Kevin Cummins: Arca. (Joy Division exhibition) — Forum Archive

9 Feb 2006, 01:47

Few of us went along to the launch last night, HERE

Myself, Greg & Ness and Wolfram (first night out since the birth of his twin girls!). Plus Iain & Bunny, Iain surely the only man alive to sport both Vikings and 3rd Battalion regalia at the same time!!

Good night all in all. I think there was 11 different photos, as opposed to the 9 you see on the website. Had seen them all before, bar one, which was actually the most striking and one which didn't even include the band. It's a view taken looking up a snowbound Mancunian Way (is that the right road?) mid-shoot. Imagine Cummins turning left after THIS SHOT then hopefully you'll understand what I'm getting at.

Surreal moment of the evening was us stood about 2ft away from Messrs Cummins and Morley as they were photographed holding up a studded belt which read LOVE WILL TEAR US APART. Only other 'celeb' of note in attendance was VERONICA from "Shameless" who looked a lot better in the flesh than she does on TV.

Cheers to Paul Stolper (and Iain!) for getting us into the 'aftershow' drinks too. Free beer! Only downer was Johnny G turning up late then getting weighed in for a hefty round just as the freebies ran out! Some guys have all the luck.

9 Feb 2006, 02:02

Whoops. Forgot to add, posters alone for this event are 15 notes each.

Think the prints themselves are 750 big ones. And there's also an additional blown-up shot of the Mancunian Way, which I should imagine weighs in for a lot more again.

9 Feb 2006, 02:04

I know I'm a whingeing cnut... but what's the point of this exhibition...? These photos have been around for ages haven't they...?

If it was a collection of new unseen photos i'd be more excited...

9 Feb 2006, 02:24

Craig's cloud cuckoo land wrote: I know I'm a whingeing cnut... but what's the point of this exhibition...? These photos have been around for ages haven't they...?

If it was a collection of new unseen photos i'd be more excited...

Without wishing to sound negative, the point of the exhibition is to surely, well, sell the pics and make some cash?! It's not like they're purely being shown for public viewing with no end result.

Best pic of the lot is the unseen shot though. Certainly unseen by any of us there last night. But then it doesn't even feature the band. It is easily the most striking however.

Ness did comment last night that she could see things in the pic that you've never really noticed before in reprints, because they're blown up to a bigger scale now: the plastic bag taped to the ceiling in the rehearsal room, and a grill which had come away from a window. Small details like that.

I believe the Observer are doing a piece, perhaps this coming Sunday?! (It was in the Independent last weekend).

9 Feb 2006, 02:30

Al Jarvis wrote:

Craig's cloud cuckoo land wrote: I know I'm a whingeing cnut... but what's the point of this exhibition...? These photos have been around for ages haven't they...?

If it was a collection of new unseen photos i'd be more excited...

Without wishing to sound negative, the point of the exhibition is to surely, well, sell the pics and make some cash?! It's not like they're purely being shown for public viewing with no end result.

Best pic of the lot is the unseen shot though. Certainly unseen by any of us there last night. But then it doesn't even feature the band. It is easily the most striking however.

Ness did comment last night that she could see things in the pic that you've never really noticed before in reprints, because they're blown up to a bigger scale now: the plastic bag taped to the ceiling in the rehearsal room, and a grill which had come away from a window. Small details like that.

I believe the Observer are doing a piece, perhaps this coming Sunday?! (It was in the Independent last weekend).

if its in the independant, then there's a good chance it'll be in our Canberra Times. they seem to run all the independant features.

9 Feb 2006, 02:36

So did you or did you not shout "Show us yer tits V"

9 Feb 2006, 06:28

I doubt that it would be the Mancunian Way. I cant recall any footbridges over the Mancunian Way other than one which was built a few years ago. More likely to be Princess Road in Hulme.

9 Feb 2006, 06:36

a very small boy wrote: I doubt that it would be the Mancunian Way. I cant recall any footbridges over the Mancunian Way other than one which was built a few years ago. More likely to be Princess Road in Hulme.

The bridge where they were photographed is going over somewhere into Hulme itself, isn't it?! I only said Mancunian Way cos Ness said it was the road where John Simm had his crash at the start of "Life on Mars" and then the papers this morning said that was the Mancunian Way (in an article on "Life on Mars").

