Fasting for Photography

This morning I wrestled m‘self sans breakfast out of the house relatively early. For a local holiday morning where all but the bakeries and some coffee shops were closed it was quite busy in Minga.


I made my way by tram (which is always good for sightseeing) to Maxmonument near the river Isar. Here I disembarked the tram and in hungry anticipation skipped towards a nearby coffee shop that was “open” on Google maps and decidedly lights out CLOSED when I squished my snotty nose against the dusty barred door. I just had to make sure no one was hiding behind the counter, as most people in the know do when they see me coming …


The main reason I had peeled my old pre-cadaveric post-manflu carcass out of bed and foregone brekkie was to attend a photo exhibition by the Austrian born journalist and photographer Inge Morath.


As I think all of us have done, and might still do, I had probably seen and admired some of Morath's photographs whilst wending my way slack jawed through life, but not realised who the photographer was.
I certainly remember seeing a couple of the Llama in Times Square images at some time and would probably have noticed some of the images she took of various personalities.
Even before Morath became a member of MAGNUM and thereafter, she had a remarkable upbringing and experiences which fashioned the way she approached her vocation.


All in all it was a nice relaxed, propa 99% mono photographic exhibition which didn’t disappoint, well worth eschewing breakfast for. I lack the imagination to be sure it would have translated into the immersive experience as was Frida Kahlo’s explosion of colour exhibition I attended recently.


Oh well, that’s another couple of coffee table books to purchase …