mainland China last October & November after 34 years and tried to retrace my steps. But nothing looked the same. Oh yes, the great Wall, the Forbidden City etc are the same but the people and  the color are dramatically different. A simple illustration would be these two bicycle pictures I took then and now. I must say after being in China just last November I was able to put together three shows. The first in Shanghai at ArtN Space in June & July. Then in October & November at Picture This Gallery in Hong Kong, and finally at the Power Station of Art, the only State owned Museum in Shanghai for the Shanghai Biennale in 2016 and 17. I must admit that I am proud to have accomplished this in such a short period of time. Okay it took me 34 years, but hey I did it.

Picture of the Week #330  "Cabo Kids" Cabo San Lucas, Mexico  1987 Signed & Stamped

The graphics as well as those two adorable children were an easy mark for my camera. There was something so unique between the wooden sculpture on the left against the bricks and the yellow zig zag paint on the right that were only topped off by the expression on their innocent faces. Even though they are probably in their mid to late twenties by now, I wish I could find them and send this to them.

Picture of the Week # 329 "Toe Tapping"  Tokyo, Japan 1989 Signed & Stamped

I wish I remembered more about this image. I only know from the date that this was taken when I was exhibiting at the La Foret Museum in Tokyo back in 1989 and spent most of my time schmoozing and walking around the Hara Juku section that I probably stumbled upon this guy taking a break in his van. It works with my other "Pictures That make You Smile" series. One day I will have a serious gallery showing of them. 

Picture of the Week #328 "Are You Sure" Venice, California 2014 Signed & Stamped

I was going to title this image "Need A Beer" like the sign says. But then I thought about it and realized he doesn't, but I gave him a buck anyway for allowing me to take his picture. All sorts of colorful people not to mention backgrounds are there. It's a photographers dream except for the hostility you sometimes encounter when one of the crazies doesn't want to be photographed. Now I have a new Sony A7 camera that has a screen on the back that tilts so that I no longer have to bring the view finder up to my eye. This way most people don't know I'm taking their pictures. It's how Vivian Meier got her extraordinary images with a twin lens Rolleiflex. Sneaky but effective.

Picture of the Week #327 "There Are Weddings and There Are Weddings" Dordogne, France 1998 Signed & Stamped

Okay, it's a mock wedding to entertain the kids. We were out walking and past this group of kids who were celebrating something, but at this age memory is not my strong point. Anyway, they were adorable and the grownups seem to be enjoying it as much if not more than the kids. So did we.