MY POLAROID SELFIES BOOK I 1981Copy
Review Melinda Camber Porter in Paris apartment, 27 Quai Voltaire, 1981.Copy This photo appears within the original Selfie diary on page 40.
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Melinda Camber Porter’s original Selfie diary, kept in a three-ring photo binder. Copy
Polaroid SX-70 camera, built from 1972 to 1977, used by Melinda Camber Porter in the creation of the selfies diary.
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The Polaroid SX-70 was the first foldable model by Polaroid, seen here in its compact form. Copy
Review Melinda Camber Porter ARCHIVE OF CREATIVE WORKS Volume 2, Number 8
MY POLAROIDCopy SELFIES BOOK I 1981
BY M ELINDA C AMBER P ORTER Review
Blake Press Published by Blake Press
© 2017 Blake Press © 2017 Melinda Camber Porter Archive
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017937246 Camber Porter, Melinda My Polaroid Selfies Book 1 1981 Camber Porter, Melinda Photography, Polaroid Selfies
ISBN 978-1-942231-58-5 1. Art—Polaroid Selfie Photography. 2. Ascher, Arianna Storm—Foreword, Criticism and Interpretation 3. Camber Porter, Melinda—Polaroid Camera Selfie Photography 1981. 4. Camera—Polaroid SX-70. 5. Diary—Polaroid Selfie Photographs in 1981. 6. Edelson, Michael—Foreword, Criticism and Interpretation. 7. Lomography—Polaroid Selfie Photographs in 1981. 8. Photography—Polaroid Selfies France, UK and USA. 9. Selfies—Polaroid Camera In France, UK and USA. 10. Spiritualism—Phycological and SelfCopy Awareness. Melinda Camber Porter Archive of Creative Works Series in Journalism: Volume 2, Number 8 ISSN: 2379-2450 (Print) ISSN: 2379-3198 (E-Book) ISSN: 2379-321X (Audio)
Editor: Joseph R. Flicek
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,Review without the prior written permission of the copyright holders. Photographs in this book have been provided by the owners or custodians of the work. Individual photographer names are provided when available. Every effort has been made to obtain rights from image rights holders. Any information on unlocated rights holders forwarded to Blake Press will be acted upon for future editions.
First Printing POD
www.MelindaCamberPorter.com Melinda Camber Porter ARCHIVE OF CREATIVE WORKS
Copy The Melinda Camber PorterPorter ArchiveArchive ofof CreativeCreative WorksWorks comprisescomprises twotwo series of books. The First Series are books of journalism. The Second Series are books ofof artart andand literature.literature. ForFor thethe complete complete list list of of titles titles in in the the series by Blake Press, see page 146.
Review PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Melinda Camber Porter purchased a Polaroid camera in 1981. She was fascinated by the fact one was able to get instant feedback and not wait days or weeks to get one’s traditional photography developed. She could now take pictures of herself and see if it showed what she was thinking. Today, of course, we call this a ‘Selfie’.
From 1981 to 1983 Melinda Camber Porter took approximately 150 Polaroid Selfies. She placed each of them in chronological order into a three-inch thick, three ringed photo diary. She was obviously fascinated with, and had deep interest in, what ‘Selfies’ showed about her state of mind. Melinda Camber Porter averaged one Polaroid photo selfie per week for three years, 1981–83, creating a ‘photo diary.’
With this new Polaroid camera, Melinda Camber Porter now had the ability to take photos of herself to capture her many different emotional states. She wrote various annotated statements next to some of her Polaroid Selfies, which give us insight. She wrote, “I am depressed,” “I am trying to be happy,” “I am thinking of love” and so forth regardingCopy her state of mind when she took each Polaroid Selfie.
Melinda Camber Porter was addressing the classic Mind-Body problem or William Blake’s Body and Soul. Does the face of my body show what I am thinking in my mind when I take the Polaroid photo? She was using the new Polaroid camera technology as laboratory equipment to log her mind’s thoughts as expressed in her face. She understood the photos were important enough to log each Polaroid Selfie in chronological order over three years from 1981–83. She knew they provided her with some type of insight into her life and emotions and wanted to keep them in diary form.
Michael Edelson, ProfessorReview Emeritus of Film and Photography at State University of New York at Stony Brook, provides an insightful foreword into this diary of Melinda Camber Porter’s Polaroid Selfies, and the inventiveness of Edwin H. Land, the inventor of, and driving force behind, the Polaroid camera. Edwin Land had over 500 patents on his Polaroid camera. Professor Edelson compares Edwin Land’s introduction of the Polaroid camera with the excitement of Steve Jobs’ introduction of the iPhone, both major technological advances.
viii | PUBLISHER’S NOTE Michael Edelson describes the scene of Edwin Land secretly entering a science laboratory at Columbia University at night, through a window, to continue his experiments developing polarizing iodide-quinine crystals, needed for Polaroid film, and the key in digital photography today. It was an art student at Columbia University, Terre (Helen Maislen) who guided Land up the fire escape to the secret window, which led to the engineering laboratory with the 10,000 gauss electromagnet necessary for polarizing iodide-quinine crystals. (The full story is found in Land’s Polaroid by Peter C. Wensberg.)
Columbia University laboratories have often been the scene of technological breakthroughs. FM radio technology developed in Columbia University’s engineering laboratories by Edwin Howard Armstrong, who is remembered today with an annual guest lecturer. Voice and Video- over-IP (known commercially and most commonly, as Skype) was developed, in part, at Columbia University’s engineering laboratories using software and hardware (a Texas Instrument’s TMS 23 chip in an analog phone) by Dr. Henning Schulzrinne.
Artists take new technology advances forward to new creative places for the human experience. Melinda Camber Porter took her newly purchased Polaroid camera in 1981 and began a three- year journey of photographing herself and placing theCopy yet unnamed ‘selfie’ photos into her ‘photo diary.’ This ‘photo diary’ allowed Melinda Camber Porter to search privately for her Body and Soul both photographically and instantly. As Edwin Land said, “business should be at the intersection of art and science.”
Michael Edelson compares Melinda Camber Porter’s efforts of the selfie photo diary to William Blake’s printing of his images and poetry in search of Body and Soul.
In the second foreword to this title, Storm Ascher, a Millennial artist and photographer based in Los Angeles and New York, states: “The self-portrait is the most dominate use of the camera today… Melinda Camber Porter had an ability to transcend the element of time in all of her work; representingReview images and writing about personal experiences that could ultimately be an overall expression of the human experience. She understood this phenomenon of documenting the ‘self ’ before it was coined the “selfie” by the Millennial generation.”
