Musée Magazine Issue No. 7 Vol. 1 - Energy | Page 5

editor’s letter Welcome to our latest issue. With the change in seasons, the world is filled with dynamic energy: the heat of summer gives way to the cool crisp autumn days, leaves change their color and New Yorkers flood back into the city prompting a rush of activity and new beginnings. As such, we at Musée thought that ENERGY would be the ideal theme to capture the dynamism in the air. However, photographers in this issue have taken the theme and explored it in as many shades and colors as there will soon be in Central Park. From the Favelas of Rio to factories in China, photographers in this issue have taken us around the world in a startling exploration of human energy. Edward Burtynsky explores the energy of water, both in its raw motion and its potential for usage as a new renewable source of electricity. He questions industrialization and the effect that the human quest for new energy has had on the natural world. Vera Lutter captures the energy of the world in the negative with her camera obscura, taking us around the world and into history with ghostly, surreal and beautiful images. Mike Brodie brings us the energy of youth and travel by taking us on a journey across America’s rail system and presenting the strange, sad and wonderful characters contained therein. The energy of Curtis Mann’s photographs is clear in both the subjects he presents and also his process; cutting, scrunching, bleaching and tearing images creates a kinetic power to his work that is fascinating. Luis Gispert explores a raw urban energy with his photographs of cars altered by their users with imitation brand-name upholstery, drawing us to question the nature of appropriation, creativity and originality in the consumer world. Musician, performance artist and photographer Brendan Fowler infects us with his exploration of political satire and startles us with his canvases in which photographs seem to be literally exploding and crashing through one another. With his violent explosions of blissful still life scenes, Ori Gersht literally blows apart art’s historical canon and draws us in to question our emphasis on history and the significance of the image to our understanding of the past. energy of performance, she is an ideal representation of this issue’s theme. Fashion has become increasingly important as a driving force for Musée this season. To this end, we are featuring our first fashion portfolio by Vietnamese photographer An Le, winner of Vogue’s ‘New Exposure’ competition. We are a lso featuring an interview with Fern Mallis, one of the most brilliant and vital forces in New York’s fashion industry. Photographers in this issue take us through their lens to fascinating places and energetic worlds. Martyn Thompson leads us into the working spaces of some of the world’s leading artists, while Steve Miller brings us to the chaotic world of Brazil’s slums. Interviewed by Georgette Farkas, whose restaurant Rotisserie Georgette opens later this month, Thomas Schauer captures the basis of the body’s energy: food. Technical wizard Jonathan Morse talks about his incredible up-close images of native birds. Meanwhile Nick Cave talks about the energy inherent in his fabulous Soundsuits, giant pieces that sit in between costume, performance and sculpture. Finally, this issue culminated with an examination on the energy that is needed to keep this wonderful wheel of the art world turning by presenting interviews with collector Ray Learsey and curator Renaud Proch. We are also introducing a new series to the magazine: PointCounterpoint. Examining common themes in pop culture and photography, two writers will compose brief arguments for and against a certain topic or trend. This issue will focus on Facebook’s choice to censor nudity on their network. We invite readers to send us their thoughts on the issues and future topics to [email protected]. It has been a dynamic time for Musée. With the censoring of our Facebook page and our subsequent protest efforts, the office has been filled with its own kind of kinetic force. Please see our new upgraded page at facebook.com/ museethemagazine. Additionally, with the flurry of fashion week and the flourish of new exhibitions all over the city, there hasn’t been a dull moment at our headquarters. We are coming up to our two-year anniversary and, as ever, I would love to hear your thoughts on the publication. I hope you enjoy the photographs that tremble with unbridled energy in these pages. An unusual entry for Musée is Marina Abramovic´ who, though primarily a performance artist, relies on photography and video for the recording and dissemination of her work. Moreover, with her emphasis on the transcendental VERA LUTTER. Cargo Field, Frankfurt Airport, XII: May 2, 2001. 86 x 56 inches. ©Vera Lutter