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””