Mar

Antoine Rose Catches the Bird’s-Eye View of Miami

by Sheron Long on March 27, 2014

"Insectarium," image of bathers, beach chairs, and umbrellas above Miami Beach, from a creative photography series taken by Antoine Rose, whose creative process relies on the bird's-eye view (Image © Antoine Rose)

Insectarium
© Antoine Rose

Creative Photography from Up in the Air

Strapped outside a vibrating helicopter hovering 300 feet over terra firma, Antoine Rose views his playground below. Unlike other photographers who focus and click, Rose engages in a more difficult creative process:

“I have to mix all sorts of tasks in nearly real time: guiding the pilot; having the right lens; being sure that the camera settings are set up properly; concentrating on the light, the subject, the framing; discussing with the tower control to get clearance.”

Somehow he syncs it up, and the result is a new perspective in creative photography for his Up in the Air Miami series on display from February 27–May 3, 2014, at the Emmanuel Fremin Gallery in New York.

Antoine Rose tethered to a helicopter while shooting bird's-eye view photographs for his creative photography series "Up in the Air." (Image © Simon Cramar)

Antoine Rose shooting completely vertical aerial photographs
from a helicopter above Saint-Moritz
© Simon Cramar

It Started with a Love of the Sea

That love took Rose, born in Belgium, around the world as the official photographer of the Kiteboarding World Cup (2002–2005). Always looking for new vantage points, he developed an aerial “onboard” camera system that was attached to the lines of the kite and remote-controlled from the beach.

The photographs that resulted were an inspiration for more aerial work. At the 2002 World Cup in Rio, Rose boarded a doorless helicopter and took his first aerial photographs of the Copacabana beaches. An “Oh, I see” moment, this experience was, in his words, “the start of a journey.”

Like many artists, Rose’s creative process evolved across years:

“It took me 12 years to fine-tune the process. Anyone can rent a chopper and take some great photography, but I wanted to take fully vertical shots that are difficult from an unstable helicopter. The landing skids are always in the frame!”

"Turquoise," image of beach chairs and umbrellas on Miami Beach, from a creative photography series taken by Antoine Rose, whose creative process relies on the bird's-eye view (Image © Antoine Rose)

Turquoise
© Antoine Rose

Dedicated to a Different Perspective

The appeal of Rose’s vertical photographs derives from their bird’s-eye view and the technique of a fearless photographer. Surely, as Rose says, “to be strapped outside a helicopter is not for the faint of heart,” but it is what gives his work such an eye-catching perspective.

The completely vertical view excludes the sky, imposing only two fields on his compositions—the ocean and the beach. In “Turquoise” (above) the two fields are in contrast: the irregular field of the ocean swirls while the umbrellas and sunbeds seem purposely placed on the beach field, cueing a sense of calm.

Other works use only one field—in “Red District” and “Orchestra,” the beach is the backdrop for geometry at play.

"Red District," image of red umbrellas and beach chairs on Miami Beach, from a creative photography series taken by Antoine Rose, whose creative process relies on the bird's-eye view (Image © Antoine Rose)

Red District
© Antoine Rose

"Orchestra," image of blue and yellow umbrellas on Miami Beach, from a creative photography series taken by Antoine Rose, whose creative process relies on the bird's-eye view (Image © Antoine Rose)

Orchestra
© Antoine Rose

The appeal of these photographs comes from both the geometric arrangements and the transformation of real-life objects into miniatures. The photographs then become more like abstract paintings that can be rotated and displayed in four different ways, according to the viewer’s preference.

Making It Happen in Miami

Miami is the fourth setting in Rose’s Up in the Air series. After three series set in the New York area, Rose wanted to try something different, more geometric to reflect his attraction to abstraction and minimalism. The hotels and private beaches along the Miami shore offered the visual interest.

Rose does not stage his shots. Instead, he wants to keep the spontaneity intact as he comes across views from above. He liked the pink monochrome look when he saw this view of Miami Beach, so appealing to the senses that he named the resulting photograph “Beach Candies.”

"Beach Candies," image of pink umbrellas on Miami Beach, from a creative photography series taken by Antoine Rose, whose creative process relies on the bird's-eye view (Image © Antoine Rose)

Beach Candies
© Antoine Rose

As with most creative endeavors, the Miami project took persistence. He scheduled his first shoot for July 4, 2013, to have as many people as possible on the beach. But the capricious weather did not cooperate, handing him less-than-optimal conditions. He returned, crossing the Atlantic twice in 24 hours, and still no pictures. Finally, he got a good day when conditions were great. . . . and so were the photographs.

His compositions are oversized panoramas, some up to 10 feet wide. Both the size and perspective contribute to a statement about the place of people, seen as insignificant dots, in the infinite space of the universe.

