the drawling master

Photos; Spoonbill and Sugartown, Brooklyn: A Doorway in Greenpoint: A photograph by Seidou Keita (1921-2001), a Malaian photographer, in MOMA; Brooklyn Public Library  

A little street scene, commissioned by Myla and Davis for a project they were working on earlier this year.

Return of the Rude Boy exhibit at Somerset House - some seriously inspiring styles on show.

PARIS JANVIER

When the Old Year met with the New, he was soaked to the bone with rain. He had smoke in his hair from the fireworks and his eyes stung with all the glitter. The night - all the dance and the drink - had been heavy on him and his throat was dry. Someone had persuaded him to change into his pyjamas. The New Year took one look at the Old one and smiled a sharp smile, all regular and breath-freshened. He was wet too, but his suit was patent plastic and he’d taken a comb to his hair and made it look intentional: more slick, less ratty. His eyes had sparklers in them, shooting out shine. The Old Year reached out his hand to greet the New. The New grinned like an old friend and, grabbing the Old in a big bear hug, pumped him firmly on his back with a flat fist. From out the wide mouth of his collar, the Old Year flew into pieces: he burst wide, far, scattering himself everywhere in a cloud of thousand-coloured ash. His jim-jams rumpled to the floor in a whisper of brushed cotton. The New Year smoothed himself down, adjusted his collar, and walked on. On his shoulders, dark and broad in the dawning day, flecks of something not-quite-finished flickered.

White Summer (as I dream of a White Christmas) in Mykonos.

Untouched by editing tools: Roscarrock farm in Cornwall, this last Friday. Just past the little building you could see the sea edging its way between the hills.

Mexico meets London: a supper of chilli con carne rustled up by my man last night. I felt like I should have had flowers in my hair, like Frieda Kahlo.

-- from Giambattista Della Porta, Natural Magick , trans. into English in 1658.

- Matthew Arnold, Dover Beach

The exhibition is solely paintings, but some of Caulfield's simplest and most graphic works are his screenprints. I think my favourite is 'Bathroom Mirror', 1968 (above). I love how it juggles a peppermint clarity and an obstinate opacity, with its refusal to reflect the viewer.

Long time I've been out of the tumble. I return, but for who knows how long. I just wanted to say, I like my new hat. £8 for a woven paper hat with a braided green band, and from a shop in CHELSEA to boot: put that in your pipe and smoke it.

the sun's thumbprint melting into the river...

- photo by me.