Symphony of Swings

Twenty-one swings is an interactive installation in a high-traffic area of Montreal. Each swing in motion produces a different sound, e.g. xylophone, harp, piano, and note. When people swing in unison, with careful cooperation, complex melodies may arise. I love this. [NOTE: Check out the light on the bottom of each swing].

Amy, Luke, and the Lava Flow

Amy and Luke walk across a desolate lava flow at Hawai'i Volcano National Park (see Habitats in Hawai'i and Halema'uma'u) in the drizzling morning rain. Turned out to be about a two hour hike from rim to rim. [NOTE: Didn't bring my raincoat].  

Recent Arrivals

Seven towering sculptures by Manolo Valdés were recently deposited in the Watson parking lot at The New York Botanical Garden. Part of a show that opens on September 22. The pieces were designed in the artist's studio in Manhattan, made in a Madrid foundry, shipped to Baltimore, and then carried by truck to the Bronx. Nice to have sculpture back in the Garden (see Moore at the Garden), and I am very much looking forward to spending some time with these pieces. [NOTE: Go here for more about the artist and the upcoming show at NYBG].

Scenes and Signs

This roadside scene on the Hilo side of the big island in Hawai'i was certainly inviting. The signs (below) blocking the trail down to the water, however, took away any enthusiam I might have had about taking a dip here. Which is exactly what they were supposed to do, I imagine. [NOTE: A second row of signs (not shown) was very emphatic about the risk of theft and the importance of not leaving anything in your car if you park here]. 

Giraffe

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis L.) peeking over a tall concrete wall at the Memphis Zoo. Watching everybody walk by behind his cage.

Another Sunset

I keep finding new images from the Hukaung Valley expedition. This one is a beautiful sunset over the Tanai River after finishing up the fieldwork. Goes nicely with this and this. Oh, and this, too. See Myanmar 2005 for more details about the trip. [NOTE: Photo by the incomparable Tun Shuang (thx)].

Myitkyina 2005

Packing up our stuff in front of the Aye Chan Tha Inn in Myitkyina after six weeks of collecting and counting rattans along the Ledo Road in northern Myanmar (see Hukaung Valley Rattan Survey and Mandalay Express). The plant presses are in the rice sacks, the plant specimens are in the cardboard boxes, that's my large, extremely dirty Eagle Creek duffel bag; Andrew Henderson, U Kyaw Lwin, and I stand back and observe the proceedings. [NOTE: Photo by Tun Shuang (thx)].

More Memphis

This noble guy (Gorilla gorilla I. Geoffroy) was being surpisingly tolerant of all the people looking at him at the Memphis Zoo. Great expression. And while I'm thinking about gorillas, I should probably link to this.

Hacia un Nuevo Territory

Visited the lovely Dixon Gallery and Gardens while I was in Memphis. Their "Memphis Vive: Latino Art in the Mid-South" show included the striking piece by Fidencio Martinez shown above. Entitled Here, Look! Algunos Displaced, Hacia un Nuevo Territory; found newspapers, acrylic, colored pencils, 18 x 12 inches. I really like this. [NOTE: Here, look! Some things (people, newspapers, cultures?) displaced toward a new territory].

Memphis

Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Sun Studio, Stax Records. Truly the home of the blues. What a great place to spend Labor Day weekend.