"Miami Shore," image of bathers at Miami Beach, from a creative photography series taken by Antoine Rose, whose creative process relies on the bird's-eye view (Image © Antoine Rose)

Miami Shore
© Antoine Rose

Ready for the Next Challenge

Last month, Rose began a new and very difficult shooting over New York City—4200 feet at night. It was –20 degrees Celsius outside, and two of his fingers froze. But flying in the dark over the city that never sleeps was magical:

“I’ve spent so many days walking around the endless streets as a tourist in New York. But seeing it at such heights (the altitude of airplanes in their final approach), you get an understanding of how tiny we are!”

The love Rose has for his work comes through. Not only is it rewarding to him when a happy collector hangs one of his pieces on a wall, bringing color and joy to an interior, but he also loves this about his work:

“The creative process and the challenge to accomplish something that seems impossible. . . . I have some projects in mind that are not possible to realize due to budget issues or regulations. I just love to try and remove all those barriers and make it happen, even if it’s a ten-year journey!”

The night photography journey began during his shoots for the Miami series. In the creative mind, new works often stand on the shoulders of prior works— Rose’s next series of creative photography may well offer nighttime landscapes and surely with the bird’s-eye view.

His creativity, like the chopper from which he shoots, is one thing that never stands still.

"Pinball," nighttime aerial image of Miami, from a creative photography series taken by Antoine Rose, whose creative process relies on the bird's-eye view (Image © Antoine Rose)

Pinball
nighttime view of Miami © Antoine Rose

Keep up-to-date on the latest work by Antoine Rose on Facebook. See all Up in the Air photos here. “Red Carpet” from Up in the Air The Hamptons was recently acquired by the Museum of Arts and Design in NY.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Sheron Long Comments

The World's Photography/USA

Mar

The Odyssey of an Obelisk: Luxor to Place de la Concorde

by Meredith Mullins on March 20, 2014

Luxor obelisk at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, a story that makes you see things differently when you know how hard it was to get it to Paris. (Image © Vitaly Edush/iStock)

The Luxor obelisk at Place de la Concorde
© Vitaly Edush/iStock

Curiosity Inspires Us to See Things Differently in Paris

You can’t miss it. The Luxor obelisk rises 75 feet from the center of the Place de la Concorde in Paris, taller than anything in the neighborhood.

I have passed this gold-tipped monolith a thousand times, on its little island in the middle of frenzied Paris traffic.

I noted it as one of those odd Paris monuments—a bit discordant with its surroundings, but somehow fitting in—like the Louvre Pyramid; the too colorful, externally piped Pompidou Center; and the mother of them all, the Eiffel Tower.

Luxor Obelisk at sunset at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, inspiration to see things differently when you look closely. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

The obelisk is a monument that’s often seen, but not too many people know about its challenging journey to Paris.
© Meredith Mullins

A Closer Look at the Luxor Obelisk

Though I formed fleeting impressions of the obelisk, I never really stopped or studied. I thought it was a replica, perhaps a tribute to cross-cultural relations or a reminder of Napoleon’s early conquests in Egypt.

What I didn’t know is that the obelisk is the real deal—more than 3,000 years old—one of the original entry pylons from Egypt’s Temple of Luxor.

Oh, I see: You can pass something everyday and not know much about its character until you really look. Curiosity often rewards us with incredible tales of adventure.

So . . . just how did a 250-ton piece of granite make its way to Paris using the tools available in the early 19th century?

The voyage was, by all accounts, impossible. The challenges were insurmountable. And yet, thanks to a few courageous and persistent people, the obelisk stands tall in its Paris home.

A Job for the French Navy

In 1830, Egypt gave the gift of two obelisks as a thank you to France for help in modernizing the country. The offer of such an antiquity was an honor. Then, reality set in.

No one believed that it was possible to lower the granite monolith from its long-time position at Luxor, transport it from one continent to another, and raise it upright again in Paris without breaking it.

The Temple of Luxor, with an entry obelisk, the beginning of the journey of the Luxor obelisk to Place de la Concorde in Paris and a way to see differently. (Photo © Medioimages/Photodisc)

The eastern obelisk at the Luxor Temple in Egypt
© Medioimages/Photodics

The French Navy came to the rescue. Naval engineer Apollinaire Lebas, and his team sailed to Egypt in the Luxor, arriving in 1831. They then proceeded to restructure the ship to accommodate the tall and heavy “needle” and to build a sled and wooden path to drag the obelisk to the ship, all with the help of Egyptian workers.

When all was ready, they carefully lowered the obelisk to the ground, with a complex system of ropes, wood support, and sheer manual strength; but at the last moment, the timbers snapped, and it fell to the ground—thankfully still in one piece.