The 150 Polaroid selfies will be published in three separate books over three years. In this first book, My Polaroid Selfies: Book I 1981 (V2N9), are found the first forty-eight Polaroid selfies taken by Melinda Camber Porter in 1981 and placed in her photo diary.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE | ix Copy
Review TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Plates xii 90-Year Timeline of Polaroid Corporation xvi Foreword by Michael Edelson xix
Polaroid’s Return to the ‘Selfie’ Generation xxxiii by Storm Ascher
POLAROID PLATES Copy1–127
The Melinda Camber Porter Archive About 131 Art 133 Literature 136 Film Review 138 Journalism 139 Praise 142 More Information 145 Melinda Camber Porter Archive Catalog Listing 146
TABLE OF CONTENTS | xi LIST OF PLATES
All plates are 3.5 x 4.2 inches Polaroid Selfie No. 7 Polaroid Selfie No. 1 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 07422113434 14319115047 POLAROID 9 POLAROID 6 p. 17 p. 3 Polaroid Selfie No. 8 Polaroid Selfie No. 2 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 16309909269 14319115047 POLAROID 9 POLAROID 6 p. 19 p. 5 Polaroid Selfie No. 9 Polaroid Selfie No. 3 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 11307222486 04421310212 POLAROIDCopy 9 POLAROID 9 p. 23 p. 7 Polaroid Selfie No. 10 Polaroid Selfie No. 4 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 16309309269 14319115047 POLAROID 9 POLAROID 6 p. 25 p. 9 Polaroid Selfie No. 11 Polaroid Selfie No. 5 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 16309309269 POLAROID _ POLAROID 9 p. 27 p. 13 Review Polaroid Selfie No. 12 Polaroid Selfie No. 6 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 16309309269 POLAROID _ POLAROID 9 p. 29 p. 15
xii | LIST OF PLATES LIST OF PLATES
Polaroid Selfie No. 13 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Polaroid Selfie No. 19 6214313375 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 POLAROID _ 6214313373 p. 33 POLAROID _ p.49 Polaroid Selfie No. 14 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Polaroid Selfie No. 20 6214313375 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 POLAROID _ 6314313373 p. 35 POLAROID 6 p. 51 Polaroid Selfie No. 15 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Polaroid Selfie No. 21 6214313375 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 POLAROID _ 6217313373 p. 37 POLAROIDCopy _ p. 55 Polaroid Selfie No. 16 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Polaroid Selfie No. 22 6214313375 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 POLAROID _ 6214313375 p. 39 POLAROID _ p. 57 Polaroid Selfie No. 17 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Polaroid Selfie No. 23 6214313375 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 POLAROID _ 6214313375 p. 45 POLAROID 6 p. 59 Polaroid Selfie No. 18Review Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Polaroid Selfie No. 24 6214313375 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 POLAROID 6214313375 p. 47 POLAROID _ p. 61
LIST OF PLATES | xiii LIST OF PLATES
Polaroid Selfie No. 25 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Polaroid Selfie No. 30 6214313375 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 POLAROID 6 6214313375 p. 65 POLAROID _ Inscription: “Well—” Polaroid Selfie No. 26 p. 77 Paris-New Yorka, 1981–1983 16214313375 Polaroid Selfie No. 31 POLAROID _ Paris-New York, 1981–1983 p. 67 6214313375 POLAROID _ Polaroid Selfie No. 27 p. 79 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 Polaroid Selfie No. 32 POLAROID _ Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Inscription (side): “Thinking of 6214313375Copy homosexuality and S&M” POLAROID _ (top): “Thinking of [illegible]” p. 81 (side): “It’s the same thing says [illegible]” p. 69 Polaroid Selfie No. 33 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Polaroid Selfie No. 28 6214313375 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 POLAROID _ 6214313375 p. 87 POLAROID _ Inscription: “Thinking of sex with Polaroid Selfie No. 34 [illegible] & Michael” Paris-New York, 1981–1983 p. 71 6214313375 POLAROID Polaroid Selfie No. 29 Review p. 89 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 Polaroid Selfie No. 35 POLAROID Paris-New York, 1981–1983 Inscription (top): “Thinking of sex with 6214313375 kindly heterosexuals POLAROID (bottom): “Talking with girlfriends giggling p. 91 p. 75
xiv | LIST OF PLATES LIST OF PLATES
Polaroid Selfie No. 36 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 Polaroid Selfie No. 43 POLAROID _ Paris-New York, 1981–1983 p. 93 01220312512 POLAROID 9 Polaroid Selfie No. 37 p. 111 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 Polaroid Selfie No. 44 POLAROID _ Paris-New York, 1981–1983 p. 97 01220312512 POLAROID 9 Polaroid Selfie No. 38 p. 113 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 Polaroid Selfie No. 45 POLAROID _ Paris-New York, 1981–1983 p. 99 01220312512 POLAROIDCopy 9 Polaroid Selfie No. 39 p. 117 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 Polaroid Selfie No. 46 POLAROID _ Paris-New York, 1981–1983 p. 101 01220312512 POLAROID 9 Polaroid Selfie No. 40 p. 119 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 Polaroid Selfie No. 47 POLAROID _ Paris-New York, 1981–1983 p. 103 01220312512 POLAROID 9 Polaroid Selfie No. 41Reviewp. 121 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 Polaroid Selfie No. 48 POLAROID _ Paris-New York, 1981–1983 p. 107 12215322506 POLAROID 6 Polaroid Selfie No. 42 p. 123 Paris-New York, 1981–1983 6214313375 POLAROID _ p. 109
LIST OF PLATES | xv 90-YEAR TIMELINE OF POLAROID CORPORATION
1927 Edwin H. Land secretly experiments with polarization in the Columbia University engineering lab (at night) 1929 Edwin H. Land creates the first synthetic sheet polarizer 1932 Land announces synthetic polarizing material 1937 Polaroid Corporation founded 1939 Polaroid stereoscopic motion pictures shown at world's fair 1941 Sales exceed $1 million 1944 Jennifer Land asks her Dad “Why can't I see them now?” setting into motion the SX-70 project 1948 Polaroid Land Camera Model 95 introduced with Type 40 film 1949 Ansel Adams hired as a consultant Copy 1952 Polaroid Pathfinder 110 introduced 1957 Polaroidolaroid stock listed on the NYSE 1958 4 x 5 inch Film holder introduced 1959 Polaroid expands to Canada, Europe 1960 Polaroid Land Camera Model 900 Electric Eye introduced, the first automatic exposure camera; Polaroid expands to Japan 1963 Pack film cameras introduced, Colour film introduced, 5 millionth camera produced 1965 Instant portrait introduced 1966 ReviewID-2 Land personal identification system introduced; TLX radiographic film introduced for medical imaging 1972 SX-70 cameras introduced 1974 Polaroid estimates over 1 billion instant prints made this year 1975 Land resigns as President of Polaroid 1976 Polaroid sues Kodak for copyright infringement with their instant cameras
xvi | TIMELINE OF POLAROID CORPORATION 90-YEAR TIMELINE OF POLAROID CORPORATION CONT'D
1977 Land awarded 500th patent; sales exceed $1 billion 1982 Edwin Land retires from Polaroid 1983 Polaroid Palette digital film recorders introduced 1985 Polaroid wins lawsuit against Kodak 1986 Spectra Cameras introduced 1987 First transparent camera 1988 Polaroid Impulse introduced 1991 Polaroid receives $925 million from Kodak for patent infringement Edwin H. Land Dies 1993 Captiva cameras introduced 1999 Barbie® Instant Camera, Taz® Instant Camera introducedoduced Copy 2001 Polaroid files for Chapter 11 protection; MIO camera introducedintroduced 2002 Equity One partners acquires Polaroid's assets 2003 Instant digital prints kiosk introduced 2004 Image 1200 introduced, the first instant camera with digital LCD viewfinder 2005 Petter's Group Worldwide acquires Polaroid's assets for $426 million 2006 Polaroid discontinues SX-70 2008 Polaroid announces all instant film production will cease; Reviewfiles for Chapter 11 protection due to alleged fraud from Petters Group founder. Partners with Zink 2009 Polaroid brand is purchased by PLR IP Holdings, LLC. 2010 Polaroid hires Lady Gaga as creative director 2012 Polaroid SC1630 smart camera introduced, powered by Google Android 2017 Oskar Smolokowski, majority stakeholder of Impossible Project, acquires intellectual property rights of the original Polaroid Corporation assets
TIMELINE OF POLAROID CORPORATION | xvii “I do not understand the divine source, but I know, in a way that I don't understand, that out of chaos I can make order, out of loneliness I can make friendship, out of ugliness I can make beauty.” —Edwin H. Land
“To see a World in a Grain ofCopy Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.” —William Blake
Review FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON
My grandfather, who grew up in the century. Modern science is revealing nature’s countryside outside the small city of Focşani secrets to us eacheach andand everyevery dayday suchsuch asas thisthis in Romania, would often tell me tales miraculous machine that captures the sound from the beginning of the last century. My of the world and, just imagine, it brings it favorite was about the annual visit of a rag- back to you as simply as this. tag traveling troupe of musicians, dancers, singers, acrobats and an imposing emcee with He turned to the machine and set the stylus a huge black mustache not unlike Stromboli on to the grove as thethe cylindercylinder beganbegan rotating.rotating. in Walt Disney’s Pinocchio (1940). After a moment of scratches and hisses, Of course, the acts rarelyrarely changedchanged butbut thisthis the Copy sound of an orchestra came forth. made no difference to the entertainment- A loud audible gasp filled the air as the starved peasants. However, this year a brand fearful peasants moved steps back. When new grand finale was to be premiered. the male vocalist began to sing, one of the After the usual tumult of the performances, men shouted, “Vocea lui Dumnezeu!” (The applause and even some coins thrown in voice of God!) He fell to his knees and appreciation, the stage was cleared except crossed himself. To a person, the crowd for a table located dead center upon which an also fell, bowed their heads while frantically Edison Cylinder Phonograph sat imposingly crossing themselves and fervently mumbling with its burnished wood, polished brass “Bucura-te de Maria, Maica lui Dumnezeu!” finishings and a a large large flowered flowered horn horn all all (“Hail Mary, Mother of God!) aglow in the gas-litReview rustic atmosphere before the naive audience. After the murmuring When the Polaroid Land Instant Camera quieted down, this Stromboli walked up to Model 95 was demonstrated and first put on the machine. sale in Boston’s Jordan Marsh department store, even at Christmas 1949, mind you, “Tonight,” he began in an engulfing bass no one genuflected but instead, more voice, “we bring to you, at great cost, from appropriately, opened their wallets so they Vienna one of the marvels of our new could bring this latest magic home. This
FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON | xix new photographic device cost $95. In 2017 seconds to pass so one could peel apart the dollars that represents a hefty $494.91. I print and gaze at the image taken a minute, remember, by contrast, my parents paid almost immediately before. Having lived $32 monthly for a spacious three-room through the war years with rationing—my apartment in New York City then. The first father as a plumber had gone for months factory run of the new camera was a bare outfitting troop ships; dart boards featuring 60; Jordon Marsh reluctantly took 57 units Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo; and no Bazooka regretting already that there would be many Bubble Gum—I could not help but sense left over on the shelves after Christmas. On that even at my my young young age age the the world world was was that first day, every single Model 95 was not going remain the same much longer. sold. Last year’s Christmas brought a spectacular 10-inch television into my life, cars like the When only 11, I remember witnessing this Studebaker and Tucker looked like nothing same phenomenon in the Parkchester branch before on the road, the Columbia Long- of Macy’s early the next year. Today, our Playing record was introduced offering either jaded technical nature scoffs at the infectious a Beethoven symphony or all all the the songs songs of of sorcery that flowed from this camera; the South Pacific on one disc and I was once again excitement of waiting for the the endless endless 60 60 blowing Copyunlimited Bazooka bubbles.
