N I H I L S E N T I M E N T A L G I A,
a blog about photography by Sofia Silva
caption: unknown author, at Stockholm Pride Festival In the past few weeks several events concerning cultural appropriation have motivated public discussions. I’ll be focusing on three: Gucci’s blackface jumper, Amanda Lind‘s dreadlocks and Donata Meirelles birthday photograph with two black women wearing traditional Bahian outfits. The fact that I’m appropriating these events in order to talk about cultural…
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The cover of the August edition of Rolling Stone mag features Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of Boston’s bombers. People are furious. At first sight, that hysteria could be reasonably understood. Given the suffering he allegedly caused, people might not want him to have protagonism (though they like reading about crimes in the newspaper and watch crime…
Read MoreFrom time to time I revisit Gus van Sant’s movie Elephant. I think of it as a brilliant artwork, definitely his best. The characters, the composition, the poignancy of the argument… though he mastered them all what really captivated me was the animal theme and the symbolism behind its use. I remember reading an…
Read MoreThis image is from yesterday’s official communication by the Portuguese PM about new austerity measures. It shows a reporter wearing an Iron Maiden t-shirt. I know it is symbolic but I like to imagine it could be a code, a message given to rise a sort of underground army. Yes, I know, sci-fi, maybe I’ve…
Read MoreThe Overlook Hotel. It was a great name for the snowbound setting of Stephen King’s novel, “The Shining,” and it remained an ominous moniker in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film adaptation. Now, thanks to Rodney Ascher’s documentary, “Room 237,” it’s a fitting echo of a document defined by an affection for, and scrutiny of, details which…
Read MoreAll reproductions of Hannah Wilke’s work were removed due to copyrights issues. Here’s the link to her virtual home. © Hannah Wilke, My Country tis of thee, 1975 “Lil Picard: I see you are a collector of Art Deco objects. Why? Hannah Wilke: I’ve always collected things. Objects have always been important for me. But…
Read Moreas published in the front cover of the Portuguese newspaper I. video of the happening here: “Celebrations to mark Portugal’s Republic Day took on an extra symbolic relevance when President Cavaco Silva unknowingly raised the country’s flag upside down. The internationally recognised signal of distress came on the last time October 5 will be deemed…
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© Martin Seeds, from the project I have troubles[…] © Martin Seeds, from the project I have troubles[…] © Martin Seeds, from the project I have troubles[…] “I never set out to document anything. It was more of a search, an investigation. I wanted to understand more of myself. To find others like me. I…
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@ Ting Cheng, Icy Yoga Lesson, 2012 @ Ting Cheng, Where is my home, 2009 excerpt from an interview by Alexandra Plesner, from Dazed Digital Dazed Digital: Your images give the impression of a dreamer, trying to escape this asylum called life. Why does this concept fascinate you so much? Ting Cheng: As human beings,…
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@ Neeta Madahar, Sustenance #95, 2003 @ Neeta Madahar, Sustenance #97, 2003 “Neeta Madahar’s subjects in Sustenance are quite ordinary—ordinary birds like finches, cardinals and blue jays. Her setting, too, is ordinary—her Boston backyard. But what makes this British artist’s work extraordinary is the sense of wonder and magic she creates despite these unexceptional circumstances.…
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@ Jakob Hunosøe, Thermos placed on lamp , from the series Out of Order, 2012 framed, 46,5 x 46,5 cm, Archival Fiber Print, edition of 5 @ Jakob Hunosøe, Tin pot and ceramic pot touching electric kettle on plate , from the series On Things Ordinary, 2010 framed, 46,5 x 46,5 cm, Archival Fiber Print,…
Read More© Davide Maione, Reaching © Davide Maione, Beaten (left) and Appeal (right), from Outlines and Annotations © Davide Maione, What it takes to keep a young girl alive “What It Takes to Keep a Young Girl Alive is a diptych of photographs that takes its title from a short story by Jayne Anne Phillips. Whilst being the…
Read More© Kayung Lai, Untitled, from Disconnection One © Kayung Lai, Untitled, from Disconnection Two More of Kayung’s work here
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© Yuki Onodera, Muga Miyahara, Increase, from the series Tokonoma © Yuki Onodera, Muga Miyahara, Fear, from the series Tokonoma “Japan photographer Muga Miyahara’s interpretation of tradition is most noteworthy in his works titled “Tokonoma”. The term refers to a built-in recessed space in a typical Japanese house, usually decorated with a calligraphic or pictorial…
Read More© Yuki Onodera, untitled, from the series Portrait of Second Hand Clothes, 1994 © Yuki Onodera, untitled, from the series Portrait of Second Hand Clothes, 1994 “La série, Portraits de fripes, marque une étape dans le travail de Yuki Onodera. Profondément autobiographique, cette œuvre correspond à son installation à Paris en 1993 où elle photographie…
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© Sasha Kurmaz, Untitled © Sasha Kurmaz, Untitled © Sasha Kurmaz, Untitled “I consciously seek to avoid the trap of the “author’s style.” The world of art requires us to underscore originality and authorship, a certain manner that will distinguish you from all and make you unique. Today, I think authorship and style are boundaries…
Read More© Wyne Veen, Modern Art © Wyne Veen, Plant Hair “My central theme is uselessness. I feel that life is ridiculous. The products and arrangements I show are a reflection of investments of time and effort by men. They show the development of our society just like the old 17th century famous Dutch still lives…
Read More© Jo Whaley, 101: Parnassius apollo, from the series The Theater of Insects, 2007 © Jo Whaley, Coleoptera, Without Time, from the series The Theater of Insects, 2005 This project here
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N I H I L S E N T I M E N T A L G I A, 