Adventures thru the Lens - Sharing Ideas through Images

Insecurity at the Sorbonne Medical School?

So here we were lurking around the Sorbonne Medical School taking photos, when a well-dressed older gentleman says to Kevin, "If you come with me and I'll show you around". Well, you can't pass up an opportunity like that. So off we go.  We make our introductions and our newly found guide is one Dr. Liberman, a retired English speaking GP and army reservist who is on his way to the library to read the British medical journal the Lancet. "Why are you doing that I ask".  "To keep up with what's going on" he replies. Of course! duh Larry.

We pass through the lobby and past the entrance to the Grand Amphitheater, which look more like a secret doorway into the 19th century from where there is no return. Who know what experiments they got up to in there!

Forward ho, past a few students sitting on austere wooden benches as they did a hundred years ago waiting for their results, girlfriends, strikes or probably just lunchtime.  One has to be amazed at all this really. A school  built in the 13th century and that has survived Catherine de Medici, the French Revolution, a few crazy kings, power hungry Cardinals, the German occupation and an over abundance of Lefties obviously has something powerfull holding it all that together.

Up the stairs and past a painting of Dr. Alfred Richet, Professor of Clinical Surgery in the Faculty of Medicine in Paris, who Dr L. explains is caring for soldiers in the Comedie Francaise, which had been turned into a field emergency hospital during the Franco-Prussian war. I did a little research and found that his son  Dr Charles Richet  was an important researcher of the period and discovered a fascinating story about his life, which included discovering anaphalexis for which he recevied a Nobel Prize in 1913,  anti war activism, and writing and research in parapsychology - always one of my favorites.

We finally arrived at our destination.  The medical library. Normally, entrance is granted only to students and faculty, but Dr. L. waved his membership card like the sorcerer's apprentice and presto - we were in like Flint. We did have to agree to no photographing though. Such bores!!! We were in a huge 19th century room with books stacked from floor to ceiling as far as the eye could see and in the center between the rack of medical trivia and index cards were rows of computers. It was a bit surreal and I felt like humming a few bars from the song Brazil. You remember the movie. Surly?  We shuffled off to an adjoining room were Dr. L. proudly showed us the school's collection of the Index Medicus. "Where is the French version" I asked.  "There isn't one". What do I know about these things?  "America has always been in the forefront of medical research." he says. Oops - I feel a Faux Pas coming on. We then walked past a table with some French Journals and Dr L, said that researchers would often try and get their research published in the Lancet or New England Journal of Medicine as it would add prestige to anything published here. Am I feeling the walls of this great institution slowly crumbling around me. No not at all.

The one thing we can say about French medicine in general is that they know what they know. So don't go around trying to change it with new ideas or asking any question that you don't already have the answers to. 

Haven't I told you this before?  Alors!

Papà Giovanni

I took this shot in the Papà Giovanni restaurant, in Via Sediari close to the Pantheon, a while ago while I was extending my book on Rome shops. Renato, the proprietor, was delighted to show me and tell me everything about the restaurant, including the amazing visitors’ book. He also took me on one of his morning shopping trips to Campo dei Fiori and introduced me to all the vendors there.

The restaurant started after the war. Renato’s father i.e. Giovanni, used to bring a wagon load of wine into Rome from the Castelli Romani every day by horse and carriage. (There’s a photo of the trusty steed, Turco, up on the wall too.)

Newly opened wine shops and faster delivery transport made his daily trek a no profit enterprise, and so he opened up his restaurant serving traditional Roman fare at a good price which was popular with the bohemian and acting community, many of whom left without settling the bill.

But since then many famous personalities have come to enjoy his hospitality and food, for example Picasso, Chet Baker, Rothchild, and Candice Bergman, and many many more from the days of the dolce vita.

Some of the anecdotes he told me are quite interesting. For instance, he said that his father would never have drunk red wine in his whole life.

That’s because, in those times the only wine available was locally produced, and in the Castelli Romani they only make white wine; like for example the famous Frascati.

He was a little perplexed when I told him about me wanting to publish a book with his restaurant in it. He likes his restaurant to be a little gem to be discovered, and not a busy stop on the tourist trail.
Discover it for yourselves!