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Fig. 01 Edwin H. Land inspects an oversized Polaroid black and white image of himself taken with one of his demonstration Polaroid cameras, at the February 21, 1947, meeting of the Optical Society of America, ca. 1948. Photo: unknown
xx | FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON Set to a quest when his daughter on a 1943 Jewish parents, he planned to study chemistry vacation at the Grand Canyon asked “Why at Harvard ... which he did for all of one year, do we have to wait for the pictures?” Edwin the total extent of his university education. Land answered her by inventing a camera that He never obtained any degrees, except those developed prints in 60 seconds. He took the of the honorary breed, but because of his working model to the then mammoth Eastman brilliance and accomplishments everyone Kodak Company seeking further financing. automatically called him “Dr.” Land. He moved to New York City without funds from “Dr. Land,” the smug Kodakers explained, Cambridge. Through friends, who were “we have a rather successful photofinishing students at Columbia University, he snuck on business, you see.” Securing money campus at night using a primitive clandestine elsewhere, he began manufacturing his new lab and invented the first inexpensive filters camera, the first of almost incalculable capable of polarizing light which he called models that created a unique multi-billion Polaroid film. Besides military applications, dollar industry. people today still sport his invention, invention, their their Polaroid sunglasses. I expect his remark, “Any Edwin Herbert Land was never ordinaryordinary forfor aa problem can be solved using the materials in moment in his life. Born of Eastern European the room,”Copy sums up those early years.
Review
Fig. 02 The Polaroid Land Camera Model 95 was introduced in 1948 and used Type 40 film Photo: unknown
FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON | xxi “Fifty years after we undertook to make Eugene Richards. Support of this magnitude the first synthetic polarizers, we find them is rare even today. Unfortunately, in 2010 the essential layers in digital-crystal. And the unique collection was broken up and put 34 years after we undertook to make the to auction at Sotheby’s. first instant camera and film, our kind of photography has become ubiquitous. Do Even though Dr. Land worked in the world not do anything that anyone can do readily.” of science, he felt that creativity was an omnipresent demand. Examining that statement, it is not difficult to perceive Dr. Land as an artist since any “Creativity is the sudden cessation of creative person would willingly wear that stupidity.” thought on their sleeve. Throughout the Polaroid Corporation’s existence, Dr. Land’s I can easily imagine a young artist at a Paris firm supported the arts by the establishment cafe before The Great War stating, as did of “The Polaroid Collection.” Looking back Dr. Land, “It’s not that we need new ideas, to his shadowy existence of his Columbia but we need to stop having old ideas!” University lab, Land recognized that artists, especially young economically pressed ones, Dr. Land,Copy like William Blake, was an insistent need the material with which they can make rebel, a trouble-maker who was in constant their imaginations manifest and visible to opposition to complacency and the rules of all. The Collection’s aim to provide Polaroid society that hinder and bind creativity and material was open to all. Artists would experiences. And he frequently mounted present portfolios to a selection committee the barricades when, for one example, that chose a few of the many. These were discovering discriminatory practices by his provided with unlimited material for a year organization’s human resources department, at the end of which they would return to a forceful memo pulling out this practice by Cambridge, MA. The images selected were the roots went to every niche and corner of then purchased for the collection. Just some the Polaroid Corporation. of the photographersReview who participated include: Elsa Dorfman, William Wegman, Blake pointed out that “As the true method of Chris Enos, Olivia Parker, Barbara Kasten, knowledge is experiment, the true faculty of Sandi Fellman, Vicki Ragan, Luciano knowing must be the faculty which experiences.” Franchi de Alfaro III, David Bailey, Sarah Moon, Helmut Newton, Jeanloup Sieff, “Business should be at the intersection of Kishin Shinoyama, Lorie Novak, Rosamond art and science,” Dr. Land stressed as his Purcell, Joseph Saltzer, Alma Davenport and mantra. His standards were impeccable
xxii | FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON and demanding: “Marketing is what you her purpose, may give her if not the crown do when your product is no good.” In fact, certainly the jewel within it as the first to Dr. Land was the Steve Jobs of his day, who undertake this novel self-portrait. The selfie shared in altering our way of perceiving the was born of the smartphone’s photographic world and ourselves with a new immediacy ability and constant companionship. as did Blake before him. While miniature and flip phones enabled ‘Then tell me, what is the Material one to photograph, it appears that the World, and is it dead?’ custom was not popular popular until until the the iPhone iPhone He, laughing, answer’d: ‘I will write a was marketed in 2007 with outstanding book on leaves of flowers, optics for that time and Apple’s famed ease If you will feed me on love-thoughts, of operation. Truly remarkable in design and give me now and then and function, the newly marketed iPhone A cup of sparkling poetic fancies; so, birthed a field of competitors. The selfie when I am tipsy, became a new reflexive genre for humanity. I’ll sing to you to this soft lute, and show you all alive As an aside it is important to recognize that The World, when every particle of dust Dr. LandCopy predicted the smartphonesmartphone camera.camera. breathes forth its joy.’ (1794) His view of the future was prophetic.
“Like visiting a shrine,” is is how how Steve Steve Jobs Jobs Some years ago I saw a faded film clip described a meeting with Edwin Land. Both of him captured decades ago describing shared a unique attitude towards innovation; the expansion plans of the Polaroid it demanded a great designer’s (or artist’s Corporation. In a lackadaisical aside, Dr. or even dreamer’s) eye to spot. Neither Dr. Lands goes on with homespun casualness Land or Jobs used consumer research to about our imaging destiny. Talking to the launch a new product. In a sense, it had to invisible audience, he, in fact, shows us our sing to them. Both also felt that the Instant very future. Camera and Apple’sReview Mac were waiting for them, invisible to others, to be released “The camera of tomorrow,” and I am as Michelangelo believed in that “every paraphrasing now, “will always be with us as block of stone has a statue inside it and the if it were a wallet.” At this point he pulls out sculptor’s task is to discover it. his pocket wallet from inside his coat, holds it as if he were taking a photograph with Melinda Camber Porter began creating an iPhone 6, “click”, and then returns it to her selfies in 1981. This alone, no matter his overcoat in the most brief economical
FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON | xxiii gesture. He summed this up by once stating: Popular Photography, Camera 35, Fotografia “A significant invention must be startling, Italiano, French Zoom and Modern Photography. I unexpected. It must come to a world that was also the first Associate Director of New is not prepared for it.” That is exactly what York’s International Center of Photography. occurred when The Polaroid Corporation This provided me with a close relation unveiled the SX-70. with the Polaroid Corporation through Jon Holmes, a tall westerner whose easy manner At that time, besides directing the belied his being the head of Polaroid’s Photo photography program in the Art Department Press Public Relations. of Stony Brook University in New York, I had for many years functioned as a writer and The photographic press, long as we were editor of several photographic magazines: accustomed to Polaroid’s impressive product
Copy
Review
Fig. 03 Top: Polaroid SX-70 camera, built from 1972 to 1977, used by Melinda Camber Porter in the creation of the selfies diary..
