NO INPUT! NO OUTPUT!
Strummer’s Law states, “No Input, No Output.” Named after a quote by the lead singer of The Clash, Joe Strummer, it’s a law that all of us creatives probably need to follow if we’re not already. Meaning that without a constant flow, or regular updates of inspiration into our lives, ideas can run out. Leading to yes, you guessed it, no output! It’s like a circle. We need to feed our imaginations with input, in order to have ideas and to create the output. So, that was the mission this week… Input!
PHOTO LONDON.
Photo London happens at the beginning of May every year at Somerset House. And, in their words, ‘brings the finest international photography to the British capital every year. The Fair presents the best historic and vintage works while also spotlighting fresh perspectives in photography. Along with a selection of the world’s leading photography dealers and galleries, Photo London’s Discovery section is dedicated to the most exciting emerging galleries and artists.’ With all that being said, it seemed like a good place to get some ‘Input’.
Photography from every genre you can imagine is represented at PhotoLondon. It was inspiring to see hundreds of pieces of work by artists I’d never heard of, and also some by more famous names, especially from the fashion and advertising world. A genre I know very well. Names like Peter Lindbergh, Rankin, Albert Watson, and Guy Bourdin.
To be honest though! It was a little overwhelming how much input was happening. PhotoLondon is a lot for the eyes and the brain to handle. It’s white room after white room of photography, with so much to see that it was hard in some ways, to differentiate from one space to the next, and it all became a little disorientating haha. I did say I wanted input though, and I certainly got it! But I wasn’t done just yet!
After a bit of a walk across London to decompress, I headed up towards Mayfair to Hamiltons Gallery to see their latest exhibition, Mostly Nude. The exhibition comprises of iconic images, by some of photography’s most influential artists and their personal take on the many shifts that the genre of Nude has undergone. The highlight was this stunning Helmut Newton image, and also a very special look at some Richard Avedon images, that I’m not allowed to share unfortunately. Big shout out to the team at Hamilton’s for their kindness and openness to discuss photography. And helping to increase my ‘input’ for the day a little more. Oh, and also for helping me get out with my shoelaces still intact (the gallery has a VERY friendly French Bulldog who loves shoelaces).
And, as if I wasn’t full of photography-related input already, a short walk from Hamiltons Gallery is Phillips Auction House. Where their current auction viewing is simply called ‘Photographs’. So I had to take a look.
This was just a lucky turn of a London corner but the list of world-famous photographers and their work was seemingly endless. Everyone from Gregory Crewdson, Diane Arbus, Weegee, William Klein, Phillip-Lorca diCorcia, Robert Mapplethorpe, Irving Penn, Nan Goldin, Mario Testino, and more Richard Avedon, Peter Lindbergh, and Helmut Newton pieces.
Not bad for a simple day trip to London, with only PhotoLondon actually planned. Going with the flow and being open to all forms of ‘Input’ allowed me to see way more than I would have expected in such a short space of time.
But now what? What do I do with all that input? Well, process and use it hopefully, to inspire some form of an idea. I don’t know where what I’ve inputted might manifest itself yet, but I’m sure it will. It’s inspired this blog, so that’s a good start. But, it’s an ongoing process as we’ve said. We constantly need to feed our imaginations with input, in order to have ideas and to create the output. It's Strummer's Law remember! “No Input, No Output.”
Thanks for reading and always supporting my Creative Nowhere Land journey and I hope you can find your own ‘inputs’ that will inspire you too. If you haven’t already, then please consider signing up for the newsletter as it’s the first place to stay up to date on all things Creative Nowhere Land. Thanks again, and until next time…