Los Angeles gallery owner Steven White talks about his passion for discovering the undiscovered… May 1989. Steven White’s collection of photographs with images dating from the l840’s to the early 20th century recently opened at the Palais de Tokyo. What makes this show special is that it includes not only legendary photographers such as Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Weston but also unknown gems that White has retrieved from history’s ‘lost and found’. In the following interview Steven White discusses his philosophy of collecting, the Tao, and what’s wrong with the contemporary photography scene. Continue reading “Interview: Collector Stephen White”

Parisvoice celebrates ten years, Feburary 1989 The celebration of birthdays,  anniversaries and other assorted red-letter dates is significant in that you are confronted directly with time, drawn against the silent but ever-present tow of complacency. Beyond the festivities lies always the existential questions.

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Ralph Gibson is one of contemporary photography’s major heroes. His reputation, although falling short of rockstar status, comes as close to is as any photographer is likely to get. Gibson’s seductive visual metaphors have charmed photo-philes since the early seventies when he published his trilogy of books The Somnambulist, Déjà-vu and Days at Sea. He was in Paris recently for the opening of a show of his new work, “In Situ”, at the Agathe Gaillard Gallery and gave the following interview:

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Interview with Yousuf Karsh, June 1988

Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh’s quest for the “perfect portrait” spans fifty years and illustrates the faces of the world’s most accomplished men and women. His detailed likenesses reveal what he calls the “inner power” of his subjects. “It is the mind and soul of the personality before my camera that interests me most”, says Karsh, “and the greater the mind and soul, the greater my interest”.The Centre National de la Photographie at the Palais de Tokyo is showing 150 of Karsh’s classic portraits this month. The show, organized by the International Center of Photography in New York, is a veritable visual Who’s Who. Karsh recently visited Paris to oversee the hanging of his show and gave the following interview.

Paris Voice:  You once said that the perfect portrait has yet to be made. What did you mean?

Continue reading “Yousuf Karsh’s Fifty Years of Photography”

Steve Reich Interview, December 1986

Minimalist music, repetitive music – these are terms often used to describe the work of American composer Steve Reich. Along with Philip Glass and Terry Riley he is considered to have founded a uniquely American school of composition. Combining a classical discipline with American jazz roots he has created a music which, though meditative in a sense, remains rhythmically compelling Reich’s influence has been widely felt in modern music, and acknowledged by such pop artists as David Bowie and David Byrne of Talking Heads. While in Paris for a recent concert series, he gave this interview to the Paris Voice. Continue reading “Steve Reich in the Groove”

The ghost of Jim Morrison, originally published December 1986

You know how it is: On a Saturday night in Paris with the rain turning to sleet on the streets outside and inside the cafe it’s dark and warm. The windows are veiled with humidity and smoke curls across the bar. There is a lull in the conversation and behind you the door closes and a figure flits down the street, into the night. “There he goes”, somebody mutters. You turn but the ghost is already gone although the tingle down the spine remains. Continue reading “Break on Through… Jim Morrison Revisited”

“The proof is in the painting” May 1986

As an artist, a painter, who, more or less, scratched out a living over twenty tough years, rearing four children, I’m often asked:  «How can an artist make ‛it’?». The question is usually presented by young artists with yearnings, or by concerned parents of yearning young artists. I invariably answer with a question, What do you mean by it’». Continue reading “William Wharton on the art of “Making it””