For Immediate Release

Albuquerque, NM - Local artist and photographer Nick Tauro Jr. is set to showcase his latest collection of images at Chatter, a vibrant cultural hub in the heart of Albuquerque. The exhibition, titled "Cinema De Mes Reves," (Cinema of My Dreams) will open to the public on Friday May 5, 2023 and run through the end of June 2023.

Regarding the "Cinema De Mes Reves” work Tauro said: “This series is a tribute to my love of cinema, especially the work of the French New Wave, as exemplified by François Truffaut, Agnes Varda and Jean-Luc Godard. Using found film footage as a launching point for my artwork, I re-photograph, manipulate and collage everything from the opening film leaders to the end titles. It makes for a fertile visual playground that bridges the gap between still photography and moving images.”

The opening reception for "Cinema De Mes Reves” will take place at the Chatter Performance and Art Space on May 5th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the artist at this time. Following the reception, Chatter will present a concert as part of their monthly series Late Works, starting at 9pm.

Chatter, located at 912 3rd Street NW in Albuquerque, is a unique space that combines live chamber music, art, and poetry to create a dynamic cultural experience. The venue hosts performances every weekend of the year, as well as special First Friday concerts with the “Late Works” series.

"Cinema De Mes Reves” promises to be a captivating and thought-provoking exhibition that will inspire visitors to consider their own relationship with the arts of cinema and photography.

For more information on the exhibition and opening reception, please visit the website www.nicktaurojr.com. More information about Chatter and tickets to the Late Works show are available at www.chatterabq.org

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The Allure of the Film Aesthetic

For as long as I have loved photography, there has always been something extra special about film. Not just the process of shooting film, instead, something more elemental. Very simply, I like the “look” of film. I like the frame borders, the sprocket holes, the type and numbers along the edges, the grain, the eventual scratches and fingerprints. The film aesthetic is something I play with in my work. I like to exaggerate the unique characteristics of film, especially pushing grain and contrast beyond the limits of acceptability. As I’ve ventured further away from straight photography, it is the intrinsic visual look of film that keeps me grounded in the medium. I have recently been exposing film in a motion picture camera, then utilizing the multiple frames as an opportunity to tell a different kind of story; short narratives through a sequence of images. I really enjoy making the choice of which frames to highlight from a longer strip of film. This attraction has now led to me sourcing 16mm film reels from Ebay. One reel was in pretty bad shape when it arrived this week. Warped, scratched and moldy; yet intact enough to allow me to play freely with the footage. So much to discover and ponder on this film. The anonymous, family home movie reel shows various locations; most likely highlights of a family vacation. The frames feature men and women in dress that looks like it is from the 1930s or 1940s. I wonder, who are these people? They are surely dead by now. How did this random reel of film travel from its original owner, through years of storage and neglect, to wind up for sale online in 2023, and somehow appearing in front of me under such randomly stumbled upon circumstances? I guess my attraction to the film aesthetic has created yet another divergent path for me to wander down. What discoveries await?

2022: 34 Two Titans

FILM. French film. New wave. Firebrands. “Photography is truth. Cinema is truth 24 time a second.” Don’t give a fuck about the critics. Break new ground. “Yes”, never no. “No” if it isn’t a solid yes. We lost two titans this past week. William Klein and Jean-Luc Godard have both influence me immensely. Perhaps it’s fitting they both left this mortal coil within days of each other. Taking some time to pay tribute to these two masters. Au revoir.

2021: 48 Saul Leiter

I watched “In No Great Hurry: 13 Lessons in Life With Saul Leiter,” by the British filmmaker Tomas Leach this week. It is a wonderful film, at times amusing and at times very sad. The idea that a master photographer can live a quiet life in New York City should be comforting, I suppose. But I also was struck by seeing an aging, lonely Leiter sifting through the detritus of his life, and my heart hurt when I realized that here was a great artist, living…not so much in obscurity, but in anonymity. Saul Leiter, who died in 2013, brought color to a genre that was deeply entrenched in monochrome in the 1950s. His eye gravitated towards subtle abstraction, which I find curious, considering the chaos and complexity of the “real world” on display in the streets of New York. Maybe the fact that Leiter was also a painter has something to do with this.

Those of us deeply immersed in the world of photography probably hold our “heroes” in high regard, and we expect them to perhaps live a life that we might envy. Yet watching Leiter sitting alone, surrounded by his life work, stacked in old film boxes and gathering dust, it made me wonder what becomes of the even less recognized artists out there. What becomes of all the work they (and I) create through their lives? Maybe never destined for a book or a museum show, but instead sitting in piles in an office or studio. What treasures will go undiscovered, or under appreciated?

