Egos of the Titans, by Juan Esteves
Photo: Juan Esteves
Ralph Gibson streets of Paraty in 2008
Egos of the Titans
by Juan Esteves
After Ralph Gibson giving a "show" - in the broadest sense and unrestricted that this word may have - last year in Paraty, another photographer climbed on stage, this time in Sao Paulo, not to lecture but to play or singing. What exactly? Something like rock, they say! That's what the Texan Mark Selinger (accompanied by his band Rusty Truck) played in 12 and 13 in the Forest Cafe
The link with the photo of the place is great! Cliff Li, is the owner of the largest collector of photography, and photographer (and pilot) dilettante, who showcased memorable shows in his gallery in Pioneer Restaurant Tomato, a Photo Gallery. Works like Klaus Mitteldorf, Penna Prearo, Ike Levy, Ernesto Baldan and Romulo Fialdini among others, were exhibited there. Recently, at the top of the Forest Cafe, housed for a short time unfortunately, the Leica Gallery, with another memorable shows (due to presence of the author) Eliott Erwitt. There has also made a beautiful display of Master Orlando Azevedo.
But back to Paraty beautiful, and the memory of last year inevitably comes to mind. Gibson adjusts its electronic paraphernalia, pedals, wires attached to his guitar stylish ... one that only has an arc tube ...
Again, back for a while ago ... the first days of Paraty, when he runs with his wife and god-daughter (daughter of Larry Clark's film Kids, and the book beating Tulsa). A temper this, yellow smiles, a feeble attempt to be sympathetic to the "fans" and engaging only with his countrymen or the boss of the festival. It's hard being a celebrity ... (H CB already said this ... "The bad thing about being a celebrity is that not only the caretaker, but police know where you live" wise philosopher.
Cut! back to the stage: He's nervous ... I think probably because he never played for an audience so large (or is it?? good, I can not say ..) fight with the entire production team ... do not let anyone touch the instruments ...: "Do not! Do not touch please! Be carefull! The wires! Do not! Fuck! "It seems not to work ... technicians come and go with wires in his hand ... Murphy's Law waiting to happen ... Even nature does not cooperate, and heavy rain cuts power momentarily ... more tension on stage! Murphy's Law ...
Go to the lectern (pulpit strange word) some images your projects with basic comments, descriptions, obvious, cold, really useless in a hurry to drop it and make your show ... The audience does not know what to expect ... not been told exactly what it would be ... I ran out ti ti ti "show" Ralph Gibson will make a performance ... After all, in the days leading up to it, he circled with guitar in hand ... played in his hotel room ... walked like a pop star ...
Show Time!! It is time the show: A projection of a film about Berlin PB night .... and the music begins, as would the Bahian Caetano: among dissonant chords ... ladies and gentlemen ... And so, dissonant ... Stop! For all! Gibson starts doing Tai Chi on stage! puts the guitar back and moves East employs a silent performance! Suddenly! Now! Now! Starts screaming incomprehensible things even for a German! (The screen is still playing the movie on Berlin night ...) vaguely remember a Gestapo officer ....
The End ... Audience applauds ... weird, do not know what happened, did not also know what happened, and he probably does not know what happened ...
I later learned that his temper was due to a fish eating poorly ....
I'm a fan of Gibson, I've written your profile, I love his writing too. But with all due respect to master, or the magician, as would Marcio Scavone, not yet digested the performance ... and not even know if one day I will ... But it will be among the "Stories of Paraty" Who saw, saw! Whoever lives will see!
It is interesting to note how people react to stardom, and how to go beyond the limits of his art true for others who do not understand, simply to satisfy their egos. We live in a world where being a celebrity is really annoying as I said the French master. However, the concept is too vague celebrity today. Anyone after the Big B becomes a celebrity. It may be an asshole any and the next day is on magazine covers! In TV programs.
The other day I opened a magazine and there was coverage of monumental party Diego Hipolito! Yes, he, our little Olympic hero in his birthday party! receiving guess who? Celebrities! Many of the big players in the BB overall great! It is ótiimo? Transform everything in Celebrity! Gone is the time that a Avedon could see fit to face a esculachar Sharon Stone and her pictures in the New Yorker because she was late for the photos! Gone is the time! Photographers today are celebrities! The international ... then forget it! and if a musician then? Therefore, one can not esculachar with your peers!
To come to Brazil, Mark Selinger made a demand production of the show (ups is no longer fair, right? Is this Photo, Photo ... what the staff working on the photograph does not speak Portuguese, who only speak English ... evolution!) That brought! Calm, were not white towels to distribute to fans, like Elvis did. Neither dozen or Perrier Champagne guy like Mick Jagger asked! Were his books! Imagine that! Books! 300 books! divided into two titles. I did not want lacked for his fans, which I imagine must have formed the queue in the corridors of exhibition pavilions, Oops! again, this is Photo, Photo that ... I dunno ... what is it?
"My fans in Brazil can not be without my books!" Declared the photographer! I can imagine the queue to buy them! must have great! As there was neither fair, nor the show, I can not tell if the guy is a good or bad player, it would be frivolous of me. With the Gibson I was there in the front row! Selinger photographer? There was a time I believed him. There was also a time that I read Rolling Stones! But unfortunately even today no longer believe in the magazine, not him! Like I said, I think I've spent the time in which celebrities were fact, today everyone is famous, thankfully!
Here is the call: Who was in the queue, please leave your comment on our Blog, which for now only brings photo!
See more posts by Alexandre Belém
(No vote registered.) 
