Recently read Gretchen Garner’s Disappearing Witness: Change in Twentieth-Century American Photography. Decent if selective history of the mainstream movements in American photography in the twentieth century. Nothing revelatory, but all the major names present and correct. Her focus is on the transition of the art from one of ’spontaneous witness’, to late-twentieth century postmodernism. Would have been more interesting (to me), if she’d also dug a bit deeper to explore the corners of photography where ’spontaneous’ witness is still alive and well, if transformed — war photography, perhaps, and of course ’street’ work.

Don’t look at it — just glance! Sometimes in a mere glance one can see more than in the close scrutiny of a thousand details.

Bridget Riley

Vision runs back and forth from objects to eyes, and whatever is seen also sees… seeing is self-definition. Objects look back, and their incoming gaze tells me what I am.

James Elkins — from The Object Stares Back.

Elkins’ books, especially (for me) The Object Stares Back, are fascinating phenomenological pickings-apart of the familiar — art history, perception, representation — into shards of pure revelation. Essential reading.

Club kids and wigs galore, at Beach Blanket Babylon in Shoreditch… pix on Flickr…

Gutterslut’s SANTA SUCKS! XXXXXMAS christmas party at Images, with Per QX, Elliott J Brown and Nic Fisher, Ms Crystal MC and a special PA from Feral, and A Man Da Pet on the door. Some pix here…