Springtime in Athens

Spring is the season of the flowers. But, there is a place that has a special magic during springtime, and this place is Athens in Greece. The reason is simple. Most of the monuments and antiquities are decorated with flowers. You can meet poppy flowers, daisies, blue flowers, almost any kind. Ancient temples and statues have a totally different point of view, while decorated with flowers. So, if you like antiquities and flowers, try to visit Athens.

Black Rain Day

I love it in Hong Kong when it rains. We have long periods, generally the entire winter, when we have little or no rain at all.  Come spring it all happens. And boy, sometimes it really can.

I was taking a taxi to meet some friends, have some lunch at a dai pai dong (street stall), and then go see an exhibition when the sky opened and down came what is referred to as a "black rain".  Large amounts of rain fall in a very short period of time.  This was the view out the taxi windscreen, between sweeps of the windscreen wiper.  Needless to say traffic moved slowly for a while.

I made it to lunch, the pork neck noodles were great, the company excellent, and the conversation was ...... all about the rain.

God Lives in a Little Church Across the Street

It's early morning at the Fountain of Saint Michel.  Its quiet.

Parisians are starting to show up to work, shopkeepers are opening their stores, restaurants are preparing for the lunch crowd

and Bill Posters are getting an early start.

Heading east into the restaurant quarter we pass a small tour group.  The guide has a heavy French accent and is explaining the origins of the street and houses.

A few meters on and we come across Eglise Saint Julien Le Pauvre, a catholic church built in the 1100s that sits quietly under the gaze of the Saints that watch over Notre Dame and grandeur of flying buttresses that keep the Cathedral from lifting up and breaking away from its foundation.

A gypsy sits outside the gate eying us as we enter, hoping for a few sous.

We enter the church. There is a wonderful sense of calm. A lady sits to the right in quiet contemplation dressed as if ready to go to work but needing some spiritual nourishment just to get there.

 

While across the street the crowds start assembling in front of Notre Dame Cathedral ready to tread the stones that see millions of people each year. There is no tranquility here. No calm. They have their guides. God has no choice. He left home and now lives across the street in this little church helping those in need and those who ask, one by one.

Los Angeles Night Life

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The Do Lab’s 4th annual Lucent L’amour transformed downtown Los Angeles into a Valentine’s Day street festival of art, music, and performance with 3 stages of stomping music from more than a dozen hot dance musicians, such as Z-Trip and Marques Wyatt. Inside the bar and lounge area I caught a glimpse of some amazing Lucent L’amour fashion before Lucent Dossier Vaudeville Cirque performed a one-off dazzling show. There was some relief from the bamboo instillations and digital paintings lining the streets before I returned to some full-on dancing to the exceptional closing set from Adam Freeland, who mixed old and new school tracks until 4 am.

 

 

Ginger Leads our Hollywood Walks of Fame Photo Tours.

Los Angeles underground art scene rivals New York and London

La Luz De Jesus Gallery presented its 12^th annual juried groups exhibition representing artists from around the world. 

“Everything But the Kitchen Sync” featured sensational work from over 100 artists in a no-theme exhibition that showed off the talents of commercial illustrators, scenic painters, tattooists, sculpturists, animators, seasoned artists, and students from the alternative art scene. More than 150 pieces were on view, many from brand new artists. Art lovers and collectors alike had the opportunity to discover new talent and new trends in this most exciting alternative art scene.

I was at the reception where I met Billy Shire, founder of La Luz de Jesus Gallery since 1986. Shire is considered the daddy of Los Angeles new school of art and his gallery showcases narrative paintings and unusual sculpture of post-pop art that contain counter culture themes in religion, sex, and narrative folk. Shire had put in 18-hour days to put up this show and received submissions from all over the world. The crowd is phenomenal and Shire watches them like a proud father.

Despite the crowds I managed to meet a few of the artists. First time exhibitor, illustrator Ayami Kawashima,  sold her single piece, “Oriental Nymph.” Miran Kim had also sold one of her acrylic pieces, “Heart of the Red Child.” And painter Michael Pukac had stopped by in between dropping off his new work around LA. He was covered in paint and absolutely thrilled at the response to his acrylic piece, “Europass Escape.” Pukac has been working in Long Beach for just over a year and has already established a reputation. Another crowd pleaser was Dale Sizer with his acrylic on metal flake vinyl. His “Marcello” and “Orson” pieces take on an almost 3-D loony tunes phenomena.