Bottom: The Polaroid SX-70 was the first single- lens-reflex model by Polaroid, seen here in its compact form.
xxiv | FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON unveilings, was unprepared for the debut to Interkamera, a yearly gathering of of the SX-70 in 1972. We had heard that photographic writers, critics and technicians earlier in April, Dr. Land had introduced the in Prague. It was a mini United Nations camera at a stockholders’ meeting by casually gathering of about 15 photographic stars taking it from his coat pocket, unfolding it who provided various lectures on newest in a quick gesture, taking five speedy shots in the field while also bringing a variety of and astonishing all in the audience with the exhibitions. prints being ejected from the camera body to be developed in front of everyone’s eyes. At I was bringing The Concerned Photographer, a our press conference ordinary men instead consequential exhibit of such major artists of Dr. Land introduced the new miracle. as Robert Capa, David “Chim” Seymour, Here was the embodiment of his prophesy Andre Kertesz, Dan Weiner, Werner Bischof found on that faded film clip. The camera and Leonard Freedman. The previous year was a festival of innovative thinking that, in Prague, the Interkamera people made a for example, was ingeniously powered by a request of me; “would II curatecurate anan ApolloApollo 1111 flat, 6-volt “PolaPulse” battery encased in exhibition with a Moon Rock?” the film packpack ofof 1010 exposures.exposures. BecauseBecause somesome electrical charge remained in the exhausted It tookCopy me a year with trips to NASA and film pack, an ecological AM-FM radio was seemingly miles of red tape regarding the introduced that utilized these “old” packs. rock. It was lots of work but a great joy, especially with enormous assistance from the Because of the reflex design, the camera was people at NASA. I chose images, about 20, capable of focusing as close as 10.4 inches that were blown up to huge transparencies (26.4 cm). In addition, a close-up lens kit to that were then mounted on pylons with further reduce distance was available as an bright illumination within. The Moon Rock accessory. was beautifully presented under a securely locked plexiglass case that was guarded by a Soon after the commercial American debut, U.S. marine in full dress including a sidearm. I spoke to Jon HolmesReview about Polaroid’s plan Shortly after the SX-70 was brought to the for eastern Europe. Almost forgotten today, U.S. Market, I approached Jon Holmes of there was the Soviet Iron Curtain that was Polaroid public relations with an offer of still a tangible means of isolation. Efforts assistance if they would be interested in were made by these prison states at times using the hubbub of Interkamera to launch to maintain some flow, no matter even a the new camera in eastern Europe. They trickle, of technical and artistic connections. were, and we coordinated our efforts for a I was the sole American representative truly grand event.
FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON | xxv Unfortunately, it was a bit too grand—not when I realized that I was in need of for the Czechs who were behaving as if it professional help. was Christmas morning—but the Russians. They had arrived with their expected And so began my daily visits to the Cultural sincere images of hard workers and glorious Attaché at the American Embassy. He was tractors to be blown out of the water by a comforting but pointed out the embassy spectacular Moon Rock, this dazzling SX- did not want to get involved at this early 70 camera, the wonder of the age and The stage. “Early stage!” I thought. The entire Concerned Photographer exhibit that beat them international Interkamera exhibit was on at their own game of social realism. All of hold. No one was exhibiting, the doors were this might as well have been a full grown closed. No one coming in. The Italians, the American Victory Parade with marching Japanese, the East Germans, the French, the bands and confetti. The Russians strongly Hungarians, the British—all of them were advised some editing by the Czechs, now looking at me to solve the problem so all their caught in the middle of this photographic combined efforts (and monies) would not squabble between two super-powered be wrapped up and sent home. Welcome to guests. international politics where one stares and daren’t blink!Copy This was high-stake politics so, most naturally, the heated discussion never The next morning, Josef Kebza, one of the referred to the Moon Rock, the really big Interkamera board members and a dear elephant in the room. No, rather, they friend, came to the hotel to have breakfast with claimed that they were dismayed by some me. Josef loved all things American. Imagine, anti-socialism images in The Concerned he even was the producer of the first Czech Photographer exhibit. These identified rock band. I would come to Prague a few pictures upset their communist sensibilities days earlier each year so that he would drive and had to be “edited” said the Russians us around Bohemia and Moravia showing through the hapless Czechs. Munich Pact me the beauty of his homeland. One day, deja vu. Reviewhe and another close friend of mine, and an exceptional photojournalist, Milan Novotný, Frankly, I was astonished how this silly visited a castle that produced a wonderful argument demonstrated “legs,” the ability fruity white wine. We each drank a bottle to become an international cultural causing me that evening to embarrassingly brouhaha with me in the middle because fall asleep in a comfortable, warm dark I sure was not going to surrender to some room as a photographer was projecting his low-level Moscow bureaucrat. That was transparencies.
xxvi | FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON Josef was a bear of a man and always jolly about photography while downing iced with a laugh that could be heard across the vodka. I asked her to act as an intermediary other side of the Vltava, the river that crosses to the Russians with my proposal: I, and I through Prague. He had no roll instead of his alone, would save their faces and “edit” three usual three and only one coffee. images but not down to the 12 they wanted removed. If they didn’t agree, I would go to “Are the Russians up to something all the western editors with the story and I’d new?” I asked. also approach the dailies throughout Europe. He shook his head “No.” She smiled at my offer. WeWe planned,planned, ifif therethere “Has your boss Jemelka said was reason to celebrate that night; I would something ... maybe a dark message bring the vodka, she the caviar. Again, as for me?” usual, she drank me under the table. “No,” he said, “what I have to say is just from me to you as a friend. After Unfortunately, though, there was never all these years you know so well how another Interkamera after that. things work here.” “Yes...” The SX-70, by contrast, went on endlessly “It is so terribly simple,” he said with in manyCopy different guises, even inexpensive a smile, “and also so sad. sad. Michael, Michael, ones, for years. More importantly, it was when you leave to go back to your resurrected from the dead in 2008 when wonderful America, we will still be Polaroid closed down and the Impossible here.” Project bought the last factory even though the machinery had been dismantled. Truly His words hung in the air like a sagging line working from scratch, they resurrected the of wet laundry. I immediately understood. spirit of Polaroid and it is now alive and This was no longer a game; it was life and well. One can buy all sorts of films and a life that dealt harshly with difficult people even new cameras. (https://us.impossible- who foolishly do not tow the line. In the eyes project.com/pages/about-us) of the Russians,Review not themselves, the Czechs were the provocateurs. The SX-70’s ease of use clearly assisted Melinda Camber Porter in realizing her goal An hour later I met with Marina Bugayeva, the of creating self-portraits, selfies, capturing Russian representative who was not involved her “emotional states.” At times, as if clues in this stupid ideological game. She was the to herself and possible eventual viewers and editor of the Soviet photographic magazine; witness observers, she wrote “I am trying to we respected each other, talked endlessly be happy,” “I am thinking of love,” “I am
FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON | xxvii Fig. 04 Fig. 05 Blake Press publication of Luminous Bodies: Circles of Blake Press publication of Luminous Bodies: Circles of Celebration, a collection of works by Melinda Camber Mourning, a collection of works by Melinda Camber Porter inspired by William Blake. Porter inspired by William Blake. Collection of the Melinda Camber Porter Archive Collection of the Melinda Camber Porter Archive
depressed” and so on. One might go further Senior Curator at the Tate Britain, by observing these images as contemplative emphaticallyCopy observed, “In order to produce humane Rorschach tests not designed to art like Luminous Bodies you have to be like define the artist’s attitudes but actually the William Blake, absolutely fearless.” viewer’s. Gazing at these images requires the viewer Porter, as usual, was inspired by William to undertake a languid journey of intimate Blake who spoke so often about the face and exploration. Her clues “I am depressed” its binding to the soul. In fact, the only way and so on are not guideposts on this to achieve a personal wholeness, he felt, was excursion since, if that were the case, every through unifying the body and spirit. photograph would be headlined accordingly. The traveller must seek to find the gold, the Reviewbody as a portion of the soul. “Man has no Body distinct from his Soul; for that called Body is a portion of Soul discerned by the five Senses, the chief inlets Look not only for the gaze but how the light of Soul in this age.” might emphasize the features. Consider the tilt of the head and how it brings Additionally, critics immediately recognized facial features closer to or further from the this close collaboration in her painting and camera. Because the SX-70 featured a four- watercolors with Blake. Robin Hamlin, element 116mm f/8 glass lens, it was not
xxviii | FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON Fig. 06 Fig. 07 Original page of Plate 18 in Melinda Camber Original page of Plate 22 in Melinda Camber Porter’s ‘Selfies’ diary. Porter’s ‘Selfies’ diary. Collection of the Melinda Camber Porter Archive Collection of the Melinda Camber Porter Archive designed to be usedused closeclose toto thethe faceface as as this this thereCopy is a pale gossamer non-image withwith Selfie would cause an exaggeration/distortion. If No. 22 [Plate 22]. At least, not one of her that you ever tried serious close-up portraiture is recognizable. Or is it? After seeing so many with a wide lens, such as a 35mm lens, on photos of her, she is identifiable with even the your DSLR camera, the nose and the cheeks most scanty suggestion. Is she saying “Now appear much larger or fuller compared to you see, you can recognize me even when I am the rest of the features. Simply explained, hardly there. Point for my side.” a wide lens emphasizes the foreground and de-emphasizes the background. In Selfie No. 43 [Plate 43] the severe gaze to the right implies (to me at least) that there is a Sometimes there are objects that serve stranger in the room taking her attention away Reviewfrom us. Are you jealous because of that? as rare mysterious clues. Consider Selfie No. 18 [Plate 18] in which Melinda is not present but her Polaroid image is. And then Is that Edvard Munch’s The Scream in Selfie No. curiously beside an aged mask a Polaroid 44 [Plate 44]? Are we beginning to see things is beset a modern example of machinery, a that most likely are not there. Is Melinda tape deck. playing with us again? Les jeux sont faits!
