Anton Kusters (above) is one of the hardest working collaborators on the planet….Burn does not exist without Anton…the fact that he is jet lagged and needs a “time out” should be of no surprise….he jets back and forth from his home in Belgium to Japan, and his Yakuza project, and now just as easily to New York where he is crashing on the Burn office/gallery/crash pad sofa…he is here to work on BURN…we can do a lot by Skype, but one on one we can really get some work done….
what started out as an extension of my Road Trips blog and just a fun project with and for our audience here, has now blossomed into a seriously considered online media outlet/producer….all that has happened to Burn in the last few weeks is humbling to say the least….our nomination for a Lucie Award is flattering considering we are just a two person lap top from wherever operation at the moment… this was predicated by a nice mention of Burn on the New York Times “LENS” blog last week, whose progenitor, editor/ photographer James Estrin, just left my loft after meeting with my students for two hours…..David Walker, Senior Editor at PDN, this month did a nice, accurate, to the point Q&A interview with me in their magazine which always makes a strong push in the direction of young emerging photographers….The Digital Journalist guru Dirck Halstead at the same time wrote a strong editorial about the state of affairs for young photographers, and suggested that large funding operations direct some of their efforts in the direction of Burn, MediaStorm, 100 Eyes and other online efforts who pledge to pump lifeblood into a sagging industry….
so all at once, Burn has a place at the table ….organic…based on personal history and trust….working with the best people for all the right reasons, and all of it audience driven…..all of it…..funding for EPF, from you….donations which have kept our loft alive for office and gallery space, from you….submissions which have us now with more content than we can handle, from you….incidentally, i apologize for not being able to respond to every submission of photographs and every kind donation….we are way behind in viewing submissions and will soon employ a professional experienced editor to help, but i assure i view each and every submission…for those i like, i make contact as soon as possible, but please be patient…many many thanks to those of you who have given support….we could not have survived this long without you….
if now is the time for Burn to receive funding so that commissions can be given to the young generation and original work can be produced here for Burn from the iconic to the youngbloods, then OUR efforts here will be deemed someday to have been significant and historic… i just think that way….
so, let’s take this audience one step further….do i need your help? yes…. more pictures of course…but , what we all need now is to have a small first class team of grant writers and/or sales people to at least get me to the right person at the right kind of sponsorship venue…Burn is easy for me to pitch….really easy….first of all, it is not about me or my work(that is another problem!!)….Burn is about making a contribution to the new generation of photographers who express themselves either journalistically or artistically or both…..if you have any thoughts about potential funders and grant writing talent, please send them to Kerry Payne (photo below) who celebrated her 40th birthday at the Burn loft last night with our students toasted with Veuve Cliquot and Orios …Kerry is a hard core Aussie and should be recovered from last night’s modest bash by the time you send her an e-mail – kerry@burnmagazine.org….she is a biz person….do not write to Anton or to me, we are not….please please..
Anton and i cannot do any more than what Burn is now by ourselves…with just a little bit of help we can revolutionize….hey , is there anything better than the start up of a rock band in the garage?? yes, that is us….underground…underdog….full of enthusiasm…the best combo for creativity…
tomorrow we will go on with a live Q&A with Martin Parr…he will answer thought provoking questions from the readers here for two hours….Martin wants to do an original essay with first publication on Burn….i want to make that happen….and at the same time give concurrent commissions to two or three young less known photographers….i will make this happen….Martin, and Magnum , support this effort….a story on Alex and Rebecca Webb will follow soon behind, and they will be presenting at the Burn gallery event this friday evening where about 30 Burn audience photographers will be hanging on the same walls with Bruce Davidson, Elliott Erwitt, Gilles Peress, Susan Meiselas and Chris Anderson….we will try to invite likely print buyers and hope that someone who might collect an Erwitt would also buy a print from an emerging photographer…anyway, a nice thought…..oh yes, my loft students for the week are the highlight of the evening when they present their efforts for the week….we are hard at work on this show now…
so, this is a 24 hour time out from our normal programming….essays and singles from you will up again by tomorrow afternoon….but, this should give you all something to chew on….for one thing, do you take a time out right in the middle of when things are busy???
Eric…
really… greece is a weird place…
i mean surreal…im not sure i can fully
understand or grasp my two week experience/adventure so far..
Panos; How has it changed (for you?) in the 15 years you’ve been away?
Ross…:)
1) greece havent changed/PROGRESSED AT ALL….
2) i changed dramatically …
does this make any sense?
greece is an endless “big fat greek wedding”..
ouzo, strikes, laziness, rudeness, mustaches, communist party, soccer,
unsafe sex, donkeys in the streets, political corruption,citizens that refuse to pay taxes,
no respect to any laws whatsoever,smoking everywhere…
…nothing changed
JON-MARC SEIMON,
are you my African BURNIAN …???