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Dear Juan,
I met you when I was 14, because you photographed me for the Cover Sheet Information (remember?), This surprising me every day more with their texts. First the "Boss" or better, "Ex-Boss" is the name of the event (if you want to refer to myself), then the LEICA GALLERY which you always refers to nostalgia was an initiative MY (Representative of the brand since 2000) in PARTNERSHIP with a friend, customer and supporter of Brazilian photography (since 1993) Cliff Li, Elliott Erwitt and so 'came to Brazil because WE gave "CONDITIONS" to him.
Please stop this unethical not to give due credit to those who deserve them and talk about things you do not SAW ... By the way, you know how many books sold in Mark Seliger PHOTO IMAGE BRAZIL?! More than many Brazilian photographers sell in one year in THE BRANCH LIBRARIES.
Rather than divide, DESAGREGARMOS, diminish, envy, let's change the address to join, learn, grow, achieve and ultimately celebrate what we all like the PURE and SIMPLE ART PHOTOGRAPHY.
PS: As readers of the Blog My sincere apologies for the outburst.
Do not quite understand the post ... I wanted to better understand the criticism of the fact that the guy had brought his books to an event ... It's not cool to bring books?
Have nothing to apologize for his outburst my dear Luiz Marinho. It is more than justified, and I think everybody certainly understand. Rest assured, you will certainly have its deserved recognition in the history of our photography. In fact, personally, I have no doubt you already have!
I can only thank you for reading the text and answered my call at the end of this. Furthermore, reward us with such important data that bring so many details on the Brazilian editorial and photographic market.
Surely, readers who come across it will be better informed from now that the credits were made.
Personally, I just have to thank you for bringing me my first memory as a photojournalist. At this moment, in which many propose or discuss the end of photojournalism, such memories, only comforts me!
A big hug and thanks for the kind ever!
Certainly, Rodrigo, tell him with pleasure: Bring books was legal in two ways. The 300 were legally imported and paid in advance. Another is a way to increase the vocabulary of stakeholders. I mean, those same books that open, view, read, discuss the content with someone and not only are asking for autographs from the author, drooling egg, glued them like a shadow wherever he goes!
This discussion of content but it's really cool! And, absolutely healthy and necessary.
Also, to be clear, there was just one criticism. My chronic, I imagined to be more humorous, dealt with a particularity appropriate to the two by sheer coincidence. On how certain people react to his celebrity status and deal with your requirements. Not dealt with the photographic work of them that are very important, but around a particular behavior, and very curious, why go beyond their usual Metiers.
How to enjoy one or another of two or none of them, each has its own taste and as the saying goes, no accounting for taste, it is regrettable. As I also believe that dogmas were made for ignorant and not for healthy people. Hugs and thanks for reading!
Dear Juan,
Thank you for your kindness always present but wanted to tell you that I do not LIVE "recognition in the history of photography" and rather small SELL cameras and organize events related to this art. In my more expensive the SHOW in NAMATA Mark was great, it's YOUR JORGE tbm NAILED participated and who saw, saw, saw no one who has lost a great opportunity to have fun.
I take tbm to collaborate with his future chronic "EGO of the Titans 2, Return" and say that his friend Ralph, Andy Summers (The Police and photographer TBM), which will soon be bringing the lands with Pauline and EXPO SHOW (Musica!) instead of asking for 300 books, kindly asked DUPLEX Suite A Week in the Fasano hotel ... Something like a 3000 book, hehehe. Abs and pass well.
I am a young photographer, who between texts and pictures scattered through the mind, carries the hope of one day becoming a good and fair documentary. I admire the courage of Juan Esteves to bring up such questions and points of view. Do not hold the market values of Juan. Its function is not another, but to cultivate a taste for functional and critical questioning of photography. Sorry men of business, but these are as fickle as the functional values of our time. The story does not perpetuate accounting numbers, but names and deeds. What about the content of the post, I think more than appropriate. The celebrização career has estrapolou limits enclosing the same, and that is something time released very noticeable. Discurção This really must be very hateful to ineressados agents in profit trust, for it goes against shock and to market rules. Do not generate dividends.
Juan, congratulations on the post!
Dear Juan;
Like you, I have enough time on the road, and some expressions in your writing left me very curious:
1 -) Author of books have fans? I figured I had readers and critics.
2 -) Photographer has fans? I thought I had admirers and followers.
But as I said in my time things had another name ...
By the way, I would like to see you playing guitar and doing a great performance in public. We could do a duet, perhaps we would not celebrities and therefore, we should get some fans jeitosinhas?
Dear Clício.
would be a huge shame! 
You always make me think more! I went to see what it means to even the word fan in Houaiss: a person who has and / or expresses great admiration for public person (artist, politician, sportsman etc.) Also means any person who has great affection or show great interest in (someone or something) , and its etymology, and it really was curious, is derived from fanatic!
1 - Yes, I think the author of books but have fans, both those who write and those who produce. I see that there are fans who simply worship and there are those who question. There are those who are indifferent and there are those critics, but fans ... or fans, or readers ...
2 - photographer has many fans. As I wrote above, I'm a fan of the Gibson! I'm a Fan of Eliott and even'm your fan! that along this long road we often together, guided me and I clarified many doubts, and why not say, gave me much pleasure by their beautiful pictures! Soon, I'm your fan, or if you prefer, an admirer!
Yes, my dear, things had other names! But the good thing is that over time things change too ... Node changed through time! There was a time I only liked the movie, I now think a little different, so let's go! I do not remember who said, but I think this sentence great. "We must change for things to stay the same"
By the way .... I think I owe you get this performance!
Dear Brito Jr!
Thanks for your comment. Good to see young photographers with its lucidity. abs!
Dear Marine, thank you for another tip!
Juan, great text, as always. The non-titans that ape and Gibsons Seligers of life that not crazy jump to read something as lucid and well placed.
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