Sunday, June 10, 2007

rubbing shoulders with stars

yesterday i checked out some of the festival of the photograph in downtown charlottesville. first i went to a special screening of a documentary about
sally mann called what remains. it was quite excellent. she is so brave and committed to her process, so down to earth and eloquent, so poetic and visionary. she showed up for a q & a session after the film and was very respectful and tolerant of the questions being asked of her.

afterwards i checked out the three main festival photography exhibits, mann's, william allard's, and eugene richard's. while staring at allard's magnificent photograph of a red headed girl braiding a bright swath of her hair, i heard someone utter astonished comments next to me. it was sissy spacek.

i tried not to start thinking about some of the awesome movies i've seen her in

. . . north country, the straight story. . .

on my way to the next exhbit i found myself walking behind her on the crosswalk

. . . coalminer's daughter, badlands. . .

she is able to walk around charlottesville like any nobody precisely because people aren't falling at her feet and blathering praises

. . . carrie, 3 women. . .

but it's certainly an exercise to push away all those amazing acting images and just see the real, normal person.

charlottesville certainly has its surprises!

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