new work #2

196K-19617 (calendar) © kjm

new work #1

148C-19617 (chimney) © kjm

family. history.

Heart Mountain, as seen from Tak and Emmy's homestead © kjm

I'm having an exciting week.

On Wednesday, I visited with an aunt, uncle and cousin in Denver, who I hadn't seen in a decade. In the telling of family stories, I learned new things about my dad's family, from both before and after the war. And now I'm in Cody, Wyoming, visiting the area around the former Heart Mountain internment camp site, where the family (minus two aunts, who headed East) was sent from Tule Lake.

My path here is a result of a panel discussion I was on in the Fall, where I discussed my Camp Home project, and the history of my family's incarceration during the war. At the presentation was a professor from the University of Wyoming, who informed me that he and others from the university were researching the reuse of buildings from Heart Mountain. Barracks were re-purposed at all the sites, but at Tule Lake, the program of homesteading by veterans, and their use of the buildings, had been the compelling component in Camp Home. I've come to now know that homesteading, with incredible similarities, occurred here as well.

In the past two days, I've already met fantastic and kind people, including three original homesteaders now in their 80's. On many levels, it feels so right to be making this work, and I'm excited to have started phase two of Camp Home.

union thugs?

During recent visits to the state capital in Madison, Wisconsin, the recurring human chant (and drum beat and car horn-honking) was, "This is what Democracy looks like." It's been the powerful soundtrack to the mobilization of so many concerned Wisconsinites. I've created a video slideshow of portraits from two shoots, conducted on a sidewalk near the state capital building - my take on what Democracy looked like, in faces, signs, hard helmets and buttons.

Thanks to Michelle Nolan and my sister, Cheryl, who spotted and chased down subjects, and to Joe Dapier for generously offering the use of his song for the video.

Click the image above, or here, to view.

life and support

Doll in The Living Room, 2005 © kjm

*Update: The print edition has sold out.

Life Support Japan is the brainchild of Wall Space gallery owner Crista Dix and photographer/blogger Aline Smithson. It's a terrific way to collect some contemporary photography while donating to the current relief efforts in Japan.

I've donated the photograph above, which was made as part of my Early Places series, in which I document intimate places that have remained the same since my early youth. The picture was made in the living room of my childhood home.

If you happen to purchase a print, let me know and I'll send you a copy of my little 38 booklet and print.

Title: Doll in The Living Room, 2005
Size: 8x10"
Edition size: 10
Price: $50
Media: Digital c-print

portrait of a protest

© kjm

I shot a series of portraits yesterday in Madison, of protesters outside the state capital. My editorial rep, Redux Pictures is trying to find a good home for them, but here's a few of my favorites.

within reach: world wide

backlit cobwebs under the Ikea lamp © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

after

Black Locust Tree, Mount Williamson © kjm; Apple Blossums, Mount Williamson © Toya Miyatake

I really enjoyed my visit to Manzanar. They have a terrific visitors center there, operated by the National Park Service and staffed by a knowledgeable and engaging group of rangers. Manzanar is the most-visited of the former camp sites, both for the well-developed visitor experience, as well as it's proximity to cities in California. A driving tour of the site outlines the scale of the camp, but it was still hard to imagine 10,000 people living in this now very quiet, windblown landscape.

I didn't make many pictures on the site, but shot this tree and Mount Williamson at dusk. The next day, on a visit to the Eastern California Museum in the nearby town of Independence, I found the book Elusive Truth, Four Photographers at Manzanar. On page 104 was this photograph, Apple Blossums, Mount Williamson, by the great Japanese American photographer Toyo Miyatake.

road to manzanar

cactus on hwy 395, left, manju on the passenger seat, right © kjm

as seen: little tokyo

floating hashi © kjm

as seen: curbside

taco truck interior, Columbus, Ohio © kjm

Ten days later and 2,332 miles north.

as seen: roadside

Tequesquite, Mexico © kjm

ff in sf, sd

S. Minnesota Avenue Location, #1 © kjm

as seen: kings

Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel, left, Jungle Room at Graceland, right © kjm

as seen: sweet

sugar cane plant, New Iberia, LA © kjm

fast break

Highway 59 Location, #3 © kjm

Slammed on the brakes to stop for this one while driving through north Texas with Marilu.

as seen: dashed

storefront, Hope, Arkansas © kjm

as seen: voyage

Little Rock b&b © kjm

as seen: i am here

© kjm

i love this photo, #39

Oakland, California, 2010 © Noah Beil

I love this photo by Noah Beil, included in the Fraction Magazine Holiday Print Sale. It's sort of a perfect, crammed composition that reminds me of a contemporary version of a Stephen Shore photograph from Uncommon Places. Lots of great pictures to be had in the Fraction sale, including some items for sale to benefit CENTER, so be sure to pay a visit.

