Damien Hirst: Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable

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Aspect of Katie Ishtar ¥o-landi

So holidays are over, and after a one week business trip to Philippines I am back home where I can start processing my pictures. Let me start by saying that I enjoyed very much the Leica Kit that I wrapped in my last post (The summer bag). Sadly the 90mm did not get much use (apart from some marmots)  and my sensor is dusty so every shot with some blue sky needs editing.

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Let me start by a small post about the exhibition “Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable” the latest work of Damien Hirst at Foundation Pinault both at Palazzo Grassi and at la Punta Della Dogana. This is off the Biennale, but probably the most striking work to be seen in Venice this year.

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Gilded Medusa head

Hirst exhibitions is a colossal collection of the old world wonders as they have been recovered from a wreck in Easter Mediterranean sea. The exhibition boasts the “original” treasures as recovered, some footage of the salvaging, some artifacts redone as new.

This fictional (needless to say) story and the amount (in quantity, variety of materials and size) of the objects in display is mesmerizing, whatever anyone can think of Hirst work. If you still have time don’t hesitate to go.

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Silver Unicorn skull

The ticket covers both exhibitions, but frankly the exhibition at Punta Della Dogana is superior to the Palazzo Grassi, so if you have to chose… The Palazzo offers two major items, a colossal status of three stores high (below) and a piece inspired by the haircut of Yolandi from the band “Die Antwort” and teh bust of the artist girlfriend (so was I said, but I did not have a chance to check).

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You can check  http://www.palazzograssi.it/

Note also that the building at the Punta Della Dogana is a 17th century warehouse refurbished by Tadao Ando, this by itself is worth visiting.

All shots with Leica M262 with Summicron 28mm or 50mm.

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Damien Hirst: Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable

Venice Biennale 2011 (Italy)

Arsenale - Venezia - Italy
Arsenale - Venezia - Italy

After many hesitations I brought my new Hassie to the other side of the planet and carried it along while visiting the Venice Biennale this summer.

This is more or less the second or third film processed in Caffenol with the same recipe and a lot more success (I think).

Camera:Hasselblad 500CM, Planar 80mm F2.8
Film: Rollei Retro 100ASA
Processing: Cafenol
Scanning: EPSON V500, Lightroom 3, PSP Elements 4

Venice Biennale 2011 (Italy)

Blast from the past – Pompei (Italy) 1976

Pompei - 1976

Not quite the other film I was talking about in my last post. Just got from my mum this picture from Pompei, back in 1976, quite a while back but a lot later after the eruption from mount Vesuvio who ruined the city.

This is my oldest picture so far, it was taken with this camera Kodak Instamatic 56x a Kodak Instamatic 56x, with film cartridges. This is the actual camera that traveled with me to Italy, Greece and Turkey that year, no longer working but still hanging around in the house, 10000 KM from where I used to stay at that time.

I was 10 by the way, you can do the math, but really it’s not worth it.

Oh and what about the “Other film”, well that will be for another time

Camera:Film Size: 126
Shutter: Single Speed 1/50
Lens: Fixed focus 43mm f/11
Dates: 1972-1977
Scanner: Scanned from print, HP flatbed scanner (Thanks Mum!)
Processing: PSP Elements 4.0 + Llightroom 3

Blast from the past – Pompei (Italy) 1976