Sensitive Skin Release Party - 4/26/2012 (part 2)

This is the second of two parts.

Shalom Neuman's studio and home is in Brooklyn, located in an area between subways, and, to listen to the complaints of people who came via public transportation, the subways don't seem to run on Saturday afternoon and evening. But plenty of people came, interesting people, intelligent and expressive people


I posted part one for this event last week and published some of the photos I took during the reception. Now we move downstairs for the reading and more.

Setting up was slowed down by forgotten equipment - or perhaps it was nonexistent, I'm not sure. Yet the people who came for the reception were ready for the performances and the reading. People started moving down the stairs into Shalom's studio. The room is filled with delights, treats for the eyes and the ears: a wall of "talking heads;" a painted frieze of musicians; machinery and electronics whose final purpose only the artist could know, and much more. Shalom's esthetic derives in part from the world of popular art and in part from those prophets without profit who would entertain us with images from the underside of life.

And so the reading began. Buddy Meisler, editor, publisher, literary magnate - though sadly not literally a magnate - introduced the newest issues of "Sensitive Skin" in all of its paper and ink glory - yes: there is still something better than the glowing pixels of a screen. Carl Watson led off the reading with an excerpt from his newest novel. He was followed by Drew Hubner who, accompanied by a black and white photographs projected on the wall, guitar and electronic percussion, read pieces from his novel. He was followed in fairly rapid succession by Thad Rutkowski with a couple of short poems, and Rob Hardin who, as always, read from his e-reader. Yes, there is something that will eventually follow the glory of ink on paper - why it's glowing pixels on a screen.

I won't get started with a rant either in favor of or against e-readers. People can read in any format they want, and if someone's willing to pay for it, publish in any format, too.

The end of the evening was a fusion arts performance which, sadly, I wasn't able to stay for. Faced with an already long day behind me, and a fairly long drive ahead of me, I dived out after Rob finished. I hope Shalom forgives me.

Street Corner Theater - Umbrellas in the Mist

What we have here is another picture of the day. It wasn't raining but she huddled under her umbrella as if … as if I don't know what. I'll admit, it was misty that morning. But raining? Not then.

Anyway, I spotted the big blue umbrella before I got to the corner, and then as I walked past her, standing against the building, huddling against the rain that was and the rain that would be, I took the shot. When I looked at it later, I thought she had a bit of that deer in the headlights look. Was it my camera? Was it the weather? Was it something unrelated to me or the weather? I couldn't know.

It rained later that day, and it might have even rained later in the morning, but I got to my office without needing to open my umbrella.

Street Corner Theater - Picture of the Day

People, strangers mostly, though not stranger than me, and people who because they see me on the train, or walking around the neighborhoods where I like to take pictures, look meaningfully at the camera in my hand and ask me if I'm a photographer. What I say depends on my mood. I wonder if my interrogator wants me to take his photo, or if she's afraid that I might.

That said, I take pictures and I guess I give them away, sort of, don't I? Doesn't everybody want something for free? Well, here it is, a totally free picture, my picture, a Picture of the Day - is this my first Picture of the Day? I can't remember? Am I getting old? Am I having a senior moment: I'm sure I've been thinking of a Picture of the Day but I can't remember if I've done it or not. Anyway, here's a picture of the day, even if it wasn't taken today.

Well, I did say everybody wants something for free, right? I know I did, it's right there at the beginning of the previous paragraph. I can see it. And that's the subject of my picture of the day: people getting something for free.

The location was the corner of Vanderbilt and E. 42nd St., right outside the entrance to Grand Central Terminal - not station, Terminal, get it? It's the end of the line, or the beginning if you're heading out. And though it's a station, it's also a terminal, which is what it's name is. But enough about that.

That corner is a popular place for the free samples. One day last week somebody stuck a small plastic bottle of a seriously foul tasting energy beverage in my hand. I've been given basketball schedules, yogurt, organic cat food, miniature folding subway maps - Manhattan only, and other useful and useless things. I tend to either toss them in the trash or give them to somebody else.

So it was no surprise to see three young, probably underemployed folks wearing branded shirts and caps handing out something to the eager throng. They guy stuck two sticks of Piña Colada flavored Mentos in my hand. Did I scorn him or the Mentos and hand them back? Of course not. I'm just like everybody else when it comes to getting something for free. I took them, even if I didn't end up eating them. I mean, Piña Colada flavored Mentos? Give me a break.

Anyway, there's the eagerly accepting happy crowd, and I've got to be there too, because if I wasn't I wouldn't have gotten the picture, would I? And if I didn't have the camera, I wouldn't be able to get the photo.

Sensitive Skin Release Party - 4/26/2012

First there's the reception and then there's the event. Unless, of course, you are of the opinion the reception is the event and listening to writers reading from their own newly or recently published and/or written work is optional.

Shalom and Orange opened their home on behalf of the publication- on paper - of a new issue of Sensitive Skin. They welcomed a large group of guests: friends; writers; artists; performers; musicians; teachers and so on.

Later, most of the crowd moved into Shalom's studio where there was a reading and some fusion art. I am sorry to say that because things started late and I had a long drive home, I couldn't stay for the last performance.

There were people there I knew, whose faces are fun to photograph, including Jim Feast, who wasn't the MC - that was going to be Buddy Meisler, the boss at Sensitive Skin - and Carl Watson, who later would be reading from his newest novel. Carl isn't only fun to photograph, he's an excellent writer and a terrific reader of his own fiction. There were some people I've met only once or twice before, and some new faces, too. Drew Hubner, who would be reading from his book, was a new face. A pair of Brazilian videographers - a couple and I believe they a both videographers, I met once before. She s an enthusiastic and outing type. Her partner was considerably more reserved.

A friend said my street photos reminded him of Bill Cunningham. So here's a pair of shoes.

And what would an event like that be without Harvey Van Toast the Topless Paparazzi. Come back later or tomorrow for more.