July 2012
Copyright Mark King 2012
Friday, 30 November 2012
67 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves
Friday, 28th
September, 2012
Homeward Bound
Bibliography
Cotton C, 2007 The Photograph As Contemporary Art Thames
& Hudson: London
De Botton A, 2003 The Art of Travel Penguin: London
Grunenberg C and Pih D, 2011 Magritte A to Z Tate/London
Newby E, 1995 A Book of Travellers’ Tales Pan Books
Ltd: London
Perlmutter D and Koppman D,
1999 Reclaiming the Spiritual in Art:
Contemporary Cross-cultural Perspectives State University
of New York Press: New York
Smyth D Editor, 2012 British Journal of Photography Oct Issue
7805
Sontag S, 2002 On Photography Penguin Group: London
Sturken M and Cartwright L
2005 Practices of Looking: An
Introduction to Visual Culture Oxford
University Press: New York
Tolstoy L, 1969 What Is
Art? And Essays on Art London: University Press Oxford
Turner V, 1967 The Forest of Symbols Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Press
Turner V, 1969 The Ritual Process Penguin 1969
Various, 1987 The Age of God-Kings 3000-1500 BC Time
Life Books: USA
Vernon M, 2012 God The
Big Questions Quercus: London
Copyright Mark King 2012
Thursday, 29 November 2012
66 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves
Thursday, 27th
September, 2012
Dingle, Kerry
I hate tourist areas. I live
in one and visiting one such as Dingle exposes the façade. I am surrounded by
the English, the tourist which I am, I was served by an English woman whilst
shopping for holiday presents, served by an American woman in a café which was
ran by the English. Where has Ireland
gone? I miss it already.
Brandon Bay
We have travelled full circle
back to Brandon Bay and just like that first day the
surf is small and on-shore. At least we are back on the beach.
What am I left with after a
month in Ireland?
My feelings of anticipation at the beginning of this journey abated and on
reflection were misguided nevertheless they were real and genuine. For the most part I am left with an
overwhelming desire to return and ride the right at Easkey.
Bibliography
Cotton C, 2007 The Photograph As Contemporary Art Thames
& Hudson: London
De Botton A, 2003 The Art of Travel Penguin: London
Grunenberg C and Pih D, 2011 Magritte A to Z Tate/London
Newby E, 1995 A Book of Travellers’ Tales Pan Books
Ltd: London
Perlmutter D and Koppman D,
1999 Reclaiming the Spiritual in Art:
Contemporary Cross-cultural Perspectives State University
of New York Press: New York
Smyth D Editor, 2012 British Journal of Photography Oct Issue
7805
Sontag S, 2002 On Photography Penguin Group: London
Sturken M and Cartwright L
2005 Practices of Looking: An
Introduction to Visual Culture Oxford
University Press: New York
Tolstoy L, 1969 What Is
Art? And Essays on Art London: University Press Oxford
Turner V, 1967 The Forest of Symbols Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Press
Turner V, 1969 The Ritual Process Penguin 1969
Various, 1987 The Age of God-Kings 3000-1500 BC Time
Life Books: USA
Vernon M, 2012 God The
Big Questions Quercus: London
Copyright Mark King 2012
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
65 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves
Wednesday, 26th
September, 2012
Communitas
Henk, Coumeenole, Kerry
Copyright Mark King 2012
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
64 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves
Wednesday, 26th
September, 2012
Coumeenole, Kerry
The waves didn’t pick up
above 2’ either last night or this morning and after such amazing surf at
Easkey I am in no rush to don a damp wetsuit. Maybe later, although the rest is
doing me good, at least that is what I tell myself.
The final paddle out at
Easkey left was fraught with aches and pains. I need to build on my stamina
when I get home. It’s tempting to leave this beautiful spot to search out a ride-able
wave but just looking at the clouds tells me it’s going to be strong on-shores
around Brandon Bay. So for now I guess we will have to wait and see.
It’s amazing how many lovely
people we meet whilst travelling, if you are open.
A brief hello can lead to a
conversation that lasts more than an hour. We have just met Henk and he has
told us the most amazing stories from his life. He reminded me of Miller’s
Katsimbalis, truly amazing. For me I just had to listen. I love to listen to
people who love to talk, if they have something to say.
You can meet someone for a
little over an hour, an hour in comparison to a lifetime and that person can
have such an effect on your life.
Allthough I have photographed
most people in context to their vans and Henk’s as interesting, I felt the
ocean fitted him more. The ocean has been his life.
