Thursday, July 18, 2013

VIDEO: "The Train Is Coming" Portraits From Klong Toey Slum, Bangkok Thailand-Opening Night



Well here it is, my newly released "The Train Is Coming" opening night show video. The show was difficult and expensive to produce but in the end a very satisfying experience, it was a great way to have my first solo exhibition. To show at an important facility like the Northern Jubilee Auditorium was a wonderful privilege, most first time artist solo shows are at "Bobs Bakeshop" or" Carl's Coffee House", it took me 35 years to get the darn thing but when I finally got it, it was a nice first class event.


The exhibition over its 2 1/2 hour opening had between 60-70 folks show up. I was quite pleased with the turnout, at one point I counted over 40 people in the room at one time. I was disappointed that several long time friends did not bother to attend but I guess we all live our own lives and everyone has their own priorities. One thing that I anticipated being difficult turned out to be even harder to do than I thought which was to make both videos at the opening and also host the thing. Every time I raised my camera someone walked up to me for a chat so I was only able to get limited footage when the show was at its busiest.

Overall the opening was a wonderful success, it will be something I will think back to with fondness for years to come. Even thou I was happy with the whole event I will hold off on making submissions to galleries, I want to concentrate my money on making pictures not framing, matting and shipping photographs.  I need to use the small amount of money I have wisely. With my limited income I have to put the priority on the creation of new work, if that work is good enough it will eventually be shown and recognized. I will spend the next 10 years working hard at creating new work and less time and money doing the show thing.

I will be having 2 international shows in the coming year, one in New Orleans and one in Bangkok but after that I am going to limit where and how often I submit and try to show. My inability to get grant money limits my options,  I will be much better off spending my security guard money on film, darkroom supplies and travel-living expenses, making new pictures has to be my number one priority and concern.

The video is a bit longer than I wanted 6 minutes and 30 seconds but it does a good job I think of presenting much of the experience that went into it. I have still photos, Klong Toey slum video, darkroom video and video from the opening all mixed together into a nice presentation along with Schubert's "Ava Maria".
Here is a link to the opening night video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lY37snMO4I