Hands in the fire with Erik Kessels

© Michael Grieve / 1000 Words

During the month of September 1000 Words held its third workshop in the medina of Fez, Morocco. This time we invited energetic Dutch man, Erik Kessels, curator, publisher and top banana at KesselsKrammer creative agency, to conduct an interesting and unique workshop that surprised and challenged the participants. Erik is one of those special people who injects a lateral perspective into the minds of those willing to take up a conceptual yet free thinking disposition. And as a passionate collector of anonymous photographs Erik always found the time to hunt in the medina for those vernacular gems hiding in the most unlikely places and lost on the pages of dusty albums.

1000 Words (Michael Grieve and Tim Clark) would like to thank all the participants for a productive workshop and for making the workshop a pleasant and relaxed environment. The participants were:

Alan Nielsen (Brazil)
Natasha Caruana (UK)
Alessandra Ferragina (Italy)
Hyseung Jeon (South Korea)
Hil Van Der Waal (The Netherlands)
Andy Nelson (UK)

We, of course, would like to thank Erik Kessels for his teaching skills and powers of motivation and our local assistant, Omar Chennafi, and Stephen DiRenza for allowing us to use his beautiful riad for the week.

1000 Words is organising four more workshops in Fez for 2012 with some of the finest photographers and artists the world has to offer including Roger Ballen (others still to be confirmed), and will be making a call for submissions very soon.






















© Michael Grieve / 1000 Words

Hans Aarsman

Greetings from Fez, where our workshop with Erik Kessels is in its final stages. Tomorrow the participants will present their projects but there will be a future blog post for this. For now, I just wanted to share this wonderful talk at TEDxAmsterdam which Erik has put me onto. Its by Hans Aarsman and is titled 'From pretty to ugly and back again; mysterious ways of beauty in photography'.

Surprising, insightful and at times hilarious, Aarsman shows different concepts of beauty in photography, and suggests that the only real photographic beauty is to be found in pictures that were made without such a goal in mind....Food for thought as we break for lunch.

Places still available for the Erik Kessels workshop!

There are still two places available for our workshop with Erik Kessels at riad 9 in Fez, Morocco (12-17 September 2011). Though the camera will be the tool, this workshop will appeal to creatives from all visual disciplines, not just photography.

Here is a great video of Erik giving an overview of his work as part of California College of the Arts' Photography Lecture Series; filmed on 24 February, 2011, in Timken Lecture Hall on the San Francisco campus:



For more information on the workshop or more details on how to submit click here. (Please note, the deadline for applications has been extended to 14 August.)

Finally, below is the manifesto from the groundbreaking exhibition From Here On at this year's Les Rencontres d'Arles which Erik co-curated with Clément Chéroux, Joan Fontcuberta, Martin Parr and Joachim Schmid. The conceptual approach and playful attitude that is outlined will be echoed in the workshop and push those who are open to exploring more lateral ways of image-making.

NOW, WE’RE A SPECIES OF EDITORS.
WE ALL RECYCLE, CLIP AND CUT, REMIX AND UPLOAD.
WE CAN MAKE IMAGES DO ANYTHING. ALL WE NEED IS
AN EYE, A BRAIN, A CAMERA,
A PHONE, A LAPTOP, A SCANNER, A POINT OF VIEW.
AND WHEN WE’RE NOT EDITING, WE’RE MAKING.
WE’RE MAKING MORE THAN EVER,
BECAUSE OUR RESOURCES ARE LIMITLESS AND
THE POSSIBILITIES ENDLESS.
WE HAVE AN INTERNET FULL OF INSPIRATION:
THE PROFOUND, THE BEAUTIFUL, THE DISTURBING,
THE RIDICULOUS, THE TRIVIAL, THE VERNACULAR AND THE INTIMATE.
WE HAVE NEXT-TO-NOTHING CAMERAS THAT RECORD THE LIGHTEST LIGHT, THE DARKEST DARK.
THIS TECHNOLOGICAL POTENTIAL HAS CREATIVE CONSEQUENCES.
IT CHANGES OUR SENSE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE. IT RESULTS IN
WORK THAT FEELS LIKE PLAY,
WORK THAT TURNS OLD INTO NEW, ELEVATES THE BANAL.
WORK THAT HAS A PAST BUT FEELS
ABSOLUTELY PRESENT.
WE WANT TO GIVE THIS WORK A NEW STATUS.
THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT
FROM HERE ON...