Still people arrive in ones, twos and threes or more. They come to gaze
upon this idyllic landscape, take a picture and leave. Their pilgrimage along
the Dingle Way
is for what? To see it you have to stay, to experience the wind, clouds and
light as it plays its tune along this majestic setting. Whilst I see this
beauty I also see the nooks and crannies, the spent take-away coffee cups
resting lazily on the beach. What a beautiful beach they say stepping over the
cup. I want to photograph this place, to gaze upon its historical beauty but I
cannot because I know that alongside this ancient place lies our indexical
footprint, the sign of modernity, the detritus of human existence, progress.
In a hundred years they will
come to look at the Bee Hive huts, the ancient forts and the spent take-away
coffee cups.
People travel for different reasons.
Some and probably most judging by the numbers here come to see Ireland although they do not see Ireland or
anywhere in my mind. Others like me come to surf and with them often come loved
ones in support but also to see and experience a sense of place. Others like
Henk come to see the ocean from the land. In storms at sea he felt alive
wanting to play the piano and sing in monstrous seas as his cargo ship moved
with the rhythm of the storm. Now he hopes to see the ocean breaking on to the
cliffs from the land. He is hoping for a huge storm to hit the Cliffs of Moher,
to be amongst the elements, to feel alive. With the thought of this I mimic
him, kiss my fingers and thumbs and salute the air, “beautiful”, I say to
myself.
Bibliography
Cotton C, 2007 The Photograph As Contemporary Art Thames
& Hudson: London
De Botton A, 2003 The Art of Travel Penguin: London
Grunenberg C and Pih D, 2011 Magritte A to Z Tate/London
Newby E, 1995 A Book of Travellers’ Tales Pan Books
Ltd: London
Perlmutter D and Koppman D,
1999 Reclaiming the Spiritual in Art:
Contemporary Cross-cultural Perspectives State University
of New York Press: New York
Smyth D Editor, 2012 British Journal of Photography Oct Issue
7805
Sontag S, 2002 On Photography Penguin Group: London
Sturken M and Cartwright L
2005 Practices of Looking: An
Introduction to Visual Culture Oxford
University Press: New York
Tolstoy L, 1969 What Is
Art? And Essays on Art London: University Press Oxford
Turner V, 1967 The Forest of Symbols Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Press
Turner V, 1969 The Ritual Process Penguin 1969
Various, 1987 The Age of God-Kings 3000-1500 BC Time
Life Books: USA
Vernon M, 2012 God The
Big Questions Quercus: London
Copyright Mark King 2012
Monday, 26 November 2012
63 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves
Tuesday, 25th
September, 2012
Left Right Here
Coumeenole, Kerry
Copyright Mark King 2012
Saturday, 24 November 2012
62 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves
Tuesday, 25th
September, 2012
Coumeenole, Kerry
A north swell was forecast
today in Easkey and with it strong north-westerly winds so we drove south to
catch Inch Reef but it was flat and so we moved on.
The drive around the Dingle Peninsula
is spectacular. Steeped in history the landscape is littered with Iron Age
Beehive huts, forts and ancient churches. Sat here in Coumeenole
Bay we are in the slip of Mount Eagle.
The beach here is stunning, not to mention sheltered from the strong winds. A
clean wave is breaking in pristine clear water but sadly it’s to small to surf
but it may pick up.
With such a honey pot
location come the crowds, cars, buses and people on foot float past, take a
picture and leave.
I wonder if the ancient
people that settled in this amazing landscape occasionally reflected on how
beautiful it is.
After being sat here
throughout the day watching the surf it has finally turned on.
Driving down we out run the
swell and I’ve been patiently waiting, hoping it would catch up. I thought
maybe tomorrow bit it’s now ride-able. A few guys have gone in, the first
surprised me because he showed how much the surf had increased. From our
vantage point above the waves it is difficult to ascertain the size.
Although off-shore, the wind
is strong. Swirly patterns are blowing out to sea as though many mouths are
pursing their lips and blowing simultaneously from above. The surfers are
struggling against these strong gusts.
Have I been in? No. Since
beginning the ritual of making squares it feels like I am unable to enter a new
spot until I have made a square.
Hopefully the morning will be
amazing but I’ve fell for that before.
