The Pack-Donkey's Way

I often struggle to get up to speed on Mondays, and after working the weekend, today was no exception. Don't get me wrong, I did at least manage to do my online VAT return this morning before the call of Blipfoto distracted me guiltily, but happily.

What a further distraction then to see a complimentary copy of the photo-journal Lahore Chandigarh by artist William Titley arrive in the post. This book is the culmination of the time the artist spent on random walkabout, documenting the two cities - respective regional capitals of the 'severed' Punjabi halves in both Pakistan and India.

William had asked me to do a short architectural essay on both as a favour. I happliy agreed, as I have always loved Le Corbusier's design for Chandigarh. My resulting piece contrasted Corb's design edicts applied here for movement along straight lines and the avoidance of wasteful "artistic" meanderings (his so-called "pack-donkey's way") with the more eclectic bursts of growth in Lahore. I had hoped for a donkey amongst the published photographs to blip, but all I found was this sad looking, skinny horse.

Thoughts about self-publishing enter my mind vainly from time to time (is this admitting a dark secret like self-harming?), and one day I may take the plunge (on the former, not the latter).

Completely unconnected to all this today, though with happy serendipity, is the blip I read earlier this morning by Kendallishere. She wrote a lovely piece about the funny blogger and self-published poet and writer Moonbeam McQueen. Please check it out.

Postscript: Lahore Chandigarh is published by Café Royal. This publisher makes short-run artists books, offering a testing ground for new ideas. The limited edition accompanies a touring exhibition in India, Pakistan, USA and the UK and comprises 200 A3 b/w 'C-type' photographic prints on metallic paper.