It's a huge 4-lane (maybe more) viaduct traversed by lots of pededstrian bridges.

9 Feb 2006, 06:50

My guess would be where Hulme Walk crosses over Princess Road although whether the bridge is still there I'm not so sure. Its possibly where the Hulme Arch is now. I should go and take a shot of it but in Hulme you're more likely to get shot yourself.

9 Feb 2006, 06:55

a very small boy wrote: My guess would be where Hulme Walk crosses over Princess Road although whether the bridge is still there I'm not so sure. Its possibly where the Hulme Arch is now. I should go and take a shot of it but in Hulme you're more likely to get shot yourself.

You'd have to see the photo from the exhibition. I thought it was the best one there, but it doesn't feature on the website.

9 Feb 2006, 07:08

I'd like to but travelling from Manchester to London to look at a photograph of a dual carriageway in Hulme is akin to Kevo of the Third travelling in the opposite direction on a Tuesday night for the Ian Curtis tribute night to watch a couple of Joy Division videos on an outdoor giant screen in the rain that he'd seen before!

9 Feb 2006, 07:21

Yeah, that photo from the bridge is pretty striking - you can find it here: http://www.paulstolper.com/cummins.php?1

Credit to Cummins, though he did get a bit of a slagging on the JD site about charging 800 beans for a print. Still, in retrospect I suppose these photographers have to make money somehow, and your man Kevin knows there's a market for it, so why not exploit it. Still feels a bit like JD mythologising though, which those around the band at the time (which would include Cummins) have always tried to avoid...

Don't suppose anyone has a scan of the Independent piece?

9 Feb 2006, 07:33

I think I've guessed right. Princess Road looking south away from the Mancunian Way.

9 Feb 2006, 08:10

a very small boy wrote: I think I've guessed right. Princess Road looking south away from the Mancunian Way.

Yes you are right with that

9 Feb 2006, 08:17

Atrocity Exhibit wrote: Yeah, that photo from the bridge is pretty striking - you can find it here: http://www.paulstolper.com/cummins.php?1

Strange. Why's that piccie not included in the 9 displayed on the home URL?!

There's two versions of it - bog standard, and a really blown up which looked a little too 'pixelated'.

Striking shot though.

Just shows you how miserable the Norf is.

(It was taken in July as well! ;) )

9 Feb 2006, 08:17

9 Feb 2006, 08:19

Indeed, confirmed by the man himself here:

http://www.cerysmaticfactory.info/

Another mecca for the JD-fiends, along with that tube station in Islington (can't remember which one, being a Norverner - Barney mentions it on the Anton Corbijn DVD, before asking "Is that where the disaster was?" and then adding "Shame" when Steve responded in the negative. Priceless.)

9 Feb 2006, 08:20

Atrocity Exhibit wrote: Indeed, confirmed by the man himself here:

http://www.cerysmaticfactory.info/

Another mecca for the JD-fiends.

That John fella was there last night. Think he had a camcorder on him taking footage.

9 Feb 2006, 08:24

that photo used to be in a JD book I had. cant remember it's name. Quite a few from that photoshoot were in it.

9 Feb 2006, 08:30

(It was taken in July as well! )

January more like! In July there'd only be mild drizzle...

Unsurprising that Curtis Jr. was there last night - she's meant to be a photographer herself, no?

Still waiting for that JD photo book from Cummins - in fairness to the fella, he seems to be waiting for the right publisher to come along who's going to do a decent job of it, rather than a quick cash-in to tie in with the film. Apparently "there's no demand for JD" - what a farce. Sure the tune will change when the fillum comes out and Bono et al start harping on about their "bleak majesty" and all that.

9 Feb 2006, 08:54

Atrocity Exhibit wrote: Unsurprising that Curtis Jr. was there last night - she's meant to be a photographer herself, no?

Curtis junior?! Was she there too?!

9 Feb 2006, 09:33

Blimey. Just read she was indeed there.

I think I've just worked out who she is. There was another bird there I kept saying I recognised. And me and Greg thought she was an actress. Then I said I thought she had an Oirish accent, but heard her speak, and she wasn't. Couldn't place her at all, and now I think I've got it. She had her hair tied back though, and is absolutely tiny!

If that was her, of course.

EDIT. Yep, was defo her. Blimey, she's tiny. Not what I expected at all!