Eyes that seek the Unseen
The Autumn light in Lisbon is wonderful, after 4:00 PM the tangential light of the setting sun makes all the details of the buildings and walls more evident. The contrast with the shadows is amazing and the increasing air humidity allow us a more sharp vision of the lines and surfaces around us. The sun is still bright, and it is a good time to relax by the river.
Henri Michaux wrote “Faute de soleil, sache mûrir dans da glace” – When there is no sun, know how to ripen in ice. That is a good advice, not only for the incoming Winter, but for one’s general attitude towards life. I tought this was a good subject to be illustrated in my first steps in linocut. Or it can be seen as just a plain winter landscape. The linoleum plate on top, the resulting print below.
From a short visit to Nicosia, Cyprus, under a 38.C sun. Photos were made in the Greek side of the city (Republic of Cyprus) and in the Turkish side (self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Norther Cyprus). The border control is very strict, photos of the control posts are forbidden in both sides : armed policemen, fences and barbed wire mark the division between both sides. It is, I think, the last divided capital in Europe …
Büyük Han, a former caravanserai built in the XVI century, in the Turkish side of Nicosia. It was recently restored and now has some shops and restaurants inside
This time a very conventional and non-controversial style, a classic theme in photography, since forever. Nothing unusual, nothing that draws attention.
Two roses, a studio environment, sunlight from a window.
And that’s it.
The flat South banks banks of the Tagus, close to the sea, show the amazing effects of the Atlantic tides. Last Saturday morning I had a chance to make some photos by the river, in Seixal Bay. A very peaceful morning with bright sky and the flat river bed usually covered by water. The poet Kate McGovern wrote that
“… Low tide reveals the soul of the sea-
Its secrets, its treasures
its sorrows…”
This Hotel & Spa was built at the beginning of the last century. The strongly radioactive local spring waters were believed to have healing powers and. they were used as a drink, in immersion baths and in colon irrigations (there were reports of patients having repeated enemas up to a total of 35 liters of radioactive water ).
After WW II the dangers of radioactivity became widely known , the Hotel lost his clients and ceased the “therapeutic” activities. The owners went bankrupt, the premises were sold , several entrepreneurs bought and sold the building , furniture, plumbing and tiles were stolen, until it reached the present state of ruin and decay
As expected, rumors of the place being haunted, sightings of strange lights at night and reports of noises and voices are now a part of the local beliefs. However, it is usual to find there some visitors and the place looks peacefully quiet.
I went there to make some photos. The radioactivity, if it exists at the surface, was not strong enough to fog my negatives…
A view of the Hotel
Getting closer
One wall still remains
Some remains of the floor
And a door
A fireplace is still there
This Hotel & Spa was built with expensive materials and was aimed at wealthy gests from Portugal and from nearby Spain. It is very sad to see its present state.
A Beautiful photograph must never answer every question, or you’ll never come back to it. The question must always remain unanswered.
Rodney Smith 2009
The question remains: why is she closing her eyes ? Deep thougts ? Sadness ? Enjoying the warm sunlight on her face ? Or did the camera caught an unintentional closing of her eyelids ?
Some other questions could be asked, concerning other people : Is the guy wearing a basebal cap with her ? Why is the man standing on the pier looking backwards ?
A short poem from Guillermo Veloso
Winter boats are
shrink-wrapped ghosts
haunting the docks as
they await the sea
Looking west, the bridge and, closer, a lonely seagull
And a slow boat coming in
People sitting in a half-circle enjoying the afternoon
…or just turning their back to the city
Looking estwards, another sailing boat
and, more to the right side, two resting relics, a frigate and an old U-boat, waiting for visitors
The terrace of the small café at the museum was empty, in spite of the clear blue sky and the usual great view to Lisbon, across the river
I rather prefer to go there when people are sitting there sipping a drink and enjoying the view
(Sketch, brush-pens on paper)
Last Sunday I saw this solitary chair close to the river. A good place to sit and watch the sunset.
May the incoming New Year bring to all of us plenty of the so much needed peace and serenity
Happy New Year
Friday 13th, is, for some, an ominous day, when bad things are supposed to happen.
Not for me.
Last Friday December 13th I went to the movies: a film about czech Photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková .( http://www.jarcovjakova.com/ ) A sucession of her black and white photos capturing scenes from her life in Prague in the sixties – mostly night-life scenes, of marginal minority groups. Lots of pictures also from Japan and West Berlin – fefore and after the fall of the Wall. Not my kind of photography, but anyway a well constructed documentary about her life and work.
Another exhibition of images, now from a portuguese photojournalist Carlos Lopes, who documented scenes from the political activity in the days after the April revolution. Late afternoon I was sitting outside with a glass of wine in dowtown Lisbon. Crowds of people shopping for Christmas, street musicians playing and a general feeling of joy.
At 6:00 PM at Santa Clara Market an interesting exhibition from the “12 X 12 group”. This is an association of former and current Arts students. Their small-format works (watercolour paintings,engravings, drawings) was presented inside plastic CD boxes and sold at low prices.
Later, at the same venue, a drawing session with a live model
Now from a morning walk along the North Bank. I was carrying the small Soviet-made camera Smena-8 and took advantage of the intermitent sunlight.
Some people standing, walking, running and cycling
A few steps West, a meditating person sittin on an old pier – and a couple walking slowly on the rocks as if looking for something.
A cheap plastic camera can make decent images !!!
By French cartoonist Sempé
Early morning fog at the Tagus South bank. Grey light, a sense of unknown space, vague unmeasurable distances , cold. And silence.
João Avelar images 