Bernie Standen

Bernie used to play the accordion in a band at a local pub in, I think Kyalite?

In exchange he was awarded free beer all night.

After the band finished was when he took advantage of that..

I just think it’s a fucking cool shot and it gives me inspiration to see how much of a hammerdog he was in his younger years.

- Unknown photographer

Seeing is believing, doing is achieving.

It can take a lifetime for an artist or intellectual to refine his knowledge, but it only takes a millisecond of brain activity for him to realize it’s all about doing.

The world is my scholar.

Once was blind.

The one armed preacher calls out blindly to the boy sitting in the rain

He holds his hand out reluctantly and asks, “What’s the matter young man?”

The boy places a ball of paper on the preacher’s hand

When it unfolds, he sees it holds the answer for the world to see

Now he sees.

Something is happening here.

This is no place for rest.

This is a place of extreme expectation.

And I’m beginning to feel the fear.

“Soon the world will crush you.” -Walter Hull

Happy December.

In A World With A Million Kings

Claim your glory.

There is a king in every social group in this world, whether it be on a small scale, or a large scale (primary and secondary social groups). If you look close enough, there is a king in every industry. Most of them in which are just overrated, greedy swine that have been sucked into the continuously turning whirlpool of the mainstream. A good example of this is within the music industry, where we have a ‘king’ for each genre, such as; the king of rock and roll and the king of pop.

The social and economic system runs strictly between an order of hierarchy that us as humans have created throughout the evolutionary climb to the world as we know it. I’ve been touching on some ideas related to ‘the system’, sticking it to the system and flaws in the system. The idea that any ordinary, genetically equal member of this society can claim they’re status as ‘king’, and are automatically worshiped by the majority.

I am now trying to refine a specific idea to represent just one interpretation of this concept. It involves the subject dressed as a king, composed in ironic settings (places where an old fashioned king would not normally be found) to try and outline the contrast in society between ordinary people, and the class of a ‘king’.

The painting above is by french painter, Claude Vignon. It is King Croesus, king of Lydia from 560 to 546 BC. He was known for his outstanding amount of wealth.

In production

About as far as my digital work goes is probably just photos around the house, of my work or the medium format ink-jet print seen above.

The ink-jet print is digitally retouched.

You can see a few of my silver gelatin prints lying around too, those 2 i am happy with as final pieces.