Thomas Brandenburg’s fotofridays

Spaceship:

For centuries
The metropolis was the promise
For the fools paradise
Until I came
Daring to remake it
Into a magnificent spaceship

Go up with me
On an intrepid voyage
Instead of groping in the hollows
Of the city
Let us probe the dark unknowns
Of the cosmos

feeling under the weather to go out and shoot photographs, I decided on the simple beauty of doing a still life

We have been away
from ourselves
for a very long time

for the listener
who is listening
to the cry on a far hill

is listening to
everything in himself
calling

behold the dream that is
the dream, and
the dream that is.

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special thanks:
Dirk Urban
Ravi Shah
Dhwanit Shah

Not Crossed

unused words
lodged deep in the throat
rust together

and the iron bridge
raised up for so many years
was rendered useless—
unsafe to use

perhaps this was why
the fathers of their fathers knew
of each other, but they
were never meant to meet

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A second in a series of words and photos.
I simple tried to evoke a story around the picture.

I had a photography friend ask me the other day do I do creative writing that compliments
my photography. I pensively replied, rarely I do. Also I seldom write about other people
fine art work. But today I thought I would share a photograph I took a while back
of a Public sculpture in Grant Park that I admire. It is by Magdalena Abakanowicz.
I tried to take an unique perspective on the artwork in my photography and writing.

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Crowding Progress

In the scintillating music of progress
we have become headless giants.

A crowd marching in all directions
cutting past each others histories.

Not a soul has time to listen, for
a kind of languish stirs around us.

And what hope there is, remains
cloaked in our rusted burlap hides.

But is it enough; to get us through
one more season of progress?

In Kathakali it is still predominantly males, but since the 1970s females too have made entry.
So often in a performance men would play male and female roles.

Training for the art:
It requires a high degree of commitment to become Kathakali artist. He or she would need vigorous
grooming for almost a decade’s time, and most masters are products of accomplished institutions
that give a minimum training course of half-a-dozen years.

While in Kerala, I had the pleasure to see several Classical Indian dance dramas
of Kathakali. The Indian dance drama is performed through singing, precise drumming,
elaborate costumes, refined facial gestures and well-defined body movements.
The dance drama originated in the state of Kerala during the 17th century.

The Kathakali performer gesturing like a monkey.

I recently had the pleasure of spending some time with Twisha and
my in-laws in Munnar which is located on the south west state of India.
As the photograph depicts there are picturesque views of mountains
and wonderful vistas of lush tea plantations rolling of the sides
of the Western Ghats. Waking up early before sunrise and slowly watch
the light reveal the landscape was such an indulgence.
I felt time move at a different pace there, I look back at these pictures
to conjure up all of those breath-taking moments.

I enjoyed how Autumn seemed to linger this year in the city. It motivated me
to get my camera out after along break..too long I say to myself.