Picture of the Week #25 "Lovers in the Louvre"

Picture of the Week #25 "Lovers in the Louvre" Paris, France 1994 Signed and Stamped

There is an irony in this image of the couple kissing while the statues seem to be glancing back disapprovingly at their intimacy. 

Picture of the Week #24 "Mother's Milk"

Picture of the Week #24 "Mother's Milk" Arles, France 1981  Signed and Stamped

In honor of Mother's Day I decided to send this image out a day earlier than my usual Monday Morning photo blog. At the time of the photo I was living in St. Tropez, France for the summer. The "Gipsy Kings" Musical group were just starting to rise in their popularity and I would have them over to the house for parties where they would perform. One day they invited myself and my friend Arthur Janov, the author of the book "Primal Scream" over to lunch. They instructed me to turn off the motor-way and by the exit ramp I would see their wagons. I pictured horse drawn carriages that would be brightly painted and the women in big skirts in a golden field of sunlight. So, needless to say I was surprised when I saw a long line of mobile homes parked under the auto route. They had prepared a big meal but Arthur and I had lost our appetite when we noticed that many of the kids looked like they had ring worm. The women were instructed by their musician husbands not to steal from us as we were friends. We had something to drink and then left after I recorded a number of images. A truly memorable day.

Picture of the Week #23 "Regarding Tutankamen"

Picture of the Week #23 "Regarding Tutankamen" Cairo, Egypt 1989 Signed and Stamped.

What makes this image so interesting to me is the muted images of the many people who are looking at the famous "boy king" Tutankamen through the glass cabinet enclosure. Also the appearance that the sarcophagus is levitating. 

Picture of the Week #22 "Waiting for Princess Grace"

Picture of the Week #22 "Waiting for Princess Grace" Monte Carlo, Monaco 1971 Signed and Stamped. Years before I knew people who knew Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco I visited the incredible storybook Palace. They were not there that day. The Royals were expected back later in the week. This lone guard stood waiting. I never had the opportunity to see them, but secretly like so many others I envied their lifestyle. It was so different than growing up in Brooklyn.

Picture of the Week #21 "Gazing in the Getty"

Picture of the Week #21 "Gazing in the Getty" Los Angeles, California 2008 Signed and Stamped. As someone who is obsessed by the human condition, photographing unsuspecting people acting naturally, has always been one of my favorite things to do. 

Picture of the Week #20 "The Meat Sniffer"

Picture of the Week #20 "The Meat Sniffer" Paris, France 1970 Signed and Stamped - Some of you might recognize this image as I painted it years ago. It was also shown on a poster for a one man show that I had in Santa Monica back in 1979. I was walking down rue de Buci in Paris with my ever present camera hanging around my neck when I saw this old Frenchman in a beret walking with a knapsack and carrying a newspaper under his arm. He stopped in this butcher shop and as soon as the butchers turned away he leaned over and smelled the meat. Click. I caught the image forever. It was and always will be one of my favorites. Sadly this butcher shop is no longer there.

Picture of the Week #19 "Roy Lichtenstein Pop Legend"

Picture of the Week #19 "Roy Lichtenstein Pop Legend" Venice, California 1978 I was fortunate to know Roy, one of the nicest, most down to earth greats of the art world. The picture of Roy was taken when I attended his vernisage at the old ACE gallery in Venice California. The POP image behind him was actually taken years later at the Petersen Automotive Museum. I do not know if it is an authentic Lichtenstein, but it certainly looked like one. I put the two together as I loved the contrast between his serious expression and that of the cartooned image behind him. I remember picking him up for lunch when he was painting a mural on the wall of the old Creative Artist Agency lobby in Beverly Hills. He asked if I wanted to fill in one of his dots. Instantly I began to take my jacket off and he gave me that wry smile and said, no let's eat, I'm hungry. I never did get to contribute to that mural, but he and I stayed in touch until his untimely passing. A great loss to the art world.