the Prospects

Great new band from Limburg, Belgium. The Prospect's single is catchy and raw, and although it is only their first single, it is picked up by the major radio stations. "What is tomorrow" is from the debut album "Looking good". And needless to say, they play a mean live set.

Lee Jeffries

Based in Manchester, Great Britain. Homeless people became a subject of his art, after initially photographing sporting events.
Lee Jeffries;"Situations arose, and I made an effort to learn to get to know each of the subjects before asking their permission to do their portrait."

These haunting, black and white portraits are full of emotional expression, dark and intense.
"I can’t change these people’s lives," Jeffries told to Time Magazine. "I can’t wave a magic wand but it doesn’t mean I can’t take a photograph of them and try to raise awareness and bring attention to their  plight."
His models are wrinkled and scared, the detailed images are telling the story of these homeless models.

Akihito Takuma

Contemporary painter from Kumamoto, Japan. Most works from the ongoing series "Flight of lines" are massive, dark, strange blurry landscapes.

About this series Akihito Takuma says; "Following a year in Europe studying painting, I noticed how hard it was for paint to dry in Japan because of the high humidity. This made me more conscious of the environmental differences between the two places, and inspired me to make this work. Before the paint had dried, from top to bottom. Then I chose a landscape with a perspective that made the horizon seem as if it continued forever. It is my hope that in this work, order will be maintained but at the same time superseded, and the instant that a dynamic, positive and free form of energy is released might be expressed."

Rahman Hak-Hagir

Austrian Born - Vienna based and half Afghan, Rahman Hak-Hagir is a conceptual and performance artist whom if been following for a while now. I love his Detroit Dollar project, a worldwide one-off Dollar note given on permanent loan to the Detroit MONA. More about this project here.

Other work is focussing on the conflicting priorities between individual and social environment. Using video and photography to spread his message.

A portrait of Rahman Hak-Hagir.

RAHMAN HAK-HAGIR, ARTIST INTERVIEW from Rahman Hak-Hagir on Vimeo.

Roger ballen - up date 1

Up date on one of my favourite photographers, behind the scenes with Roger Ballen.

"It is with great pleasure and excitement that I am announcing the release of Asylum of the Birds, a documentary short film based on the book of the same name published by Thames & Hudson.

I invited director Ben Crossman to join me in my time at the Asylum, and together we have created something psychologically powerful and unique.

I hope you enjoy it." Roger Ballen

http://www.asylumofthebirds.com/

Leng Wen

This young Chinese artist was born in DingDao in 1990. Leng Wen lives and works in Beijing. These C-prints from the desktop series are refreshing and promising.