1000 Words Photography Magazine #11

I am delighted to inform you that the third anniversary issue of 1000 Words "Hidden" is now available to view online.

Despite a recent period of frenetic activity during which we have participated in a panel discussion in Oslo, staged our workshop with Anders Petersen in Fez and presented a slideshow at Fotofestiwal, the tenth annual International Festival of Photography in Łódź, Poland, we have still managed to produce this issue in time for Spring.

So without further ado please go to: www.1000wordsmag.com















Keeping things from notice or view is the theme which underpins much of the photography that is featured in the "Hidden" issue.

Writer and curator Val Williams reports back from the Simon Norfolk and John Burke exhibition at Tate Modern, (Photographs from the War in Afghanistan); Photography critic at The Financial Times, Francis Hodgson wrestles with the work of Michael Ackerman in his special book review of Half Life and Daniel Campbell Blight also brings us an extended book review of People in Trouble Laughing Pushed to the Ground from the artist duo Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin, an extraordinary social document of a critical moment in the history of Northern Ireland.

Elsewhere, photographer, editor, educator, writer and curator Aaron Schuman lifts the lid on the remarkable story of the late Vivian Maier whose work was discovered at an auction in Chicago by John Maloof; Director at QUAD, Co-founder of FORMAT International Photography Festival and 1000 Words Non-executive director Louise Clements turns her attention to How to Photograph a Black Dog, a witty and irreverent project by legendary Dutch art director, collector and innovator, Erik Kessels and finally Natasha Christia, Manager of photography at Barcelona's Kowasa Gallery, peeks into the portfolio of Martina Hoogland Ivanow, the hugely talented Stockholm-based artist.

In the dedicated books section 1000 Words Deputy editor, Michael Grieve pays his dues to Paul Graham's Beyong Caring and Oliver Whitehead puts Rinko Kawauchi's Murmuration under the scalpel.

At 1000 Words we strive to foreground the subjectivity of documentary photography whilst always exploring the limits and possibilities of the medium. Many thanks to all the artists, writers and advertisers for contributing to this special issue. A big hand must also go to Santiago Taccetti of CCCH Creative Studio Barcelona for his beautifully understated art direction on the project. We would also like to extend our thanks to you, our readers, for helping support 1000 Words throughout this exciting venture.

1000 WORDS WORKSHOP WITH ERIK KESSELS IN MOROCCO, SEPTEMBER 2011

*17.07.11 THERE ARE STILL TWO PLACES AVAILABLE-APPLY NOW!-DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 14.08.11!*

After two very successful workshops with Antoine d'Agata and Anders Petersen, 1000 Words is very pleased to present its third with Erik Kessels in Fez, Morocco (12-17 September 2011). Though the camera will be the tool, this workshop will appeal to creatives from all visual disciplines, not just photography.

"Nowadays, we consume images without really looking at them. It's every photographer's duty to make images that stand out from the daily visual clutter." Erik Kessels

Please scroll down for more information and how to submit.

ERIK KESSELS:

Erik Kessels' list of achievements are extensive. He is best described as a curator and publisher who conceptualises vernacular photography and produces unusual artworks. He is a founding partner and Creative Director of the highly successful and innovative advertising agency, KesselsKrammer in Amsterdam (yes, that is the actual website). He has won numerous awards and KesselsKramer comprises of thirty eight people from eight different countries and has been operating since 1996. He has designed, edited and published several books on vernacular photography through KesselsKramer Publishing – including the in almost every picture series, The Instant Men and Wonder. Since 2000, he has been an editor of the alternative photography magazine Useful Photography.

Erik is also noted for his particularly original curated exhibitions such as Loving Your Pictures at the Centraal Museum Utrecht, The Netherlands and at Les Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie, Arles. He was one of four curators (alongside Lou Reed, Fred Ritchin and Vince Aletti) of the New York Photo Festival 2010 where he presented the exhibition Use Me Abuse Me.

Aside from all that, Erik is a very nice man with a creative spirit second to none. His conceptual approach and playful attitude will push those who are open to exploring more lateral ways of image-making.

ABOUT US:

The organisation's flagship is 1000 Words, an online magazine dedicated to contemporary photography in the UK and beyond. It reviews exhibitions and photobooks and publishes interviews, essays and multimedia. We are committed to showing the work of lesser-known but significant artists alongside that of established photographers in the aim of bringing their work to a wider audience. Often incredibly diverse in terms of subjects, concepts, styles and techniques, yet by covering a wide spectrum of genres 1000 Words intends to make us reconsider the contemporary photograph.