By the time they finally loaded the obelisk onto the ship, the waters of the Nile were too low to travel. The crew waited six months for the river to rise, and passed the time by exploring archaeological sites and tombs and collecting artifacts for museums and their “personal collections.”

The Luxor finally set sail, but by the time the ship reached the mouth of the Nile, the water was too low to proceed over the final sandbar.

Another wait, a cholera epidemic, the long sail through the Mediterranean, several ports of refuge in the Atlantic, the final trip down the Seine . . . and the difficult journey was complete.

Hieroglyphics on the Luxor obelisk at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, a story that helps us see things differently (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

The hieroglyphics on the Luxor obelisk tell stories of the pharaohs’ exploits and pay tribute to the gods.
© Meredith Mullins

The Talk of the Town

Things in the capital were not quiet while waiting for the ship. King Louis-Philippe and the usual interested parties—urban planners, city officials, Egyptologists, writers, and poets—were busy debating where to place the obelisk.

Model monoliths were constructed out of wood and cardboard and placed in the two most likely spots (Place de la Concorde and Invalides). Parisians had time to let the view sink in.

In reality, Louis-Philippe had already decided on Place de la Concorde. He wanted that square to be known for the new obelisk, not for the guillotine that put so many to death in that spot during the Revolution.

Gold images at the base of the Luxor obelisk at Place de la Concorde in Paris, part of the story to see things differently about the obelisk journey. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

A history of the Place de la Concorde installation in 1836,
engraved in gold at the base of the obelisk
© Meredith Mullins

The Day of Reckoning

The obelisk was finally ready for its grand debut in October, 1836. A crowd of 200,000 gathered to witness the historic (and dangerous) event.

Apollinaire Lebas was there, directing the operation. In true navy-captain fashion, he stood directly under the obelisk as it was raised, ready to “go down with the ship” should anything go awry.

After a few tense course corrections, broken bolts, and strained ropes, the obelisk was finally straightened and stabilized. The king gave the signal; and the crowd, after three hours of suspenseful silence, erupted in applause.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Egyptian obelisks were a more common gift (or object of pillage) than one might imagine. Today, ancient obelisks reside in France, England, Turkey, Italy, and the United States, perhaps a result of the old adage “If you can get it to your country, it’s yours.”

Obelisk in Central Park in New York, one of several gifted to foreign countries, part of the story to make us see differently about the tales of the obelisks. (Photo © bwzenith/iStock)

Paris isn’t the only city with an obelisk. Egypt gifted the U.S. also (Central Park/New York).
© bwzenith/iStock

For France, one obelisk was enough. After the seven-year ordeal for the first obelisk, no French officials were anxious to undertake those challenges again. In 1981, President Mitterrand officially “returned” the second obelisk, diplomatically suggesting it stay in its country of origin.

The top of the obelisk at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, part of the story that makes us see things differently. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

In 1998, the obelisk received a new “crown” of gilt bronze,
identical to the original one in its early life in Egypt.
© Meredith Mullins

Wisdom of the Ages

Is there a moral to the obelisk tale of adventure? Yes. Persistence. Patience. Problem solving prowess. All good virtues.

For me, inspired to see things differently, two other messages leap out.

Backstories are fascinating. I am making a vow to “stop and study” more often.

On the subject of gifts: If someone offers a 75-foot, 250-ton piece of carved antiquity, it may be best to politely negotiate for something more manageable.

Obelisk at the Piazza del Popolo in Rome, one of the obelisks outside the Place de la Concorde in Paris, a way to see differently about the distribution of obelisks. (Photo © Danieloncarevic/iStock)

Rome, too, has several obelisks. It’s surprising any are left in Egypt.
© Danieloncarevic/iStock

“The Voyage of the Obelisk” at the Musée national de la Marine is on exhibit until July 6, 2014. To learn more about Place de la Concorde and see other Paris monuments, visit Paris Info.

Comment on this post below.

Meredith Mullins 4 Comments

Egypt/France (Paris)/The World's Art & Design

Mar

Brought Into the Fold of Robert Lang’s Origami

by Janine Boylan on March 17, 2014

Peace Flight origami sculpture, showing the creative process of Robert Lang (Image © Robert Lang)

Peace Flight
Robert J. Lang and Kevin Box
Folded 2013; Composed 2013
cast stainless steel on stone; approx. 3′ x 2′ x 4′ on stone
© Robert Lang

A Creative Process Governed by Math

Dr. Robert Lang can make paper cranes. But his origami cranes not only have feathered wings and three toes on each foot, they soar with life.