2021: 42 Obrigado, Sebastião Salgado

One of the pleasures of having a quiet night at home is stumbling upon a surprising film on your streaming platform of choice. I happen to be a A%*+#n Prime member, so after perusing their offerings, I found a wonderful documentary about the photographer Sebastião Salgado. I’ve seen his work many times over the years, and have always been impressed by his artistry and his compassionate eye.

This particular film, called “Meeting Sebastião Salgado” was remarkable, not only because of the breadth and quality of the work show, but also the display of love and compassion Salgado has for his family. It is logical to see that this love extends outward towards the subject matter of his photographs as well.

There was one segment of the film that stood out the most to me, however. Salgado discusses his process for approaching a project, which often takes many years and many trips around the world to complete. But I was taken and inspired to see how the photographer uses contact sheets, test prints and enlargements all throughout his editing process. Even though he has transitioned from film to digital, he still has his assistants create “digital” contact sheets of every image he shoots. He still reviews them with a loupe and a red china marker. He has file cabinets filled with impeccably organized test prints and negatives, as well. It was a fascinating peek behind the curtain of a great artist, to say the least.

See the film here: Meeting Sebastião Salgado

a gift for the solstice

The year has been a challenge, and as we enter into winter, we will most certainly see more darkness. But without this season of darkness, we don’t fully understand or appreciate the light. As a celebration of the change in season, I would like to share a video I recently created. It was made in collaboration with my wife, flutist Jesse Tatum, and Chatter, the amazing chamber music ensemble based here in Albuquerque, NM. The piece is titled “Air” by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. In a year when the fight for one’s own breath, the conduit for our entire existence, has been threatened in myriad ways, this piece might serve as a reminder of our humanity, and our capacity for peace. “While I breathe, I hope.”

Chatter is a valuable part of the cultural fabric of our city and state. If you have the means, it would be a great organization to support, especially in this trying year. To donate, please visit their website.

2020: 16 (Me and My Shadow)

Staying home and staying safe are the rules of the day. That being the case, I still need to be outside, in the ever-warming New Mexico spring. I’ve been getting exercise by running three times a week… right at dawn, before anyone is out on the streets (save for a few dog walkers.) On one of my off days from running, I still got out as the sun was rising, for a pre-breakfast walk through the neighborhood. I decided to run a roll of film into my old K1000, popped on my headphones, and zoned out into the morning light.

I was listening to a tranquil, ambient album by Japanese musician Hiroshi Yoshimura called “Music For Nine Postcards.” It pushed me into a deep meditative state as I strolled. The light was bright, casting sharp shadows. I was alone with myself. I created a series of self-portraits, as my shadow was cast against the trees, sidewalks, streets and buildings in my hood. Everything became slower, my vision more clear as I walked. It was a perfect balm for the pangs of anxiety, boredom and ennui I have been basking in lately.

Grab your headphones, listen to the album and browse the gallery below to take a morning walk with me.

2020: 5 (36 Exposures)

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I have been sick this week. Sicker than I have been in a long time. I got my annual flu shot, but it didn’t protect me from whatever ‘crud” I’ve been battling for the past 10 days. It really hit me hard this week. I missed two improv rehearsals, and three and a half days of work. And it is not done yet. While I sip some lemon, ginger and honey tea… and scan a roll of film I developed last night, I thought I would share 36 random thoughts that came to my mind this week. Maybe it’s the vast amount of over-the-counter medications, or the upended schedule of work and sleep that this illness has brought, but one thing being stuck in bed affords you is plenty of time for your mind to wander.

1: I have too many cameras. I am trying to weed out my collection, by giving cameras that I haven’t used in a long time one more chance to stay in my favor. Otherwise, I might “gift” it to a deserving friend, or it goes on Ebay. I shot my Olympus Trip 35 this week, and I’m scanning the film as I write these words. Not sure I need another zone focusing pocket camera.

2: I have too many cameras, and I bought another one this week. Damn you Ebay, damn you G.A.S.! Since I recently fell in love with a sexy little half-frame camera from Japan, I’ve been smitten by the unique format half-frame cameras provide. It is very “lomo-esque” in many ways. I really love the freedom of shooting this way, so I broke down and bought a Yashica Samurai from Japan. When it arrives, I’ll give you more of my thoughts on this oddity.

3: Courage is a rare quality these days… just watch the news.

4: Hot water is a gift from the gods. A hot shower, a hot bath, a hot cup of tea… all essential this week.

