Jo Brunenberg

Today I am featuring some work by Jo Brunenberg, a Dutch photographer who is still active.  

I am focusing on his work from the 1980s, starting with this image with the photographer 

himself at top and a model named Paul in the lower part of the picture.

 

Polaroid I

This is the first of three Polaroids in today's series.

 

Atlantic Wall I

Jo Brunenberg did an extensive series of photos in 1983-84 along the Atlantic Wall, the coastal fortifications the Germans built mostly in France in World War II.  The model here is Martin.

 

1983

This 1983 Jo Brunenberg photo looks like it was shot on the cellar steps.

 

1984

I find the composition of this 1984 Jo Brunenberg photo to be genius.

The cracks in the wall mimic the tree branches.

 

Interesting lines

For some reason "art deco" popped into my mind the first time I saw this one.

It isn't, of course, but the curves and angles work well together.

 

Polaroid II

I don't know how Jo Brunenberg did this with Polaroid technology, but here it is.

 

Atlantic Wall II

I like the geometry of this Atlantic Wall series photo.

 

Arthur Tress

Was there a male nude photographer for whom Arthur Tress didn't pose in the 1980s?

He seems to have had significant artistic input for this Jo Brunenberg picture.

It looks like something Mr. Tress would have produced himself.

 

Atlantic Wall III

This is another from Jo Brunenberg's Atlantic Wall series from 1983-84.

The aperture looks like some sort of drain made to fit the model.

 

Polaroid III

The interior finish of the walls in this Polaroid make me think of Brunenberg's 

Atlantic Wall series, but this one is not included in the set.

 

Veterans Day, 2024 - Korea, the Forgotten War

 Korea, a Forgotten War and a Long Road Home

For Veterans Day, 2024, we will take a look at  Korea, sometimes called the "Forgotten War."  For some of the U.S. Korean War dead, it has been a long road home.  Here in Hawaii at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, there is a group of dedicated scientists with the Defense POW/MIA  Accounting Agency who continue to identify the remains of fallen soldiers over 70 years after the war ended.  Today we will remember some of the soldiers who lost their lives and took a very long time to come home.  Above is a repatriation ceremony for some of the returned.

Billy M. Mc Intyre

Army Corporal Billy M. McIntyre, 19, of Carter, Oklahoma had been missing for 

over 61 years when his remains were identified and returned to his family.

 

U.S. Marines 1950

I find this photo from 1950 of newly arrived Marines at Busan, Korea to be quite impressive.

 

Ralph S. Boughman

Corporal Ralph S. Boughman of Union, South Carolina was 21 when he was listed as missing

 in action, presumed killed, in 1950.  Over 71 years later, he came home.

 

Integrated Unit

The Korean War was the first major U.S. military operation to be racially integrated.

 

William H. Jones

Army Private First Class William Hoover Jones was MIA in late 1950.  In 2018 the North Koreans turned over a number of remains, one of which was identified as Pvt. Jones in 2019.

 

Carl Mydans I

Carl Mydans took this photo of some men from the 1st Cavalry in the summer of 1950.

 

Joe T. Avant

This is Corporal Joe T. Avant of Greenwood, Mississippi.  He was 20 when he went 

missing in Korea, and his remains were returned home 69 years later.

 

Cooks?

I think these GIs are cooking something.

 

Billy DeBord

Private Billy DeBord of Miamisburg, Ohio went missing in 1950,

and his remains were brought home 64 years later.

 

A Survivor - Captain Ike Fenton

This is Captain Francis "Ike" Fenton, Jr. being told that his unit was virtually out of ammunition.

Fortunately, he survived the war along with 86 of his men.

 

Wallace J. Dawson

After being promoted to Sergeant at only age 21, Wallace J. Dawson of Santa Barbara, California was taken prisoner on Valentines Day, 1951.  Returned American POWs reported that he had died of starvation while a prisoner.  In 1954 several hundred sets of remains were turned over to the U.S. by Communist forces from the camp where Sgt. Dawson died.  These were buried in a special section of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, aka Punchbowl, in Honolulu.  In 2014 improved technology allowed Sgt. Dawson to be identified and returned to his family.

 

Jeep

Two Americans and a South Korean ride together in a Jeep.

 

Still Missing - Daniel "Danny Boy" Dulin

Still missing after 74 years is Daniel "Danny Boy" Dulin.  His sister Brenda Lott 

is still holding out hope that his remains will be returned to her.

 

Comforting a fellow soldier

This heart-wrenching photo was taken as one soldier 

comforted another after his best buddy was killed.

I can't look at this without crying.

 

Curtis J. Wells

This is U.S. Army Corporal Curtis J. Wells of Ubly, Michigan.  He was only 19 when he was 

declared MIA in November of 1950.  Over 66 years later, he came home to Michigan.

 

Carl Mydans II

 Three Marines are cleaning their rifles in this 1950 Carl Mydans photograph.

Charles H. McDaniel

Master Sergeant Charles H. McDaniel of Vernon, Indiana was a lead medic in the 3rd Battalion of the 8th U.S. Cavalry.  He was age 32 when he went missing near Unsan, Korea while under a heavy Chinese attack in 1950.  The DPAA lab in Honolulu identified his remains 68 years later and returned them to his son, Charles McDaniel, Jr., for a burial with full military honors.

 

Marines

These tough looking men were members of the 1st Battalion, 7th U.S. Marines.

 

Ben Lee Brown

 Ben Lee Brown of Tillamook, Oregon was only 17 when he enlisted with his mother's permission.

He hadn't yet reached his 18th birthday when he was listed as missing in action on February 12, 1951.  Declared dead in 1953, his remains were located and repatriated 64 years later.

  It's been a long road home for the men in today's series.  May they Rest in Peace.

 

David Hockney Day

It's been over a year since I did a David Hockney series, so here's the second one.

Above is a photo I find absolutely charming and below is a self portrain from near the same time.

 

1963

We start the art show with the earlies David Hockney work I could find,

"Standing Nude with Cigarette" from 1963.  It looks unfinished to me,

but this is probably the way it was intended all along.

 

Nap Time

This one is called "The Room, Tarzana."

 

Illlustration

David Hockney did this 1966 drawing as an illustration 

for "Fourteen Poems" by C.P. Cavafy.

 

1975

Mr. Hockney took an occasional turn at photography.  In this example 

from 1975 we can see him and his camera in the bathroom mirror.

 

Richard, Jim, and Felix

 These three are Richard Neville, Jim Anderson, and Felix Dennis

in a 1971 offset lithograph by David Hockney.

1965

I recall reading somewhere that David Hockney was so impressed by the sheer number of swimming pools he saw on his first visit to LA that he went into a series of pool themed paintings.  This one is from 1965, probably one of the earliest, but I'm not sure.

 

David and Mo

Here we have David and Mo from 1966.

 

Gregory and Mark

It was October of 1975 when this picture of Gregory and Mark was done.

 

Opera Harlequin

David Hockney did this promotional poste for the Metropolitan Opera in 1981.

The male figure is a harlequin, but my favorite element is the ladder.

 

Cartoon in need of a caption

This last drawing by David Hockney makes me think it's a cartoon in need of a caption.

I can't think of one, though, so see what y'all can come up with in the comments.