And then, as playing games with the viewer, Many years ago I heard of an Australian exhibit
FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON | xxix Fig. 06 Original page of Plate 43 and Plate 44 in Melinda Camber Porter’s ‘Selfies’ diary. Collection of the Melinda Camber Porter Archive Copy into which anyone could enter as long their at her herself, a relationship is developed to photographs adhered to the general theme. the point that slight variations in posing, slight The title? “Where Do You Want Me To Stand?” differences in angle, slight changes in light and As one might expect the flow of photographs so on, provide the consenting- viewer with resembled the Murray River (Australia) information that only an intimate learns from overflowing its banks. My point here is that many readings. They can be shouts of joy at a everyone expects a photograph to talk. To bright picnic. relate the experience, usually the joy of being some where or at a timeReview in a particular place. These photographs function just as diary How many Christmas snaps were submitted do entries do. One writes the most inner secrets you expect? How much in photofinishing profit onto the pages. Some, beside hiding the book, did Kodak Australia earn? also maintain a closed lock with a key that only one person possesses. Here the pages are Melinda Camber Porter’s work appears open and free; no lock nor hiding place. Only more difficult. Is it really? After turning the patience and an open eye is needed to reach many pages of this book, after looking at her the true faculty of knowing, the faculty of photographic diary, and that means looking many experiences as Billy Blake pointed out.
xxx | FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON Photo: Kevin Logan Photo: Kevin
Copy Michael Edelson Professor Emeritus Film Studies and Photography Stony Brook University Greenport, New York June 2017 Review
FOREWORD BY MICHAEL EDELSON | xxxi Copy
Review POLAROID’S RETURN TO THE ‘SELFIE’ GENERATION BY STORM ASCHER
The self-portrait is the most dominant standard. Having an idea of ourselves at a practice of the camera today. In response, the young age is only available in some hundreds Polaroid is back as a medium for many artists of prints and we build a narrative off of those who feel that in this digital age of reproduced images. But who we are in this era changes images, a physical print is best. The multimedia everyday, and we have become obsessive with practices of the millennial generation also portraying ourselves as the best version thus lean toward the element of immediacy of far, because we have documented and shared the Polaroid. We use nostalgia as a means too much to even look back at each moment for revisiting certain aesthetics that still serve as particularly special. We no longer have a us, throughout all creative industries. We pay homage to old techniques and sometimes give Copy them a meaning that was not initially intended by the original thinker. For the creative fields to maintain the avant-garde status, there always has to be a separation from the mainstream trend; this era being the clutter of images of the self. Millennials have a deep rooted nostalgia for printed images because of the popularity of the Kodak disposable camera in the 90’s, a step backwards from the instantaneous Polaroid, which would later be our most iconic Reviewpersonal images, as this was before digital reproduction came to be the
Polaroid selfie taken by Storm Ascher Wyborg Beach, East Hampton, ca. 2016 Taken on a Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S Instant Camera
FOREWORD BY STORM ASCHER | xxxiii feeling of a moment frozen in time, as we even objectively. The fine line that the mainstream have the technology to produce “live” images always crosses, which we can deduce from and GIFs of every moment. the social implications of the selfie now, is not being satisfied with the photo and just Melinda Camber Porter had an ability to taking another, or in a burst and being able transcend the element of time in all of her to choose one expression of many. The work; representing imagery and writing about purity of Melinda’s photos come through personal experiences that could ultimately the curated instances and expressions that be an overall expression of the human were chosen by the one opportunity of the experience. She understood this phenomenon mechanical and physical capture. An image of documenting the self before it was coined capture is more unforgiving and unprepared the “selfie” by the Millennial generation. when taken by a Polaroid, because of the begging yet still not instantaneous What defines these images as a pure study in mechanical nature of its processing of the self-portraiture is that it captures Melinda’s image. How the photo will reflect back at unapologetic nature. The current “selfie” her as a person is chosen by the camera, aesthetic is anything but that, and this shows and this makes the process more raw, as how a mainstream cultural phenomenon she interactsCopy with her medium rather than comes to be when it was once considered assembly lining it. a one-of-a-kind work of art. For Melinda’s case, this authenticity is a retrospective study The nature of the iPhone selfie which of oneself in all states of mind, all parts of dominates the Polaroid trend in mainstream private life, in transition from one moment millennial culture gives an answer to artistic to another, rather than a plea for attention questions so quickly that we have stopped from the public eye. asking. The question of “do I look timeless? do I look like a work of art?” is something Melinda was able to intersect her art and to interact with spiritually and artistically. life in a humbling way that reflects our own When looking at the camera while taking a selves when we haveReview a longing for simpler selfie, Melinda wasn’t thinking about what times, more iconic instances and imagery many people would say, she was thinking rather than a constant surplus. We would about “how will I present myself to myself, look at her self portraits as personal photos to inspire and comfort myself ? How will we would never post. Her expressions are I merge my idea of self with the actual full of curiosity. One can sense that she image?” That is a legitimate interaction of was eager to just see how the photo would your life and your art. It is personal. It is turn out for the sake of looking at herself taking yourself by surprise. It is fleeting.
xxxiv | FOREWORD BY STORM ASCHER An exploration like this has been revisited in the viewer learning more about the camera past recognition, and with millennials, loses itself and how it captures her many variations its need for asking oneself and one’s tools of of expression. expression fundamental questions about life. How one fits into it and how it frames and Explorations and trends of art at their earliest curates us in context with reality. We are now stages end up becoming the leading examples far removed from our own physical reality, regardless of the interpretations later. The and we lie to ourselves about what we look reiterations did end up cluttering most of the like. Using applications to whiten our teeth, content within contemporary culture, and brighten our eyes, remove blemishes; Melinda in retrospect we see how humanity has dealt would have strayed away from these extremes, with the innovation once being shown the knowing that she emphasized the importance tools to do it themselves. We are now using of merging the body and soul in order to Polaroids and self-portraits as fleeting modes understand who we are. Melinda knew how of interaction; art informing everyday life the push and pull of medium and artist practice. Documenting moments as an artistic intersected, and she let the medium take her practice or ritual became second nature and when it was called for. She was the subject, but shows how the meditation of a medium the repetition of images she provides us aided remanifestsCopy and reframes itself over time.
