LILLIAN BASSMAN talks to Rankin

You may remember the rather beautiful pictures by Lillian Bassman that we featured previously here well she has popped up again and this time talking to that man Rankin

Lillian Bassman entered the world of publishing at Harper’s Bazaar as a protégée of Alexey Brodovitch, the acclaimed art director of the magazine from 1938 to 1958. Initially a student on his Design Laboratory course, Bassman was given an internship at the magazine in 1941, and a permanent title four years later, when Junior Bazaar was launched. She stayed with Harper’s Bazaar until the 60s, and during this time she became a photographer. She was known to spend hours in the darkroom experimenting with unusual techniques, including using tissues to bring certain areas of a photograph into focus, applying bleach to change tone and washing prints in the bath to achieve dreamy effects. Her signature high-contrast, black-and-white, graphic-style images won her a new-found appreciation in the 90s, when a cache of discarded negatives resurfaced. Before her death in 2012, at the age of 94, Rankin had a conversation with Lillian Bassman about her career and the art of photography.

RANKIN: I’M A BIG FAN OF YOUR WORK. HOW DID IT ALL START FOR YOU?....want to know what she said? Go here

 

KURT COBAIN: THE LAST PHOTO SESSION

On Hunger Tv 

On Friday the 23rd of July, 1993, Kurt Cobain is at the height of his fame. A phalanx of journalists and photographers is in New York for the launch of In Utero, Nirvana’s first album of new material since the global success of Nevermind. The group is scheduled to play a showcase New Music Seminar concert that night at Roseland, the famed swing-era ballroom in Midtown Manhattan. Nirvana is the biggest group in the country and expectation is at fever pitch. The glare is intense, but Cobain is hiding from the light.

Taken that day, Jesse Frohman’s portrait “Kurt Cobain: Standing with Evian Bottle” captures a young man of twenty-six with the sagging posture of middle age……MORE

Hunger Tv

Rankin + Hunger TV

Rankin is one of our favourite photographers over here at OSP Towers, and he has just started a new project that is a sort of online version of a magazine called Hunger TV. We wrote about the great man that is Rankin before, if you missed that go here and we also wrote about another of his projects, a tv documentary on Life Magazine here

About Hunger

“The Hunger is a biannual magazine from photographer and publisher, Rankin. Launched in November 2011 – 20 years after Dazed & Confused was founded, and 10 years after the birth of AnOther – The Hunger provides a new platform for uncompromised self-expression, innovation and discovery. Working with both experienced and emerging talents in the arts, fashion and editorial, The Hunger seeks out cultural progression and distinction. Each issue of the magazine features both a male and female cover.

The hungertv.com website launched simultaneously with the magazine, with a unique focus on video content – fashion films, behind the scenes footage and exclusive performances, collaborations, and interviews.”

This is issue 2 and here is what is contained within:

“For the second issue of The Hunger, on sale on the 10th May 2012, our cover stars are the prolific Italian actress Monica Bellucci and the young Irish actor on a trajectory to international stardom, Robert Sheehan. For our limited edition hardback, model and photographer Helena Christensen, with an exclusive silver poster of Helena included inside. Helena also contributed a shoot to the magazine.

This issue, we spoke to the finest talents in British culture. Thriving Brits: a look at the work of fashion designers Katie Eary, Henry Holland, Craig Lawrence, Louise Gray and James Long. Visualising Music, where The Hunger met with 
art directors Storm Thorgerson and Mark Farrow among others, to discuss how they created some of the most iconic sleeve artwork of our time. And Art in the East End: we journeyed around east London stopping off to chat to Polly Morgan, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Mat Collishaw and Gilbert & George and found out about the impact the area has had on their art, and that they have had on the area. From the world of music, we spoke to The Black Keys, Theo Parrish and The Gossip to name a few.

From film, Juliette Binoche, Werner Herzog, Mark Strong, Malcolm McDowell, Annabelle Wallis, Tilda Swinton and Toby Kebbell. In fashion, we spent time with Heidi Klum, Pam Hogg, Jean-Claude Jitrois, and a host of designers, who told us why couture’s influence will never decline. We also worked with renowned makeup artists, Ayami Nishimura, Caroline Saulnier and Andrew Gallimore, the latter who showed us the future of mens beauty in Out of Darkness. Filmed interviews and fashion films are available to watch exclusively at hungertv.com.”

LIFE GOES ON: DAMIAN BIRD

Photojournalist Damian Bird tells us how his online photo-essay magazine, Life Force, has literally given him his life back…MORE

In-between Days : Joseph Szabo

 

“Priscilla, wandering across Jones Beach, hoiking up her jeans, her cigarette dangling from her lips. Like The Pixies Surfer Rosa or Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork  Orange, the image has served as a cult reference for generations of youthful impudents. Chosen by the band Dinosaur Jr for the cover of their breakthrough 1991 album, Green Mind, the photograph taken by Joseph Szabo hasn’t aged a bit in the 43 years since it was taken. At the time it was shot Joseph was a young, liberal teacher trying to find ways to connect with and inspire his students.”....more of this article

 

Rankin, he is the man