Bibliography
Cotton C, 2007 The Photograph As Contemporary Art Thames
& Hudson: London
De Botton A, 2003 The Art of Travel Penguin: London
Grunenberg C and Pih D, 2011 Magritte A to Z Tate/London
Newby E, 1995 A Book of Travellers’ Tales Pan Books
Ltd: London
Perlmutter D and Koppman D,
1999 Reclaiming the Spiritual in Art:
Contemporary Cross-cultural Perspectives State University
of New York Press: New York
Smyth D Editor, 2012 British Journal of Photography Oct Issue
7805
Sontag S, 2002 On Photography Penguin Group: London
Sturken M and Cartwright L
2005 Practices of Looking: An
Introduction to Visual Culture Oxford
University Press: New York
Tolstoy L, 1969 What Is
Art? And Essays on Art London: University Press Oxford
Turner V, 1967 The Forest of Symbols Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Press
Turner V, 1969 The Ritual Process Penguin 1969
Various, 1987 The Age of God-Kings 3000-1500 BC Time
Life Books: USA
Vernon M, 2012 God The
Big Questions Quercus: London
Copyright Mark King 2012
Friday, 23 November 2012
61 IRELAND- The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves
Sunday, 23rd
September, 2012
Communitas
Catharina, Steffen and Nola,
Easkey, Sligo
Copyright Mark King 2012
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
60 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves
Sunday, 23rd
September, 2012
Communitas
Timo, Easkey, Sligo
Copyright Mark King 2012
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
59 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves
Sunday, 23rd
September, 2012
Easkey, Sligo
Wow…what a morning!
First in on the left on the
best day yet. The waves were a lovely 3’ but steadily increased, along with the
crowds. After a few lovely waves I soon became under-gunned, or rather felt I
had. The nerves were kicking in. as the size of the waves increased so did the
wind. It was off-shore but fairly strong.
I have to say after a couple
nailings, hitting the bottom and falling off a few times I got a bit anxious,
apprehensive of being caught inside. That knocks your confidence and what
starts out as a fantastic surf can quickly turn around, 6’ Easkey is my new
barrier to break through.
The light first thing this
morning was ephemeral. It’s an experience felt within the context of your
surroundings. With only yourself and one other in the ocean it is a calm and
reflective time. With the crowds comes tension.
The ocean had a black quality
that also held a divine beauty. A translucent black revealed the secrets of the
seabed, rocks and seaweed could be seen through the soft, silky water. The
surface was sheen, a soft gloss. As a wave broke white foam glowed in the early
morning light. I thought of that traditional Irish drink, Guinness. It’s as
though the brew also gets its earthen colour through the ancient peat bogs that
filter water down into the ocean.
Today it is my mum’s
birthday, Happy Birthday Mum. X
Thoughts of my mum lead to
thoughts of my dad. It’s a path that scares me because I miss him so much.
After watching the right for some time I came back up to check out the
left. I was amazed, angered and disappointed at the seen/scene. Beer cans were
strewn around the castle overlooking the break. The weekend, the weather and
the waves have brought the crowds, the hassles in the water and the rubbish.
Surfers the hit the coast, surf and leave. I don’t care if you’re Irish,
English, German, French, Spanish, or whatever, you’re a human being and you are
a cunt and your friends are cunts. (Sorry for using the c word but it is the
only word that sums up my anger and disappointment at seeing this crap.) You
don’t deserve to live and you certainly don’t deserve to be out in the ocean.
Pick up your shit and leave this place as you found it. As well as
disrespecting the local area and population you give us all a bad name whether
a blow-in, a traveller, a surfer or a holiday maker. I don’t understand this
mentality.
Have I picked it up, no but I
guess I will. I’m not your fucking mother so take responsibility for your own
shit.
Bibliography
Cotton C, 2007 The Photograph As Contemporary Art Thames
& Hudson: London
De Botton A, 2003 The Art of Travel Penguin: London
Grunenberg C and Pih D, 2011 Magritte A to Z Tate/London
Newby E, 1995 A Book of Travellers’ Tales Pan Books
Ltd: London
Perlmutter D and Koppman D,
1999 Reclaiming the Spiritual in Art:
Contemporary Cross-cultural Perspectives State University
of New York Press: New York
Smyth D Editor, 2012 British Journal of Photography Oct Issue
7805
Sontag S, 2002 On Photography Penguin Group: London
Sturken M and Cartwright L
2005 Practices of Looking: An
Introduction to Visual Culture Oxford
University Press: New York
Tolstoy L, 1969 What Is
Art? And Essays on Art London: University Press Oxford
Turner V, 1967 The Forest of Symbols Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Press
Turner V, 1969 The Ritual Process Penguin 1969
Various, 1987 The Age of God-Kings 3000-1500 BC Time
Life Books: USA
Vernon M, 2012 God The
Big Questions Quercus: London
Copyright Mark King 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)