Storm Ascher Artist/Photographer Los Angeles and New York July 2017
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Photograph by Melinda Camber Porter of the Pont Carrousel, bridge of the Seine in Paris, taken close to her apartment at 27 Quai Voltaire. The photo appears on page 39 of the original Selfie diary. Collection of the Melinda Camber Porter Archive MELINDA CAMBER PORTER APPENDICESCopy
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Photograph of Melinda Camber Porter, altered with pen and ink, which appears on page 14 ofReview the original Selfie diary. Photo: unknown Collection of the Melinda Camber Porter Archive MELINDA CAMBER PORTER British, 1953–2008
Melinda Camber Porter was born Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in London and graduated from Oxford and acclaimed by Louis Malle, who said: University with a First Class Honors “better than a novel, it reads like a fierce degree in Modern Languages. She began poem, with a devastating effect on our self- her writing career in Paris as a cultural esteem,” and by Publishers Weekly, which correspondent for The Times of London. called it, “a novel of startling, dreamlike French culture is the subject of her book lyricism.” Through Parisian Eyes (published by Oxford University Press), which the Boston Globe A travelingCopy art exhibition celebrating describes as “a particularly readable Camber Porter’s paintings, curated by the and brilliantly and uniquely compiled late Leo Castelli, opened at the French collection.” Embassy in New York City in 1993. This exhibition, sponsored by the National She interviewed many leading cultural Endowment for the Arts and the French figures in film and literature from Europe Embassy, traveled to cities across the United and America over her career. These States through 1997. included Nobel Prize winners Saul Bellow, Gunter Grass, OCTAVIO PAZ, and Peter Trippi, Editor of Fine Art Connoisseur Octavio Paz, writers including Joyce CarolCarol magazine said: “In our era of slickly Oates, Joan Didion,Review and Frances Sagan, produced images, teeming with messages and filmmakers Michael Apted, Martin rather than feelings, Camber Porter’s art Scorsese, and Wim Wenders, among many strikes a distinctive balance between the others. [Audio recordings are available for achingly personal and the aesthetically more than fifty of these cultural interviews.] beautiful. This equilibrium has developed, at least in part, through her discerning Her novel Badlands, a Book-of-the- openness to a range of historical mentors, Month Club selection, was set on South William Blake being the figure she has
BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER | 131 admired most passionately,” and “not at the Asia Society and Museum in New surprisingly Camber Porter finds particular York City in November 2003. pleasure in Gauguin’s notebooks, which erase the boundaries between image and Robin Hamlyn, noted world expert on word.” William Blake and senior curator of Tate Britain’s Blake and Turner collections, A film documenting the creation of her delivered a lecture and wrote a book on paintings featured in the art exhibition Ms. Porter’s watercolors entitled, William The Art of Love showed regularly on Blake Illuminates the Works of Melinda Public Television stations nationally, and Camber Porter. Mr. Hamlyn writes about a collection of her poetry and paintings, Ms. Porter, “I believe that all great art also entitled The Art of Love, served as is, in its essence, defined by fearlessness. companion to the show. Both Melinda Camber Porter’s and William Blake’s works exemplify and Camber Porter’s paintings have also illuminate the fearlessness that is part of served as the primary inspiration and as the very essence of all great art.” backdrops for several of her theatrical works. She created the backdrops, MelindaCopy Camber Porter leaves a prolific book, and lyrics for the musical Night and creative legacy with thousands of Angel, with music by Carmen Moore, paintings; over two hundred hours of which was originally performed at The audio and film interviews with global Clark Theater, Lincoln Center, in New creative figures in the arts, film, and York City. She created the book, lyrics, literature; and her tens of thousands of and backdrops for the rock-opera- pages of writings: novels, plays, essays, in-progress, Journey to Benares, with journalism, and volumes of poetry. music, direction, and choreography by Her creative and spiritual works will be Elizabeth Swados,Review which was performed enjoyed for generations to come. (www.MelindaCamberPorter.com)
132 | BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER PUBLIC ART EXHIBITIONS
2010 Memorial, Buffalo Ridge, Gary, South Dakota Memorial, Clarke Theater, Lincoln Center, New York Retrospective, John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, New York
2009 Sag Harbor Tree Fund, Sag Harbor, New York
2008 Memorial, Sag Harbor, New York 2006 Copy British Consulate, New York, Retrospective Dahesh Museum, New York, Trustees Tour of the Artist’s Studio Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, Designer Showcase, New York School of Visual Arts, New York, William Blake Influences Art for Youth, London
2005 Paul Labrecque Salons, New York Walter Wickiser Gallery, New York
2004 Review Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
2003 Asia Society and Museum, New York
2002 Art for Healing Gallery, New York
BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER | 133 1999 Southampton College, Southampton, New York
1996 Film Center’s Step-Daughter, The Salon Des Artistes, New York Night Angel, musical, Clark Theater, Lincoln Center, New York
1994 Boat Child, National Theatre Conservatory, Denver
1993–1997 The Art of Love Civic Fine Arts Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota The Embassy of France, Washington, DC The Foothills Art Center, Golden, Colorado The French Cultural Embassy, New York The French Library in Boston Copy L’Alliance Française de New Orleans L’Alliance Française de Miami L’Alliance Française de San Francisco L’Alliance Française de Houston L’Alliance Française de Chicago Lincoln Center, New York The Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, Wyoming The West Hartford Art League, West Hartford, Connecticut Review
134 | BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER SERIES OF ARTWORKS
Adolescence, 1966 Arenal Volcan, 2004 The Art of Love, 1992 Badlands, 1988 Barcelona Point, 1992 Birthing, 1998 Bliss, 2008 Caves of Chauvet, 2005 Childhood, 1965 Children, 1981 China, 1985 Déclarations D’Amour, 1975 Copy Earthly Fidelity, 1996 Frank, 1986 Horses of Chauvet, 2005 Icons, 2005 Living in Lightness and Darkness, 2008 Luminous Bodies, 1995 Mother & Child, 1988 Mummy Book, 1998 Night Angel, 1995 Playa ManuelReview Antonio, 2008 Queen, 1960 Recuperation, 2007 Return to Earth and Fire, 2008 Self-Portraits, 1982 Triptychs, 2000 Waves and Particles, 2008 Wedding, 1985
BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER | 135 LITERATURE
NON-FICTION Through Parisian Eyes: Reflections on Contemporary French Arts and Culture, 1986, Oxford University Press, New York Olhar Parisiense, Reflexoes Sobre a Cultue e as Artes Francesas Contemporaneas, Portugese, 1991, Rio Fundo Editora, Ltda
NOVELS Badlands, 1996 Child of the Western World, 1982 Floating Boundaries, A Trilogy, 1985 Book I: Hong Kong Book II: China Arrives Book III: Freedom or Tyranny Copy Frank, 1996 Imogen, 1987 The Male Madonna, 1987 Rachel, 1980
PLAYS Boat Child, a comedy, 1993 Caves of Chauvet, a musical, 2004 Horses of Chauvet, a musical, 2003 JourneyReview to Benares, a musical, score by Elizabeth Swados, 2004 More Verse More, 1981 Night Angel, a musical, score by Carman Moore, 1992 Night Angel, a musical, score by Keith Bright, 1994 The Interviewer, a drama, 1981
SHORT STORIES Outline for a Novel, 1984 The Photographer’s Shoot, 1983
136 | BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER POETRY VOLUMES Ancestors, 2006 The Art of Love: Love Poems and Paintings, 1990 Déclarations D’Amours, 1998 (French) Early Years, 1970 Earthly Fidelity, 1997 Emotions, 1970 Expanse of Oceans & Seas, 2008 Finding Love, 1980 Gardens of Life, 2008 Healing, 2007 Human Conflicts, 2003 Copy Illness, 2007 The Interviewer, 1982 Into the Waves, 2008 Love Brings Conflicts, 1976 Luminous Bodies, 1995 Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, 2007 The Ritual:Volume I, 1975 The Ritual: Volume II, 1980 For Robert & James, 2000 Rules for a Ritual,Review 1976 Where is God, 2008 Women Embraced, 1980 Women and Horses, 2005 Would I Break Open My Heart Again, 1978
BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER | 137 FILM
