KloverArt : "Subway" by Bruce Davidson published by Aperture.

Bruce Davidson Subway is a melancholic and beautiful and thrilling ode to the 80's New York subway. Shooting in the MTA seems to be nowadays a vernacular and obvious topic but doing it in the early 80's  was something quite different from the clean and gentrified city that we have today. In his essay, Davidson explains how he had to be in a good physical condition to face the gloomy and scary New York transportation scene. He has no shame to refere to his fears when he had to deal with some young muggers. You understand that photography is not only an activity, a technic or an abstract approach but first of all a confrontation. Beyond the anecdotes, Subway portrays a rough and fascinating facet of a gone New York. The atmosphere could be tender and delicate in the same time giving to that danger zone a much ambiguous aspect. Davidson confesses in his brilliant essay that he became addicted to the subway which is understandable from the hunter's perspective. First published in the mid 80's, we are very lucky to have this new edition published by The Aperture Foundation. For me, as an image lover, getting that copy signed by the artist at the Paris Photo fair was enough to give me happiness for some days. Subway by Bruce Davidson, Aperture Foundation, 135pp, hard cover, 65$.

Reproduction by Thomas Humery/The Klover Post, your devoted writer.

World/Americana : Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed won't go to Washington..

Kasim Reed (D) is defenitely part of this new generation of politicians. This talented lawyer strongly connected to the entertainment world who at 41 became the Atlanta 59th city mayor after a term of office at the Georgia Senate had the perfect profile to play a certain part in the new Obama administration. But during the last months of campaign including the National Democratic Convention in Charlotte, Reed didn't get much opportunities to appear in front of the scene eventhough he made strong statements against Paul Ryan at Meet The Press on NBC. For a selfcalled "rookie" politician, we think that Mr. Reed has a brilliant voice and rhetoric. Last year, Mayor Reed was complaining and expressing the black community frustrations regarding the economic disparity between the different american communities. It's not a secret to say that the afro-american had some mixed emotions during the last campaign. Besides,  President Obama didn't want to show any kind of favouritism toward the black community and some said that helping car industries in Detroit was already a way to help the black labour. It's also true that the presidential strategy was more focused on getting the hispanic vote and the analysis of ballot shows that strategy was right with 70% of the votes for Obama. Apparently, the re-election commettee didn't want to explain why Reed havn't been more requested as a front man inspite of his obvious charisma. His unclear or skeptic position on the gay marriage for some personal believes didn't help neither to fit the perfect picture eventhough it's good, in a democracy, to have different opinions to nourish an open debate. For all these reasons Kasim Reed won't go to Washinghton ( this time ) but it doesn't change the fact that the determination of this athletic man will lead him to play soon or later a national role in the american politics.

Photo credit : Thomas Humery/The Klover Post, your devoted writer.

Klover books : Félicité Herzog, Un Héros, published by Grasset.

Félicité Herzog is a newcomer in the small world of parisian publishing houses. But her name is quite famous, being the daughter of the famous french alpinist Maurice Herzog who has been the first to climb the Annapurna in 1950. Her book titled, un Héros, gives a different perspective from the official hagiographic version saying that he never went on the top of it!! Some other details brings a quite dark face of that national hero who was a close friend of Charles de Gaulle. There is a french saying which says literally : " There is nothing growing up under great trees ", Félicité Herzog tries at leats to show that it's good to be a lumberjack sometimes to reach some light.

Photo by Thomas Humery your devoted writer.