What Does a Philosopher Look Like?

A J Ayer, London, 5 October 1988 © Steve Pyke

From issue 55 of The Philosopher’s Magazine, Cynthia Freeland wrote an essay on Steve's Philosophers series. The essay can be seen on the Talking Philosophy blog and raises interesting questions of the portraits Steve has been making since the late 80's.

Noam Chomsky, Boston, 29 May 1990 © Steve Pyke

Head over to the blog post itself to read all the comments from contributors and add your own opinions.

Rebecca Kukla commented:

"Perhaps it’s because I’ve spent my whole life among philosophers but I find these shots deeply ‘appetizing’ for the most part. These are character-filled, thoughtful, real faces, and most of the pictures make me want to talk to that person"

Moonbug Screening Invite

Invite to the screening of 'Moonbug', taking place:

Tuesday November 22nd

6.00pm

BAFTA Princess Anne Theatre

195 Piccadilly,

London,

W1J 9LN

Followed by a Q+A with director Nichola Bruce, photographer Steve Pyke and Composer Matt Johnson, chaired by Sean O'Hagan.

If you would like to attend, RSVP to: ceo@screensouth.org

Steve to chair World Press Photo Portrait Category

World Press Photo is proud to announce the jury chairs for the specialised categories in the 2012 Photo Contest: Steve Pyke (Portraits), Joel Sartore (Nature) and Koji Aoki (Sports). David Friend will chair the overall final jury, as well as the first round of the News and Documentary category.

Following the Photo Contest in February, the second Multimedia Contest will be judged in March, and will be open for entries by participants themselves.

©STEVE PYKE Philosophers Composition

2012 Photo Contest

As in previous years, the first rounds in three themed categories will be judged by specialists. Photographer and artist Steve Pyke, UK, is chairing the portrait category and Joel Sartore, USA, contributing photographer of National Geographic magazine, takes on the role of chair of the Nature category. The chair of the Sports category is Koji Aoki, Japan, chief photographer Aflo Sport / Aflo Dite and president Aflo Co., Ltd. As announced before, the news and documentary jury, as well as the final rounds of the judging, will be chaired by David Friend, Vanity Fair's editor of creative development.

The complete list of judges will be published at the beginning of December. Judging takes place at the World Press Photo office in Amsterdam from 28 January until 9 February 2012. More details about the judging are available on www.worldpressphoto.org/2012-photo-contest.

The 2012 Photo Contest will be open for participants to enter their work online from 1 December. The deadline for submissions is 12 January 2012. The results of the contest will be announced on 10 February in a press conference at the Amsterdam City Hall and on the foundation’s website.

Talk: Steve Pyke and Nichola Bruce Q+A after 'Moonbug' film screening

24 November 2011

Sallis Benney Theatre, Brighton

A screening of the film MOONBUG followed by Q&A with director Nichola Bruce and photographer Steve Pyke.

A CINECITY talk in association with Photoworks

“What was it actually like to walk on the moon?” asks British photographer Steve Pyke. Winner of the Special Jury Award when it premiered at Houston International Film Festival earlier this year, MOONBUG explores the experiences of the science-fiction dream come true with the astronauts who made the bold step.

When photographer Steve Pyke went to meet and photograph the original team of the Apollo Space expedition, fellow Brit, Nichola Bruce went to film them. With archive footage of the Nasa moon landing and an original score from Matt Johnson (The The), Pyke shares intimate moments with his subjects and their frank accounts of the risk-taking, monumental journey.

An evolution of their collaborative touring exhibition ‘Man on the Moon’, MOONBUG is as much an exploration of memory and perception, and the documentation of time as it is space. The engaging, articulate astronauts offer philosophical insights into the motivations behind their participation and the bigger picture: how we understand and perceive the universe, where we fit in among these ‘signposts of history’, and the vulnerability of our lonely planet.

Sallis Benney Theatre, Brighton

8.00pm Thursday 24 November 2011

£6 / £5

Tickets available in advance from this website, or on the evening of the event at the Sallis Benney Theatre.

For more information visit the CINECITY website

Los Muertos Reviews and Features

A selection of features and reviews of Steve's 'Los Muertos' series:

aCurator

- Full screen magazine feature here

Hungry Eye Magazine

'Steve Pyke discusses his approach to still life images'

"It felt like a church in there, but with a frozen congregation, I felt a hushed reverence to these figures. Im sure they would have been recognisable if I had been able to see photographs of what they looked like when alive but when these people died photography was only just being invented."

Conscientious Extended

Joerg Colberg talks to Steve about the series

"I had photographed relics and mummified bodies in Spain, Italy and Portugal over the years. There is always something that fascinates me about the human form. In death it is particularly interesting."

©STEVE PYKE

Los Muertos on Conscientious and aCurator

Ahead of the 'Los Muertos' showing at Artjail this Thursday, here are two great articles on the series from:

Conscientious: Steve Pyke in Conversation with Joerg Colberg on the 'Los Muertos' series

aCurator: Full magazine photo feature

The opening show invite is also shown below for those in NY who would like to attend.

‘Los Muertos’ Steve Pyke
ARTJAIL 50 Eldridge Street,
6th Floor NYC, NY 10002
Septemeber 23rd – October 26th 2011
www.artjail.com

Los Muertos at Artjail NYC September 23rd - October 26th

Steve's series of still life portraits from the mummies of Guanajuato in Mexico entitled 'Los Muertos' will be on show in New York at Artjail from the 23rd September to the 26th October.

You can read a conversation between Joerg Colberg and Steve on the series here

‘Los Muertos’ Steve Pyke
ARTJAIL 50 Eldridge Street,
6th Floor NYC, NY 10002
Septemeber 23rd – October 26th 2011
www.artjail.com