There are more than 150 outstanding pieces to get through tonight but there is time. The exhibition is running until March 29^th. 

I urge you to come down.

 

March 6 – March 29, 2009

 

La Luz de Jesus Gallery

4633 Hollywood Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90027

323-666-7667 Fax: 323-663-0243

LA Luz de Jesus Gallery

Fisherman Come to Life in Budapest

The wind was cold and the sky overcast this morning.  Suddely the clouds parted and a small window opened in the sky. The "Fisherman's Bastion" appeared as if waiting for the Guild to defend its magical rampart. But they had turned to stone as had their fish so long ago. There was no one left to guard the walls. We tread silently to capture the kight and his companion. We'll ask no ransom and free them at the end of time.

Unexpected Encounter with a Lampshade

Friday was spring in Paris.  The light was stunning and I decided to go photographing with Kevin Hayden our Paris photographer and my wife Debra. We are planning a new photo walk in the Marais. Ill not show some of the fab shots from our morning walk right now.

In the afternoon, after a Jewish lunch at Marianne's on Rue de Rosiers  we walked to the 3rd arrondissement to look for a company that specialized in metal stamping. En route we had some interesting chance encounters. One in particular which we enjoyed was with the 2 people below. I was walking by an open door and saw them sitting like this. I shouted out from the front end of the courtyard. "Can I photography you".  Yes was the response an I was beckoned over. I took the shot and asked what they were doing.

"Having a meeting " was the reponse.  How stupid of me! Of course what else would they have been doing at 2pm. Etienne it turns out was into leasing equipment for a living and the lady whose name I did get was the wife of the owner of a designer lampshade company.

After a few minute of pleasant banter, she invitied us in to see their factory. We were greeted by a column of silk lampshades which give me the urge for an ice cream.

To the left was a framed piece of paper showing the company had been around since 1822. Not Bad!
This company is one of the few left in the world that makes hand made lamp shades.  Sort of Lampshade Couture. 

They work for many top decorators and recently shipped a 3 meter by 3 meter shade to New York for Philippe Stark.

The factory had been a private theatre during the 18th century and there was a balcony above which you can not see in this photo.

 

At the end of the tour we were given a catalogue and invited to bring clients or friends back for another visit. Hard to believe but true.

All in all - it was a very satisfactory afternoon.

My Favorite Spooky Churches in Rome

It’s hardly a secret that Rome has some great churches.

In fact, Ernest Bevan thought they had too many, and not enough hospitals, when he visited Rome in the fifties. Well maybe they have a few more hospitals now, but they certainly aren’t as photogenic as the churches.

I have my favourites which I like to pop into to fire off a few photographs.

Santa Maria Maddalena in the eponymous piazza is one of them. The only rococco church in Rome apparently, though it looks pretty baroque to me. Another is Santa Maria delle Morte, (Saint Mary of the Dead) in Via Giulia, which is on one of my Photosleuth Tours’ routes. A pretty spooky church, as the name implies.

The present baroque church was built in 1737 replacing an earlier XVl century one. It was run by a fraternity that collected the dead bodies of unknown people found in the countryside to give them a Christian burial. An essential requisite if you wanted to go to heaven!

 

The blood red cross of the Camillian Fathers, an order that cares for the sick, in the west window is projected onto the wall of one of the side altars by the afternoon sun in the church of Saint Mary Magdalene.   

Skulls and other symbols, such as hour glasses, adorn the façade and the interior, and on either side of the main door two macabre engravings remind passers by of their mortality. The one on the right depicts death sitting comfortably on a bench with an hourglass in hand patiently waiting for a sick man to die.

Death waits patiently for some poor soul to breathe his last. The inscription says “Alms for the poor dead that are found in the country.”  Almost like fallen apples!

 

Rarely open except for Saturday evening and Sunday masses, so I was surprised to find it open one day in the week and nipped inside and took these photos. Inside it’s very dark so I used an ISO rating of 1600, and still had to shoot at 1/15 of a second.

Looking up at the organ in Santa Maria Maddalena.

Although there’s a lot of gold in the ornamentation the atmosphere is pretty sombre so I converted some of the images to black and white. I just love the way the balustrades curve around forming serried layers going right up to the dome. It seems like The Phantom of the Opera could appear at any moment.

Photos copyright Steve Bisgrove - Leader of "Hidden Rome Photosleuth Tours"