Welcome …and don’t worry about posting here and there …
your post might get lost BUT your message will find its way…!!!
THODORIS,
I am following your project…I am learning how to make palouze…
thanks for the thingy
VIVA Cyprus !!!
Wake up DAVIDB…PANOS is shooting Norwegian Heavy Metal …oime …
what happens in BURN… better stay in BURN …
To the Digital Journalist…WE, BURNIANS are sending good energy and our LOVE towards you and your
readers…BUT you can come over …there is room for BURNED souls…is that right MR.DAH, ANTON,KERRY…
hmmm…just a suggestion …
POMARA,
that’s for you … blues, booze and bbq !!!
P.S KATIE …We miss you Street beauty fighter with the sword…LOVE
PANOS,
where are you ???
yeap…Nothing changed …only different !!!
Come over …I cooked palouze and the homemade wine is ready…Ainte…:)))
Don’t forget NIKO,THODORI …bring whoever you find…
political scandals, disrespect to foreigners/immigrants…
i can go on and on and on…
kitsch and desperation..
a very very photograph-able country…
xenophobia/racism … / drug addiction…
its a paradise for photographers
before I go…
MR.HARVEY,
may the travel spirits be with you…blah,blah…oime… you are such a traveler :)))
VIVA …and don’t forget, your Greek home is ready (almost)…hiohihihiii !!!
ERIC…
ready to work with any time..any time after dec 1 that is….
JIM … IMANTS
depends on how you look at it…DJ STARTED because of and with corporate sponsorship…DJ was pretty much completely dependent on one company all along……so the corporation has fallen on hard times, so DJ will cease temporarily perhaps/perhaps not…..that is a whole lot different than had DJ started out as a media company and sought it’s own way from the beginning….in any case, i like DJ too…and i think they will be back soonest…
cheers, david
the last two weeks i almost got run over by a taxi at least 7 times…
( for a while i thought that it was the same guy..same yellow cab, same big fat mustache ..
same fuck u attitude..)
WHAT NOT TO LOVE???????
CIVI… thanks for confirming…
i know u lived in the states longer than me… i know u know what im talking about…
big hug
Tell it as it is = PANOS
What not to LOVE !!!
BURNIANS…focus and keep shooting …and MR.PETE…WE DO READ :)))
and we will keep reading ( that’s for you MR.SIDNEY )
I will be back…
and to be fair…
maybe i shouldnt throw the whole country of grecolandia under the bus…
i mainly talk about dirty, polluted , ugly city of athens..
thats what really sucks..
all if ever visit greece, go to the islands, or north, or arta or west..
but skip athens ( akropolis/plaka excluded )
Yea it’s always been a worthwhile read despite its pro American stance. It would be a pity to see it disappear altogethe, unfortunately the www world takes no prisoners.
Panos they sound like the guys who live down the street except no photographers allowed ………………………even my brother in law is a Greek
¨………………………even my brother in law is a Greek¨
so is my sister-in-law..
best to ALL..
k-
……. the best part is that my brother in laws brother in law is not Greek
…laughing…….
good nite yall from the city of “feta stuck on the Mustaches”…
big hug
Panos; Thanks for that. An interesting perspective. Cheers :-)
Panos: “all if ever visit greece, go to the islands, or north, or arta or west..
but skip athens”
Don’t forget Nafplio!!
……. the best part is that my brother in laws brother in law is not Greek
impossible. nonsense. :)
TO CIVI:
“I want to join in…JUSTIN where are you in the Universe? are you Civilian like me ?
DO you LOVE the visual stimulation ? are you a wannabe Fotophilosopher?
what shall I do ? I WANNA JOIN IN !!!”
A: Kentucky, USA. Yes! Yes! Yes! Join in!
“BUT you can come over …there is room for BURNED souls…”
Beautiful…
yea but I ain’t Greek……………
You are, Imants. Everyone is. Just ask Greeks. :)
…….. nah here in oz they say “But you not Grik you not know”
yup….
if you have no feta leftovers on your mustache u no grik…
laughing…
9am..
good morning from Fetalandia
Civi, Panos: When you need a Greeklandia food fix in the southern US, go to Chattanooga and visit Niko’s. Last night’s meal made me want to dance. Why is feta square?
Why is feta square?,,,,,, because it is cut with a knife
Why is Gouda round?
gouda is round…cause it tastes like the sun ???
PANOS, unsafe sex with donkeys on the street? or are the donkeys having unsafe sex in the streets? Why arent the police doing something about this?