Released quarterly, the magazine attracts over 140,000 unique visitors from more than 75 countries every month. In May 2010 the 1000 Words Blog was ranked at number 3 in The Top 25 UK Arts & Culture Blogs as part of a survey carried out by Creative Tourist and was also named as the winner of Arts Media Contacts' Photography Blog of the Year Award, 2010.

Yet 1000 Words is much more than just an online magazine. It is the first step in our concept. 1000 Words also operates a programme of exhibitions and events including four annual workshops in Fez, Morocco as well as talks, portfolio reviews, prizes and awards. In July 2010, we launched the 1000 Words Collection, in partnership with Troika Editions, offering limited edition photography prints at affordable prices from artists including Simon Roberts, JH Engstrom, Bruno Quinquet, Sarah Small, Trinidad Carrillo, Andrew Bruce, Leigh Ledare, Nuno Cera and Virgilio Ferreira.

1000 Words is governed by its board of directors who play an active role in the direction of the organisation. They are: Camilla Gore, Nicholas Barker, Simon Baker, Aron Morel, Louise Clements, Tim Clark, Michael Grieve and Norman Clark. The 1000 Words Workshops are organised by Tim Clark, founder and editor-in-chief at 1000 Words and Michael Grieve, 1000 Words deputy editor, lecturer at Nottingham Trent University and a photographer represented by Agence Vu.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:

The 1000 Words Workshop takes place in an authentically restored riad situated in the medieval medina, at the heart of the beautifully evocative city of Fez, Morocco. The workshop will be an intense experience lasting six days between 12-17 September 2011 and will consist of 12 participants. The medina is a vibrant labyrinth that will permeate all the senses. Surrounded by the Atlas Mountains, it offers a visually stunning backdrop for this truly unique workshop.

We are looking for a diverse range of participants who understand the work of Erik Kessels and feel that their own art will benefit from his guidance. As we said before, though the camera will be the tool, this workshop will appeal to creatives from all visual disiplines, not just photography.

"A lot of photographers are looking into ways to make their work public," says Erik Kessels. "Almost every photographer has their own website. But for a lot of photographers, there is also a strong need to publish a book or have an exhibition. How do you communicate these needs to the outside world? Also, which kind of tools are there to use?"

Erik Kessels will first give a lecture about his own experiences on these subjects. There will then be a workshop where photographers will find their own way to proceed in their future work. Subjects will be: 'How to edit your own photographs?' 'Self publishing' and 'How can photographers communicate about their own work?'.

Over the course of several days there will be different short briefs for the attending photographers. These will teach them to be more playful and communicative with their own work.


PRACTICAL INFORMATION:

The cost of the workshop will be £1250 for 6 days. Once participants have been selected they will be expected to pay a non-refundable deposit of £350 within two weeks. Participants can then pay the rest of the fee according to deadlines (see below). Participants are encouraged to arrive the day before the workshop begins for a welcome dinner. The price includes:

-tuition from Erik Kessels (inluding defining each participant's project;shooting;editing sessions;creating a coherent body of work;creation of a slide show;projection of the images of the participants.)
-a welcome and farewell dinner
-lunch everyday and snacks during the afternoon
-24 hour help from the 1000 Words team and an assistant/translator with local knowledge.

Participants will be expected to make their own travel arrangements and find accommodation, which in Fez can range from £150 upwards for the week. We can advise on finding the accommodation that best suits you. Remember that most of your time will be spent either at the riad or shooting. For photographers using film we will provide the means for processing and a scanner. Photographers shooting digital will be expected to bring all necessary equipment. Please note that for the purposes and practicalities of a workshop, digital really is advisable. All participants should also bring a laptop if they have one. Every effort will be made to accommodate individual technical needs.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

We require that you send 10 images as low res jpegs and/or a link to your website, as well as a short biography and statement about why you think it will be relevant for you to work with Erik (approx 200 words total). Submissions are to be sent to workshops@1000wordsmag.com with the following subject header: SUBMISSION FOR 1000 WORDS WORKSHOP WITH ERIK KESSELS.

30 June 2011: Deadline for applications
15 July 2011: Successful candidates contacted
29 July 2011: Deposit due (£350)
31 August 2011: Second instalment due (£900)
11 September 2011: Arrive in Morocco for welcoming dinner
12 September 2011: Workshop begins
17 September 2011: Workshop ends

Succes gewenst!