Duncan - Check It Out

July 2012


Copyright Mark King 2012

67 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves

Friday, 28^th 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

66 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves

Thursday, 27^th 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

 

65 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves

Wednesday, 26^th September, 2012

Communitas

 

Henk, Coumeenole, Kerry

Copyright Mark King 2012

64 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves

Wednesday, 26^th 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

 

63 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves

Tuesday, 25^th September, 2012

Left Right Here

Coumeenole, Kerry

Copyright Mark King 2012

 

62 IRELAND - The Quiet, The Green, The Clean Empty Waves

Tuesday, 25^th 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