5: “Babylon Berlin” on Netflix is a binge worthy treat. Decadence and intrigue. Weimar Germany at its worst, and best. Bonus points for the opening titles, and the amazing theme song over each episode’s closing credits.

6: You can use Google extensions to block out your Facebook news feed and to block out suggested videos on YouTube. Who knew? I didn’t. But this tip via Joey Schweitzer / Better Ideas literally improved my life this week.

7: Posole vs Green Chile Stew from Garcia’s. Which is better? This is neck and neck for me right now.

8: A 20-something co-worker was listening to Duran Duran at the office this week. I turned him on to Kraftwerk. My Gen X, good deed of the day.

9: Eddie Murphy was great in “Dolomite Is My Name.”

10: If I am honest with myself, I admit that I fear living a life of mediocrity.

11: I could eat pizza or pasta every day.

12: Pulling the bed covers over my face never fails to make me feel like I’m eight years old again.

13: Regrets are a bitch.

14: John Green’s podcast “Anthropocene Reviewed” never ceases to amaze me. Or push me close to tears.

15: “The Candid Frame” is probably the best photo related podcast out there. Ibarionex just released his 400th episode. Quite an achievement. Every talk is quality.

16: Can I really commit to 36 of these?

17: Yes, it’s all about the follow through.

18: David Bowie’s album he did with Tin Machine in 1989 holds up pretty well 30 years later, though some of the lyrics could have used more polish.

19: I can’t decide if reading old journal entries from decades ago is a good or a bad idea. I was kind of dumb back then.

20: You could stay at a youth hostel for about 5 bucks a night in 1989.

21: Wow, three different thoughts, all about 1989, wtf???

22: There is a video posted on YouTube of a movie I acted in. A college film, made by some dear friends. I watched it last night. I was a bit of a “pretty boy.” And a bad actor. Or maybe I was pretty good for a guy who’s only previous stage experience was as a background thug in a high school production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

23: The neighbor’s dog barks all day long while she is away.

24: Is it better to be a big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond?

25: Scanning film is meditative.

26: Photo District News is going away. After 40 years in print. That makes me sad.

27: Instagram is the devil. But a necessary devil?

28: How do you carry your burden of responsibility? I’m not asking this rhetorically.

29: Life is short.

30: I used to like the smell of stop bath. Now I prefer the lingering aroma of fixer.

31: I took the Jeopardy online test this week. I actually auditioned for the show a couple of years ago but didn’t get on. I blame this guy.

32: The new Destroyer album is well worth your time.

33: I listened to Tyler, The Creator after reading he won a Grammy. And I enjoyed it. Go figure.

34: I always want to know who got me sick. Like, who spread the germs that got my sick. I need someone to blame. Which is pointless, I know.

35: I got my wife sick. She can clearly blame me. She is also 100% tougher than I am. I’m a wuss when I don’t feel well.

36: I truly hope someone out there was entertained enough to get to this last thought. Thank you. Want a free camera?

On Photography and Death: Palermo Shooting

This week will be at departure from my usual 1000 words series. I usually write about one specific photograph. Instead, this entry will be my reflections on the Wim Wenders film, Palermo Shooting. The film was released in 2008 (apparently garnering a chorus of “boos” when premiered at Cannes) but I only saw it for the first time this week, thanks to my new subscription to Filmstruck. I won’t go into the deep cinema geekdom that pushed my decision to join Filmstruck except to say that having so many great movies at my disposal is an embarrassment of riches.

The story of Palermo Shooting revolves around the main subject named Finn. The character seems based on German photographer Andreas Gursky, as has been noted in several reviews that I read. Fill is played by Die Toten Hosen lead singer, Campino. Finn is a highly successful photographer who is creatively torn between the moneymaking pursuit of fashion photography and the less lucrative but more fulfilling artistic photography route. He is seemingly lost in the void between the two. A near death experience on a highway in Germany causes Finn to reassess his career and in a larger sense, his entire existence. He ends up in this Sicilian capital of Palermo, where his reality and dreams blur, not only before his eyes but before the eyes of the film’s viewer as well.

The reason why I am exploring this film is that photography is an integral part of the storyline. Wenders has always imbued a photographic sensibility into his highly cinematic motion pictures. As evidenced by the current exhibition of his Polaroid photographs now on view in London, one can see that the director’s deep love and devotion to the medium of still photography is obvious. The fact that Palermo Shooting focuses on a main character who is a photographer is more noteworthy when we take deeper into the real subject of the film, which is the confrontation of death

Susan Sontag in her book “On Photography” speaks eloquently of the medium’s connection with death.