[See past 'i love this photo' entries here.]

as seen: mountain view

sign, Ashford, Washington © kjm

fastr

South 9th Street Location, #1 © kjm

one

Today is the one year anniversary of collect.give!

I'm thrilled that such a talented group of photographers have contributed their photographs and time to the project: Jane Fulton Alt, Jonathan Blaustein, Mark Brautigam, Barbara Ciurej, Amy Eckert, Matt Eich, Jon Feinstein, Sarina Finkelstein, Elizabeth Fleming, Max Gerber, Ben Huff, Dave Jordano, Stella Kalaw, Melissa Kaseman, David Leventi, Lindsay Lochman, John Loomis, Kerry Mansfield, Mark Menjivar, Annie Marie Musselman, Susana Raab, Ellen Rennard, Dalton Rooney, Kelly Shimoda, Emily Shur, Allison V. Smith, Aline Smithson, Brea Souders, Lacey Terrell, Sonja Thomsen and David Wright.

We have slowly, but surely raised over $17,000 for 30 different causes, all dear to the hearts of the contributing artists. And we're not slowing down: Yesterday, we had our second busiest day ever, with 1200 visits to the site. All this week, we're giving away great gifts to those who purchase prints - see the details here. And we have a list of talented artists who'll be contributing to the site in 2011.

Thanks to the photographers, the collectors, and to anyone who's simply stopped by and learned about the great organizations spotlighted.

family photographed

Sketch of Autumn © Yoichi Nagata

Aline Smithson has posted a terrific exhibition of photographs on the theme of Family on her Lenscratch blog, the first of a new series of democratic online group shows. It's lovely set of pictures, and this one, by Japanese photographer Yoichi Nagata, stopped me in my tracks. See the exhibition here.

remember the

a very shiny fire hydrant in front of The Alamo © kjm

Last week, I had the pleasure of presenting my Camp Home work at the American Studies Association annual conference in San Antonio. It was the first time I'd talked about the project in an academic setting, and it was really a great experience for me - both in thinking more about the project in preparation, and in the discussions and possibilities that resulted. Art historian Kate Palmer Albers invited me to be part of a panel addressing the Japanese internment and photography after learning about my work as a reviewer for Critical Mass. On the panel, she discussed the work of Andrew Freeman, who's photographed buildings near the former Manzanar internment camp site. Also on the panel were Elena Tajima Creef, author of Imaging Japanese America, and Dalia Habib Linssen, who spoke about the work of Life Magazine photographers Hansel Mieth and Otto Hagel.

While in San Antonio, I had great fun hanging out with photographer Mark Menjivar, who in turn introduced me to some great area photographers and artists, including photographers Jason Reed, Elizabeth Chiles, Sarah Sudhoff and her husband, Gary Schott and Dawn Roe, who was visiting from Florida, also for the ASA conference. A friendly, fun and talented bunch.

My hotel was right across the street from The Alamo, but I never got there.

baby, it (was) cold outside

negative seven degrees © kjm

The third annual Fraction Magazine Holiday Print Sale is now live, and I've contributed this photograph from my series Within Reach. The picture is of my front window, as seen from my desk on a frigid morning last winter. For the sake of my heating bill (and all that is right in the world), I hope the same scene won't reveal itself again this year.

Don't miss seeing what's available on the Fraction site - some really lovely images by a terrific set of photographers.

Title: negative seven degrees
Date: 2009
Size: 8x10"
Media: Digital c-print on Fuji Crystal Archive matte paper
Edition size: 10
Price: $50
Shipping (U.S.): $3

To purchase via PayPal or your cc, click here.

3rd chance

Highway 61 Location, #1 © kjm

This one nearly got away. I've been past this closed Hardee's twice before, on an annual canoe trip in far Northern Minnesota. I intentionally leave my camera at home on this trip, making it a true vacation (students, shut your ears), with the exception of my phone. But I forget each year that this amazing restaurant exists. Luckily, my friend Steve was along on the trip, and he had his gear. Whew.

within reach: little hand

the big clock, down for dusting © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

within reach: jammy

old wine in a jam jar glass © kjm

[within reach is a series of photographs examining the environment of home in detail]

voices of afghanistan

© Stephen Crowley

The latest issue of Visura Magazine has a wonderful series of portraits by New York Times photographer Stephen Crowley. His story and photographs are compelling on several levels: How journalists find themselves in specific places during specific times in history; the science of photography, which many of us have long forgotten; and fleeting but meaningful connections we make with our subjects. See Stephen's words and pictures here. (Be sure to hold your cursor over the captions for the expanded text)