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An_Art_Historian's_Sideways_Glance_Carlise_Piquant_Editions_2009_Cover

 

An_Art_Historian's_Sideways_Glance_Carlise_Piquant_Editions_2009_Back_Cover

 

If interested, it's available from Amazon.com/books @ www.amazon.com/Art-Historians-Sideways-Glance-Photographs...

 

johnwalford - View my most interesting photos on Flickriver

 

Retired Professor of Art History, using photography for fun, and as a sideways glance at my own discipline, reflecting on how knowledge of art history can inform what and how one sees in the present. I was born in the UK, educated there, then in Amsterdam, then Cambridge, and thereafter taught in the States (now retired). I am married to a wonderful Italian woman, Maria Dellu', who was born in Milan. We are blessed by three loyal and loving children, all married, and twelve lively grandchildren, who all bring joy to our hearts.

 

I have been taking photographs--on and off--since I was seven years old, but what triggered my recent return to the medium, with a greater intensity, was two factors:

 

Greg_Halvorsen_Schreck_Recent_Photographs_with_Magdalena_II_2007

 

Firstly, my colleague and friend, professional photographer Greg Schreck, persuaded me to buy a decent digital camera, even if only to use it as a visual note-taking device, which he was convinced would serve me well, as an art historian. He was right!

 

Pensive_Observers_2006

 

Secondly, my friendship with a former student of Greg Schreck, and now a professional photographer, David Wittig, born in Argentina to American parents, and then working in Chicago, who had been taking Italian lessons from my wife. She now, in turn, has to put up with my new-found passion for photography, as well as all my other quirks. My work, in return, is dedicated to her.

 

LaReppublica_05-11_06_&Scarampi Foundation copy

 

When the three of us, David, Maria, and I, worked on a joint exhibition and book of David Wittig's work, in Italy, for which I was asked to write a couple of critical essays, the more I engaged with his work, and the more I studied the context out of which he was working, the more I was inspired to produce my own.

 

I have learnt much from his example, and from our many discussions over dinners, week after week. It is to him, and Greg Schreck, that I owe my rediscovered passion for the medium. It is also from David Wittig, and, in turn, his sources of inspiration, that I adopted the diptych and triptych formats that I sometimes use, for their power of juxtaposition, which I had also long been intrigued by in teaching art history by means of side-by-side image projection, and noticing how each juxtaposition changed how one saw the other image next to it. I can say that David Wittig's encouragement in this area has rejuvenated my life, and to him I am much indebted.

 

Out of our joint collaborations on his two exhibitions in Italy, I in turn, a year and a half later, was invited to have my own, in the same location, San Giorgio Scarampi, in Piedmont. This was a great treat, and a rich experience, for which David Wittig helped me with the preparation, and my wife, Maria, translated everything for the catalog essay. To both my profound thanks. Even greater thanks to Franco Vaccaneo, President of the Scarampi Foundation, for generously extending to me both the opportunity to exhibit, and for ensuring the high standard of the small catalog, (as well as to The Aldeen Fund, Wheaton College, for funding its publication in English as well as Italian). Here is the mini-catalog cover:

 

John Walford, San Giorgio Scarampi Exhibition,

Enough said!--More than enough!

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Side-by-side juxtaposition has long interested me

  • JoinedNovember 2006
  • OccupationRetired Art Historian, Author
  • HometownWolverton, Hampshire, England
  • Current cityWheaton, Illinois
  • CountryUSA
  • Emailwalford@gmail.com
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Photos of John Walford

Testimonials

E. John Walford..... An art historian..... A great photographer..... A university professor.... A publisher of great books.... A Poet who knows the magic of words.... And a wonderful supportive friend.

February 5, 2010

Well, besides the everlasting pompous posts here on flickr, stealing from the dead(artists work) and purely academic sodomy that John loves to put the views through - he realy is one in a million, especially here on flickr where the phrase can have it's litteral flickr-ing. He loves what he does(not just the sodomy of … Read more

Well, besides the everlasting pompous posts here on flickr, stealing from the dead(artists work) and purely academic sodomy that John loves to put the views through - he realy is one in a million, especially here on flickr where the phrase can have it's litteral flickr-ing. He loves what he does(not just the sodomy of course, but also art and in this case photography) and he loves people(yes, he is still deliberately naive). I love this man, I also value and admire the rich span of attention and insight he can muster up for each and every photograph u put before him. Well yes, that is his line of work, but not just that, it's not only work that much I am sure. It's a life, and striving, and passion, antr truth, and love- that bonds him to arts. So, if u have John as a friend here on flickr or anywhere - feel free to count yoruself ''a lucky bastard'' : )

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February 17, 2010

John Walford’s work is full to the brim with boundless vitality and invention. No stuffy art historian, this man! He razzle dazzles the senses with a tumult of bold and daring imagery. John’s vision of a multi-complex world fills the cup of expectation to overflowing. An infamous English TV chat show hostess called J… Read more

John Walford’s work is full to the brim with boundless vitality and invention. No stuffy art historian, this man! He razzle dazzles the senses with a tumult of bold and daring imagery. John’s vision of a multi-complex world fills the cup of expectation to overflowing. An infamous English TV chat show hostess called Janet Street Porter once said “NO BEARDIES ON MY SHOW!” I think John Walford’s beard might tickle her fancy if she took a roller coaster ride through his fascinating self portraits and unbelievably varied work on Flickr.

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July 13, 2009

John's photostream is a really personal and yet universal look at our strange old world from the point of art and art history. Unlike many streams on Flickr these are not casual snapshots or narrow fields of interest. The work here is in itself a crafted work of art making the familiar less so, and bringing other exper… Read more

John's photostream is a really personal and yet universal look at our strange old world from the point of art and art history. Unlike many streams on Flickr these are not casual snapshots or narrow fields of interest. The work here is in itself a crafted work of art making the familiar less so, and bringing other experiences into clear focus. A most enjoyable set of images that are worth revisiting time and time again.

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June 29, 2009

John's photostream is an absolute treasure house. There's not a dull image in it. His photography transforms the world he sees: everyday objects become iconic, and the simplest details are filled richly with meaning. To immerse oneself in its alchemy is a delight, and every exploration of his work is like a journey, on… Read more

John's photostream is an absolute treasure house. There's not a dull image in it. His photography transforms the world he sees: everyday objects become iconic, and the simplest details are filled richly with meaning. To immerse oneself in its alchemy is a delight, and every exploration of his work is like a journey, one to undertake again and again.

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August 19, 2008

whats wrong in the Flickr. world , whats wrong between us, if john walfords´ art , work, activities, intentions etc. doesn´t yet have any testimoniial? I don´ t really know, but i was very surprised, when i discoverd this in the last days and i would like to change that! his views, sensitivities, his professional kno… Read more

whats wrong in the Flickr. world , whats wrong between us, if john walfords´ art , work, activities, intentions etc. doesn´t yet have any testimoniial? I don´ t really know, but i was very surprised, when i discoverd this in the last days and i would like to change that! his views, sensitivities, his professional knowledge, his personal ways of sharing, and last but not least his attitude as a teacher and prof. and the many sides of his profound and creative work touches all senses, is challanging, encouraging and brings deep joy - if you open your eyes a n d your heart to it. give it a chance, see it! thank you John!

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September 22, 2007