Video about Kenyan photography project
From Kenya to kissing and back again…
When we were in Kenya last July, I committed to making a short video about the project and I’m very happy to say that it’s now ready!
It wasn’t easy though. We interviewed a few people in Kenya and when I came back, eager to get working on it, I tried listening to the interviews but somehow, while looking at the photos was easy, hearing these voices that I knew were now so far away was a real struggle.
Anyway, I finally, got the courage to sit down and listen to them late last year and started editing…putting sound to images. I miss the kids so much, it’s still weird to hear their voices but I hope that I’ve done them justice and I hope that you can take something from their stories.
Josephat. Good dude. Always wanting to make photo. HIV+ but one of the most healthy looking of the bunch. (Photo by Felix Ojuang)
The touring Pieces of Innocence exhibit that has been going on since October 2008 has 16 photos in total and so far, that’s pretty much all the public has seen. This video is special because it features 66 photos and interviews with two kids (Lorine and Peter) along with Sister Philomena who managed the orphanage.
It’s 7 minutes 27 seconds long so as far as internet videos go, it’s kind of a behemoth but please do watch. The kids deserve it for real.
A page from Lorine’s photography journal. This guy was totally joksing.
Also, the song the kids are singing at the start and end goes something like “Sisi watoto tuna akisetu” which is Kiswahili for “We, the children, have rights.” The best part about this song was that the kids first sang it to us when we gave them soccer balls. Reacting to some kids who didn’t want to share, others joined together in a loud chorus as if not getting a ball of their own was a human rights violation up there with child trafficking. Oh so adorable and oh so real.
And since we’re so web savvy:
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New Year’s Eve 2008
A bit late in the game but I finally uploaded some photos from a New Year’s Eve house party I went to. Things went off insane. People were lighting firecrackers and sparklers in a low ceilinged basement as some of Ottawa’s best party bands played along to the chaos.
CBC Kissing mp3 + summer projects
So, I was on CBC Radio a little over a week ago to talk about kissing. It’s kind of fun to be on CBC in Ottawa. You have to high five the security guard. If he or she likes you, the studio will get called and a producer will meet you in the lobby so he or she can swipe you through a bunch of doors. They sit you down with a glass of water and then you go on air. In and out in under 30 minutes. An easier process than early-morning TV for sure. Anyway, here’s the audio from that in case you missed it the day it aired.
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Also, I’m starting to sketch out some ideas for a night photography project I’d like to do this summer and would like to put a call out to people who might be interested in modelling for this. For more details, send me two sentences about you and a photo to paul@lechampiondumonde.com. Don’t hate me forever if I don’t write back. SVP et merci.
Finally, here’s a shelf I made for my toys. A lot of this stuff I’ve had since childhood.
On the radio today. On a cell phone on Tuesday.
CBC Radio invited me to speak on air about the kissing photos that ran on getguerilla.ca. The show I’ll be on is called All in a Day and I’ll be on at around 5:45 PM. If you’re in Ottawa, the station is 91.5 FM. You can also listen online.
Here’s another photo from the archives… I took it in 2001. I might have been wearing a tuxedo amongst these sweaty bodies.
Another thing I’m excited about is that I was invited to document a gallery tour Tuesday, April 21 called Swarm. This time I wont be documenting with a conventional SLR camera but instead, from 6-9 PM, I’ll be capturing the night using a mobile phone (low res photo, video, audio, SMS, etc…). The idea is that the mobile content will be transmitted to British Columbia artist Brady Marks (who will be in Ottawa) and used in a live video mix from 9-10 PM. Holla at Artengine.
Kissy face
Kind of cool. Guerilla magazine asked me a few weeks ago to compile a collection of photos I’ve taken of people kissing. I hadn’t really thought about how I’ve developed a habit of spotting and documenting these spontaneous moments until now. I like seeing them all side by side. You can see them too at getguerilla.ca.
In case you wanted more, here are two that didn’t make the cut!
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College – Can You Kiss Me First (1928 remix)
XXX
Buried Inside & Malajube.
Joyeuses Pâques! Just got back from driving around spots between Dunrobin and Montréal. I bought some barn wood, visited a haunted house and chilled out by the Ottawa River. Photos from that later maybe but here are links to two sets from a few weeks ago. First up is from my second weekend with Buried Inside. Not much to report on that other than the show at the Sweat Lodge in Kitchener was awesome.
Second is from an Ottawa show with Malajube and Young Galaxy and City of A Hunded Spires.
Ce soir, souper à Soup’herbe. Yum!
Ghislain Poirier
Ninja Tune recording artist Ghislain Poirier played a DJ set at Disorganized last night. The fourth or fifth time he’s headlined this party, I think. Basically, he is to Disorganized what Steve Martin is to Saturday Night Live.
Clickity Click!
Just for fun but I’m at the Genies tonight. Hopefully Ce qu’il faut pour vivre (The Necessities of Life) wins some awards. Hopefully I’ll run into my pal David Davidson.
I should have some photos from my second weekend with Buried Inside and also a few from an online magazine I contributed to last month in my next post.
À+ dans le bus.
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