Art
The Art of Trump's Mug Shot – New York Magazine
Photo: Fulton County Sheriff’s O/ffice
The man in the photo wears a scowl. Shadowless in some no-space. His hair is a mystery: a cloud, an eddy, a fleece of spun gold. Harshly lit, slightly out of focus, no depth of field. It could be a driver’s license photo, were it not for the badge in the corner — “Fulton County Sheriff’s Office” — that provides the image with its context. The man’s glare was practiced a thousand times before it was captured, yet he seems to be seething at his lack of control. It is the most famous photograph in the world.
One of 19 similar pictures. All bright and weirdly washed out, the light sometimes gleaming like a white bar on the subject’s forehead. A few of them are so brightly lit that they seem to be fading away; others wear masks of a deathly pallor. Mug shots are meant to convey just the facts of a person’s face, but the more you look the more the facts fade away. Some of these people seem like they are from the same gene pool. A couple look like twins.
The criticism of mug shots is that they are dehumanizing and prejudicial against Black and brown people. These 19 subjects are almost all white, many in suit and tie, and indeed there is something not quite human about them: the hunched shoulders, the deep grooves on their faces, the bloodless lips pressed together in a grimace, the zombie stares. A couple of them are smiling, but from certain angles their faces seem caught in a rictus of pain. The mug shot does not reveal a person’s essence; rather, it makes him seem criminal. Police departments should stop using them. But what can be said of these mug shots is that, for once, there is no discrepancy between what the jail’s camera imposes and who these subjects actually are. They might even redefine what picture comes to mind when we think of that word, criminal.
Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos FULTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The mugshot is an unlovely sub-genre of portraiture photography. It is the opposite of a self-portrait, which offers the maximum amount of agency. Think of Cindy Sherman. No matter what the pose is you are aware that she is aware of how the photograph will look. In the mug shot the subject is given very little leeway. Heads may be tilted up or down, but they are always seen straight on (or, in the old days, from the side). We rarely see much below the shoulders. At the mercy of the police, the subjects have no idea how they will look, and for a certain sort of image-obsessed person that is enraging. Made in the inaccessible privacy of a police station these are pictures that the whole world is meant to see. They were made for, and belong to, the public — to judge, to play with, to make into memes, to mock.
The genre, like all genres, has its own rules and imagistic rhetoric. There is a canon of famous mug shots. Some are righteous, poignant, though still painful: Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks. There are mug shots that are iconic (Lee Harvey Oswald), chilling (Bill Cosby), and even cool (Frank Sinatra). In all of them a face is forced to confront a camera as the shutter opens or a digital imprint is made. What these 19 confrontations might mean is ultimately up to the viewer. Already the man with the scowl is using his portrait as both a statement of defiance and a claim of persecution — a symbol as diabolically ingenious as the red MAGA hat. I see ghouls who are corrupt and morally damaged. To me, the images signal a reckoning.
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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com
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The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”
On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”
The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.
Blaze in the West Wing
The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.
About Somerset House
Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.
Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.
Sudbury’s annual art and music festival is marking a significant milestone this year, celebrating its long-standing impact on the local cultural scene. The festival, which has grown from a small community event to a major celebration of creativity, brings together artists, musicians, and visitors from across the region for a weekend of vibrant performances and exhibitions.
The event features a diverse range of activities, from live music performances to art installations, workshops, and interactive exhibits that highlight both emerging and established talent. This year’s milestone celebration will also honor the festival’s history by showcasing some of the artists and performers who have contributed to its success over the years.
Organizers are excited to see how the festival has evolved, becoming a cornerstone of Sudbury’s cultural landscape. “This festival is a celebration of creativity, community, and the incredible talent we have here in Sudbury,” said one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s amazing to see how it has grown and the impact it continues to have on the arts community.”
With this year’s milestone celebration, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a full lineup of exciting events, workshops, and performances that will inspire and engage attendees of all ages.
The festival’s milestone is not just a reflection of its past success but a celebration of the continued vibrancy of Sudbury’s arts scene.
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