Origami artist Robert Lang engaged in his creative process. (Image © Robert Lang)

In 2001, this physicist/engineer left his successful science career to write a book about how to make your own designs for origami, the traditional Japanese art of folding paper.

Why the career change?

This obviously brilliant man, who has 50 patents awarded and pending on semiconductor lasers, optics, and integrated optoelectronics, had an “Oh, I see” moment:

There were plenty of other really good engineers and managers that could do whatever I could do as an engineer, but I felt like there were few people who could write this book.

So he took a risk, left his job, and decided to see where it would take him.

Millions of folds later, he has found that origami continues to take him beyond what he could have imagined.

Koi, opus 425, origami sculpture, showing the creative process of Robert Lang (© Robert Lang)

Lang’s work has appeared worldwide in both ads and art shows.

He works in the more traditional smaller origami size as well as life-size. He even works in currency. While much of his work is made from some sort of paper, he has collaborated with sculptor Kevin Box to render a number of his pieces in metal.

Dollar Camera, origami sculpture showing the creative process of Robert Lang. (Image © Robert Lang)

The Math

When he switched careers, Lang admits at first he was worried that giving up engineering would mean giving up the mathematical work he loved so much. But, he says:

The math of origami is as interesting as engineering ever had been. The itch [to work with math] gets scratched as much by origami as it ever did by physics.

To make an origami figure, Lang goes through four steps:

He starts with the subject.
Then, he draws a tree figure (like a stick figure) of the basic shape.
Next, he creates a folded-paper base with flaps for the appendages.
Finally, he forms the specific shape into the model.

Diagram of the four-step creative process of origami design. (Image © Robert Lang)

The tree figure and the final shape are the easy parts. Creating the base is the hard part. That’s where math comes in.

The math of origami is about shapes and relationships and forms, not necessarily arithmetic. The folding pattern to create a flap (or leg or antennae) is based on a circle pattern. The smaller the flap, the smaller the circle (a quarter circle is the smallest amount of paper you need to make a flap).

If you know how to “pack” these circles, which represent the body parts, and fill the remaining paper with a mathematical crease pattern, you have an origami pattern—and have solved another math challenge.

Stag Beetle BP, opus 477, origami showing the creative process of Robert Lang. (Image © Robert Lang)

Solving Puzzles

A passionate scientist, Lang sees every origami design as a puzzle to be solved, especially the ones he does for artistic purposes.

His deep plunge into understanding the math behind his work has helped him create figures one could never imagine would evolve from a single flat piece of paper. Lang explains:

What is possible in origami is defined by the mathematical properties of a folded sheet of paper; if you understand the math, you can use it to create a lot of forms that you probably wouldn’t have discovered just by intuition.

Sure, there are some challenging projects Lang has begun that are not done yet. And that’s how he sees it—they aren’t failures; they are just not done yet. He feels that nothing is impossible since he is always learning new techniques and approaches.

Siam origami sculpture, showing the creative process of Robert Lang (Image © Robert Lang)

Siam
by Robert J. Lang and Kevin Box
Folded: 2012; Composed: 2002
cast bronze, silver nitrate patina; 10″ x 8″ x 6″
Selby Fleetwood Gallery
© Robert Lang

What’s the Point?

Origami is wondrous, but it’s also useful. Lang explains:

Problems that you solve to create something beautiful turn out to have an application in the real world.

Scientists needed to get a football-field-sized lens into space, but it had to be carried on a spacecraft. What inspired their design? Origami.

Doctors had the idea of placing a stent in a human artery, but it had to be tiny to get to its destination. What inspired their design? Origami.

Squaring the Circle origami by Robert Lang, showing creative expression. (Image © Robert Lang)

Squaring the Circle, opus 596
Folded: 2009; Composed: 2006
One uncut irregular sheet of Japanese paper; 12″
© Robert Lang

Engineers wanted to put inflatable, expanding air bags in cars for emergencies. What inspired their design? You get the idea. . .

Sharing the Lessons

Lang seems to be as passionate about teaching origami technique as he is about creating the designs. A natural teacher, Lang makes the math behind folding circle patterns to create flaps simple and logical, as illustrated in this TEDtalk.

Why the interest in teaching? His response is a perfect reflection of his precise art: there is a satisfaction in delivering a well-crafted presentation.

But he also reflects,

Maybe it’s because when I discover something, the ah-ha moment is really fun—that moment when you’ve discovered something new is a rush. When I see it in someone else’s face, I am vicariously experiencing it by seeing it in them.

Oh, I see, Dr. Lang. And we at OIC couldn’t agree more!

Robert Lang provides folding patterns for a number of his pieces on his site. Get additional guidance from Origami Instructions and find free download patterns from Origami USA.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Janine Boylan Comments

Innovations/The World's Art & Design

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