The Art of Love, 1993 Joyce Beroneo on Photography, 1983 The Kitchen, 1977 La Mort O’elle, 1976 Luminous Journey, 1999 Sacred Journey, 2001
SCREENPLAYSLAYS
I’ll Get Bye, 1981 Julian and Juliet, 1978 Copy Michael: The Life and Works of Michael Apted The Third Half, 1993 Time to Heal, 2007
PHOTOGRAPHY
Badlands, 1991 China, 1985 Genesis, 1978Review Polaroid Self-Portraits, 1981–83
138 | BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER JOURNALISM
Philippe Adrien, French Dramatist, Paris, 1977 Lyudmila Alexeyeva, Russian Human Rights Activist, New York, 1992 (with audio) Laurie Anderson, American Singer, New York, 1983 Anthony Andrews, English Actor, Under the Volcano, Mexico, 1984 (with audio) Jean Anouilh, French Dramatist, Lausanne, Switzerland, 1976 Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian Filmmaker, Rome, 1977 Michael Apted, English Filmmaker, NY, CA, London, 1999 (with audio & video) Jean-Paul Aron, French Writer, Paris, 1976 (with audio) David Bailey, British Photographer, Oxford, United Kingdom, 1973 Jean-Louis Barrault, French Dramatist, Paris 1978 (with audio) Saul Bellow, American Writer, Nobel Prize in Literature Chicago, 1991 (with audio) Copy Ingmar Bergman, Swedish Filmmaker, Munich, 1977 Bernardo Bertolucci, Italian Filmmaker, Rome, 1981 Jacqueline Bissett, American Actress, Mexico, 1984 (with audio) Walerian Borowczyk, Polish Filmmaker, Paris, 1975 Breyten Breytenbach, South African Writer, Paris, 1985 (with audio) Peter Brook, English Dramatist, Paris, 1975 (with audio) David Byrne, American Musician, New York, 1983 (with audio) Marcel Carné, French Filmmaker, Paris, 1978 L. M. Kit Carson, American Actor, Paris, Texas, 1983 (with audio) John Cassavetes, American Film Director, New York, 1984 (with audio) Patrice Chéreau,Review French Film and Theater Director, Paris, 1975 Costa-Gavras, Film Director, Paris, 1985 (with audio) Liliana Cavani, Italian Filmmaker, Rome, 1977 Benjamin Cheever, American Writer and Editor, 1992 Cyril Connolly, British Writer and Critic, Oxford, United Kingdom, 1971 Robert M. Crunden, American Cultural Historian, 1998 Régis Debray, French Writer, Paris 1985 (with audio) Joan Didion, American Writer, New York 1993 (with audio)
BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER | 139 JOURNALISM CONT’D Marguerite Duras, French Filmmaker and Writer, Paris, 1975 Jean Eustache, French Filmmaker, Paris, 1975 Federico Fellini, Italian Filmmaker, Rome, 1977 Albert Finney, English Actor, Mexico, 1984 (with audio) Michael Fitzgerald, American Film Producer, Mexico, 1984 (with audio) J. Hubert Francis, Mi’kmaq Musician and Spiritual Elder Big Cove, New Brunswick, Canada, 2001 (with video) Françoise Giroud, French Journalist, Politician and Writer Paris, 1985 (with audio) Nadine Gordimer, South African Writer, New York, 1994 Günter Grass, Artist and Writer, Nobel Prize in Literature New York, 1993 (with audio) Peggy Guggenheim, Art Collector, Paris, 1975 Michael Hastings, British Playwright, Paris, 1976 John Huston, American Filmmaker, Mexico, 1984 (with audio) Eugène Ionesco, Romanian Playwright, Oxford, UK, 1974 Edmond Jabès, Egyptian Poet and Writer, Paris, 1985Copy Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Indian Writer, Paris, 1978 Pierre Klossowski, French Artist and Writer, Paris, 1975 Bernard Kouchner, Founder of Doctors Without Borders French Prime Minister, Paris, 1985 (with audio) Akira Kurosawa, Japanese Filmmaker, New York, 1985 (with audio) Bernard-Henri Lévy, French Filmmaker, Paris, 1985 (with audio) Roy Lichtenstein, American Artist, New York, 1983 (with audio) Michael Lonsdale, French Actor, Paris, 1985 Louis Malle, French Filmmaker, Paris, 1975 (with audio) André Malraux,Review French Writer, Paris, 1975 Florence Malraux, Daughter of André Malraux, Paris, 1985 Peter Matthiessen, American Writer, New York, 1991 (with audio) Juan Mendez, Argentinean Human Rights Activist, New York, 1993 (with audio) James Michener, American Author, 1992 Eugenio Montale, Italian Journalist and Poet Nobel Prize in Literature, Milan, Italy, 1983 Yves Montand, French Actor and Singer, Paris, 1985 (with audio) Aryeh Neier, American Human Rights Activist, New York, 1993 (with audio)
140 | BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER JOURNALISM CONT’D Mike Nichols, American Film and Theater Director, New York, 1999 (with audio) Joyce Carol Oates, American Writer, Princeton, New Jersey, 1993 (with audio) Marcel Ophüls, French Filmmaker, Paris, 1977 (with audio) Nagisa Oshima, Japanese Filmmaker, New York, 1991 (with audio) Alan Parker, English Film Director, Wildwood, New Jersey, 1984 (with audio) Octavio Paz, Mexican Writer, Nobel Prize in Literature, Mexico, 1982 (with audio) Tom Phillips, British Artist and Historian, Paris, 1975 Jérôme Peignot, French Writer, Paris, 1975 Michael H. Posner, American Human Rights Activist, New York, 1993 (with audio) Chaim Potok, American Jewish Author and Rabbi, 1992 Ishmael Reed, American Poet and Writer, New York, 1992 (with audio) Alain Resnais, French Film Director, Paris ,1985 (with audio) Jean-François Revel, French Journalist and Writer, Paris, 1985 (with audio) Alain Robbe-Grillet, French Filmmaker and Writer, Paris, 1974 Éric Rohmer, French Filmmaker and Writer, Paris, 1975 Françoise Sagan, French Writer, Paris, 1978 (with audio) Jean-Paul Sartre, French Philosopher and Writer, Paris,Copy 1977 John Sayles, American Filmmaker, New York, 1991 (with audio) Martin Scorsese, American Filmmaker, New York, 1998 (with audio) Stuart Seide, American Theater Director, Paris, 1975 Delphine Seyrig, French Actress and Director, 1975 George Steiner, French-born American Philosopher and Writer Oxford, United Kingdom, 1973 Bertrand Tavernier, French Filmmaker, Paris, 1985 (with audio) Olivier Todd, French Journalist and Writer, Paris, 1978 (with audio) Peter Trippi, American Art Historian, New York, 2006 (with audio and video) François Truffaut,Review French Filmmaker, Paris, 1975 Roger Vadim, French Filmmaker, Paris, 1975 Michel Veuthey, Swiss Human Rights Activist, New York, 1994 (with audio) Jon Voight, American Actor, New York, 1987 (with audio) Francis Warner, English Dramatist, Oxford, United Kingdom, 1977 Wim Wenders, German Filmmaker, Paris, Texas, 1983 (with audio) Monique Wittig, French Author and Feminist, Paris, 1976 George Wolf, American Theater, New York, 1993 (with audio) Susannah York, English Actress, New York, 1991 (with audio)
BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER | 141 PRAISE
“Porter’s and Blake’s works …the very essence of all great art.” —Robin Hamlyn
“. . .most pertinent to Camber Porter is Michelangelo.” —Peter Trippi
“Porter skillfully picks and chooses from the entire range of modernism.” —Nancy Karlins
“Sensuality is at the heart of Porter’s work.” —The NewCopy York Times “Porter, who is Redon’s equal and, with effort, outsurpasser.” —Jeffrey Paine
“Few artists have the rigorously philosophical instincts.” —Leo Castelli
“Porter’s willingness to listen well and challenge when necessary.” —Philadelphia Inquirer “. . .sectionsReview remind me of Shaw and Wilde.” —Peter Perhonis
“Painter-Novelist…a line between erotic and obscene.” —The New York Times
“The great ‘meltdown’ of modern sexual anarchy.” —Saul Bellow
142 | BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER “Frank is a pleasure in every way.” —Mike Nichols
“Bads is a very strong, very intelligent.” —Joyce Carol Oates
“. . .her vision is lyrical, yet unflinching.” —Peter Matthiessen
“. . .like a fierce poem, with a devastating effect on our self-esteem.” —Louis Malle
“An uneasy dream of sex and death and abandonment.” —Joan Didion
“. . .is a particularly readable and brilliantly compiled collection.” —BostonCopy Sunday Globe
“. . .It is an exquisite prose poem.” —Michael Hastings
“Through Parisian Eyes is like a daylong trip to the candy store.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“Porter’s poetry and paintings have a soft, lyrical quality.” Review—Ishmael Reed “Porter so powerfully conjures is a place where wounds don’t heal.” —Donna Seaman
“. . .she had a protean talent, a beautiful imagination and the energy and courage to explore every avenue of art as far as it would take her.” —Robert Redford
BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER | 143 OBITUARIES OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER
East Hampton Star, East Hampton, New York. Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, Oxford, England, United Kingdom. New York Women in Film & Television, New York, New York. The Sag Harbor Express, Sag Harbor, New York. Southampton Press, Southampton, New York. The Times, London, England, United Kingdom.
