21st Century PilgrimsMany years ago, I took college courses that discussed the history of pilgrimage sites around the world. It was disappointing to discover…Oct 18, 2024Oct 18, 2024
In Praise of Flawed MemorialsNot long ago the artist and designer Maya Lin was an invited speaker at a Central Texas university. She focused primarily on recent and…Nov 1, 2023Nov 1, 2023
A Reluctant Ode: Reflections on DFW International AirportWriting an ode to any airport, much less DFW, is a chore. After all, I have had many unpleasant experiences there, and the thought of…Jun 26, 2023Jun 26, 2023
The Meditative Qualities of “Jeanne Dielman”It is reassuring when I hear people younger than me complain that so many local movie screens are monopolized by comic book stories. It…Jan 27, 2023Jan 27, 2023
Photographing Writers (or Writers Being Photographed)Recently I pulled the book Writers from my shelves by the photographer Sally Soames. I believe it must have been the year it was published…Nov 15, 2022Nov 15, 2022
On Masks and PersonasIn the 1950’s the photographer Bruce Davidson visited a circus and took pictures of performances as well as life back stage and during down…Jun 15, 2022Jun 15, 2022
Old Masters, Photography, Beasts, and BirdsIn the 1990’s the photographer Alessandra Sanguinetti spent time on a farm in Argentina to photograph animals and the interactions they…Apr 15, 2022Apr 15, 2022
Reimagining Poe: Notes on Fellini’s Toby DammitThe short movie Toby Dammit takes its name from the main character of Edgar Allan Poe’s story Never Bet the Devil Your Head. For those of…Dec 2, 2021Dec 2, 2021
A Plateful of TherapyEarly in the days of Covid, in a park along the Brazos River in Central Texas, I came across scattered pieces of a broken plate, probably…Sep 20, 2021Sep 20, 2021
The Poets of Paterson and The Color of PomegranatesChoosing a favorite Jim Jarmusch movie is difficult. If one is a fan, then any could have a strong appeal, and while there is much variety…Aug 10, 2021Aug 10, 2021
My Man Godfrey: Notes on a Forgotten ManWhile watching the 1936 comedy My Man Godfrey, I relived a general disappointment I’ve felt in cinematic attempts to address our great…Jun 18, 2021Jun 18, 2021
Brussels, 1957Many years ago, before people sent images electronically, a friend gave me this postcard showing a dog sitting at a restaurant table and…May 20, 2021May 20, 2021
Photography is Art at The Amon CarterThe first time I attended a museum to see a photography exhibit must have been in 1985 when the Amon Carter in Fort Worth commissioned The…May 5, 2021May 5, 2021
Watching Les Blank Documentaries During CovidSome people are born into a tribe, while others go looking for one. During these days when many have been severed from their sense of…Apr 7, 2021Apr 7, 2021
Bertolt Brecht on the Criterion ChannelMy introduction to the theater of early 20th century playwright Bertolt Brecht was a college production of Mother Courage. Mostly I…Apr 7, 2021Apr 7, 2021