"Photographs instigate, confirm, seal legends. Seen through photographs, people become icons of themselves. Photography converts the world itself into a department store or museum-without-walls in which every subject is depreciated into an article of consumption, promoted into an item for esthetic appreciation.”

“Photography also converts the whole world into a cemetery. Photographers, connoisseurs of beauty, are also — wittingly or unwittingly — the recording-angels of death. The photograph-as-photograph shows death. More than that, it shows the sex-appeal of death…All photographs testify to time’s relentless melt.”

Noted philosopher Roland Barthes also explored this topic in depth in his book “Camera Lucida.”

“All those young photographers who are at work in the world, determined upon the capture of actuality, do not know they are agents of Death. This is the way in which our time assumes Death… For Death must be somewhere in society; if it is no longer (or less intently) in religion, it must be elsewhere; perhaps in this image which produces Death while trying to preserve life. Contemporary with the withdrawal of rites, Photography may correspond to the intrusion, in our modern society, of an asymbolic Death, outside of religion, outside of ritual, a kind of abrupt dive into literal Death. Life / Death: the paradigm is reduced to a simple click, the one separating the initial pose from the final print.”

Dennis Hopper as "Death" in Wim Wenders' "Palermo Shooting"

In Palermo shooting, Wenders also addresses this issue. In a particularly powerful moment the character representing Death, played wonderfully by Dennis Hopper, meditates on the intrinsic qualities of death in photography in the following statement.

 “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against photography. I’m actually very fond of that invention. It shows the efforts of my labor better than anything else. “Death at Work.” That’s what most still photographs should be called. I really like the idea of the negative, the reverse side of life. The reverse side of light.”

This moment in the film struck a nerve deep inside of me personally. I have often considered that a photograph is in some way a “memento mori.” Even a simple snapshot, whether viewed in a photo album, as in day’s past, or more likely in today’s world, on a Facebook page, contains elements of sadness, and loss. A photo of smiling family, seen enjoying a candid moment, takes on a darker subtext when considered that this will be evidence of a life that no longer exists once those in the photo have passed away.

In Palermo Shooting, Wenders is overt in this exploration of photography’s intrinsic deference to death. A quick search of movie reviews will yield much evidence of what is almost unanimously considered the directors ham-fisted, obvious, unsuccessful story of a man’s confrontation with his own impending death. However, perhaps it is because of the Sicilian blood that still flows through my veins (thanks to my ancestors) that I felt an affinity with this film.  

Some of the most dramatic scenes in the film were the haunting dream sequences. This includes several scenes that were shot in the macabre catacombs underground Palermo.  Wenders obviously was using the location of the Sicilian capital as ground aero for the realm of the dead. Some might argue that that title more rightly should go to the city of Naples. But for me these are minor issues.

Another aspect of the film that appeal to me directly, and most likely to you, as a photography enthusiast, is the obvious camera porn on display. The main subject, Finn, is seen throughout the film shooting with a beautiful Japanese medium format camera, the Plaubel Makina 67. There are also several scenes where he is shooting with a 360° panoramic camera, including a pivotal moment in the film where it almost leads to his demise. And perhaps the most touching moment of the film is when Finn crosses paths with noted Palermo photographer Letizia Battaglia. She is seen shooting a Leica and has a heartfelt exchange about the subjects of photography and death with our hero.

Ultimately, Palermo Shooting is far from Wim Wenders’ best work. His pinnacle remains “Wings of Desire,” though one could make a strong argument for “Paris, Texas.” However, if you have the desire to watch one man’s journey towards the acceptance of his own demise, shown through the viewfinder of photographic expression, devoting two hours of your time to this movie is well worth the investment.

Flaunt The Imperfections

I am pleased to announce the launch of a new 'zine series called "Flaunt The Imperfections." The premier issue features my work, shot over an extended period of time in early 2017, mostly in the area of Marfa, Texas and the environs of New Mexico. All photographs were shot on film, and the resulting images highlight the grain, textures, and "flaws" inherent in the medium. It is a 32 page, 8 inch square, perfect bound publication.

It is my intention for this 'zine to be published several times a year. I plan to retain the design and layout duties, but will use this as a platform for collaborations with other photographers shooting on film. The price of the new 'zine is $12.50 (plus shipping) and is ONLY available for purchase through MagCloud. Click the link below to make your purchase today.

Flaunt The Imperfections: Issue 1

The premier issue of a new 'zine series, featuring the work of Nick Tauro Jr. This publication celebrates the grain, textures and intrinsic imperfections found in film-based photography.