Copy FOR MORE INFORMATIONNFORMATION FROM BLAKE PRESS AND THE MELINDA CAMBER PORTER ARCHIVE:
www.MelindaCamberPorter.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melinda_Camber_Porter https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIflCaF2qpHh8uQgffSXLDQReview www.amazon.com/Melinda-Camber-Porter/e/B001HQ1BS6
144 | BIOGRAPHY OF MELINDA CAMBER PORTER Copy
Review MELINDA CAMBER PORTER ARCHIVE OF CREATIVE WORKS
International Standard Serial Numbers: ISSN: 2379-2450 (Print) 2379-3198 (Ebook) 2379-321X (Audio)
VOLUME I: JOURNALISM
Melinda Camber Porter In ConversationCopy With Eugenio Montale, Volume 1, Number 1: ISBN 978-1-942231-44-8 At his home in Milan, Italy 1976 Foreword by Canio Pavone Includes Montale’s Nobel Prize Lecture in English and Italian
Melinda Camber Porter In Conversation With Roy Lichtenstein, Volume 1, Number 2: ISBN 978-1-942231-47-9 During the 1983 Green Street Mural ReviewAt his studio in New York City 1983 Melinda Camber Porter In Conversation With Wim Wenders, Volume 1, Number 3: ISBN 978-1-942231-45-5 On Film Set of Paris Texas in Houston, Texas 1983 “Four Stars, will be of interest to fans.” —Tom G. Schulte
146 | SERIES TITLES Melinda Camber Porter In Conversation With Octavio Paz, Volume 1, Number 4: ISBN 978-1-942231-07-3 At his home in Cuernavaca, Mexico 1983 Forewords by Laura Vidler and Scott Chaskey Includes Paz’s Nobel Prize Lecture in English and Spanish “Unreservedly recommended.” —Midwest Book Review
Through Parisian Eyes: Reflections on Contemporary French Arts and Culture Volume 1, Number 5: ISBN 978-1-942231-55-4 Foreword by John Higgins
VOLUME II:II: ARTRT ANDCopy LITERATUREIT
Fashion In The Time Of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603), Volume 2, Number 1: ISBN 978-1-942231-43-1 Text and Drawings by Melinda Camber Porter Foreword by Robbie Lyle
Luminous Bodies: Circles of Celebration, Volume 2, Number 2: ISBN 978-1-942231-49-3 ReviewForty-five Watercolors and text by Melinda Camber Porter Foreword by Peter Trippi, Editor Fine Art Connoisseur
Luminous Bodies: Circles of Mourning, Volume 2, Number 3: ISBN 978-1-942231-50-9 Forty-five Watercolors and text by Melinda Camber Porter Foreword by Robin Hamlyn, Senior Curator Tate Britain
SERIES TITLES | 147 Night Angel, A One-Woman Musical, Volume 2, Number 4: ISBN 978-1-942231-33-2 Book, Lyrics and Backdrop by Melinda Camber Porter Composer Carman Moore
Night Angel, A One-Woman Musical, Volume 2, Number 5: ISBN 978-1-942231-35-6 Book, Lyrics and Backdrop by Melinda Camber Porter Composer Keith Bright
The Triptych Series, Volume 2, Number 6: ISBN 978-1-942231-39-4 Twenty-seven oil paintings by Melinda Camber Porter Foreword by Walter Wichiser, New York gallerryCopy owner “Five Stars.” —Robin Kowalski, Librarian
Badlands, A Novel; Photo Illustrated Edition Volume 2, Number 7: ISBN 978-1-942231-51-6 by Melinda Camber Porter “beautiful and evocative...” —Elena Pedigo Clark, PhD
My Polaroid Selfies, Part I 1981 ReviewVolume 2, Number 8: ISBN 978-1-942231-58-5 by Melinda Camber Porter Forewords by Professor Michael Edelson and Storm Ascher
148 | SERIES TITLES Copy
Review INDEX
Apollo 11, xxv Apple Iphone, viii, xxiii–xxiv, xxxiv Mac, xxiii Armstrong, Edwin Howard, ix Bailey, David, xxii Bohemia, xxvi Battery, 6-volt PolaPulse, xxv Bazooka Bubble Gum, xx Beethoven, xx Bischof, Werner, xxv Blake, William, xxii–xxiii, xxviii Copy Body and Soul, viii–ix, xxiii Bugayeva, Marina, xxvii Camber Porter, Melinda Art, 133–135 Literature,ture, 136 Luminous Bodies: CirclesCircles of Celebration, xxvii–xxviii Luminous Bodies: CirclesCir of Mourning, xxvii–xxviii Photography,Photography, viii–ix, xvii–xxviii, xxxiii–xxxiv Camera 35, xxiv Camera, Polaroid,Review viii, ix, xxiv–xxv Capa, Robert, xxv Columbia Long-Playing Record, xxx Columbia University, ix, xxi–xxii Concerned Photographer, The, xxv–xxvi Davenport, Alma, xxii Dorfman, Elsa, xxii DSLR camera, xxix
150 | INDEX Eastman Kodak Company, xx–xxi Edison Cylinder Phonograph, xix Enos, Chris, xxii Franchi de Alfaro III, Luciano, xxii Fellman, Sandi, xxii Fotografia Italiano, xxiv Freedman, Leonard, xxv French Zoom, xxii Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S Instant Camera, xxxiii Hamlin, Robin, xxviii Harvard University, xxi Hitler, xx Holmes, Jon, xxiv–xxv Impossible, xxvii Copy Interkamera, xxv–xxvii International Center of Photography, xxiv Iodide-quinine crystals, ix Jobs, Steve, viii, xxiii Jordan Marsh, xxix Kasten, Barbara, xxii Kebza, Josef,, xxvi Kertesz, Andre, xxv Land, Edwin H., as artist,Review xxii as businessman, xxi–xxiii as inventor, viii–xix, xxii–xxiii, xxv Daughter, xxi Land’s Polaroid (Peter C. Wensberg), xxi Macy’s, Parkchester, xx Maislen, Helen, ix Michelangelo, xxiii
INDEX | 151 Millenial, ix, xxxiii Mind-body problem, viii Modern Photography, xxiv Moon, Sarah, xxii Moon Rock, xxv–xxvi Moravia, xxvi The Scream (Edvard Munch), xxix Munich Pact, xxvi Murray River, Australia, xxx Mussolini, xx NASA, xxv Newton, Helmut, xxii Novak, Lorie, xxii Novotný, Milan, xxvi Copy Optical Society of America, xx Parker, Olivia, xxii Pinocchio (1940), xix Polaroid Corporation, viii–ix, xxi–xxiv, xvi–xvii Instant Camera, viii–xix, xix, xxix Model 95, xix–xxi Selfies, viii–xxii, xxvii, xxxiii–xxxiv SX-70 camera, xxiv–xxviii The Polaroid Collection, xxii Polarization, xxi–xxiiReview Popular Photography, xxiv Purcell, Rosamond, xxii Radio, AM-FM, ix, xxv Raga, Vicki, xxii Richards, Eugene, xxii Focşani, Romania, xix Rorschach test, xxviii
152 | INDEX Saltzer, Joseph, xxii Schulzrinne, Henning, ix Seymour, David “Chim,” xxv Shinoyama, Kishin, xxii Sieff, Jeanloup, xxii South Pacific (Rodgers & Hammerstein), xx Spiritualism, xxviii, xxxiv State-of-mind, viii, xxxiii Studebaker, automobile, xx Tojo, xx Tucker, automobile, xx Vltava River, Prague, xxvii Wegman, William, xxii Weiner, Dan, xxv Copy Wensberg, Peter C., xxi
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