Sunday 6 January 2008

Chopin RIP





So I heard that the legendary sound poet Henri Chopin passed away on the 03/01/08... His death will leave a huge gaping hole in the universal psyche of experimentation... this is my little tribute to him. At the beginning of the 00's I was fortunate to spend an hour or so in his company. I was on a mission to photograph him in his home and studio for the Wire magazine. He was warm, friendly, open and gloriously eccentric... and I had an amazing hour or so in his company... shooting the breeze, while he played me excerpts from his sound poetry on a 70's reel to reel tape recorder. I remember that he was particularly frail and unsteady on his feet, but insisted that we adjourn to the garden as he wanted to be photographed next to the mirrors that were installed there. His daughter installed them for him so that he could "reap the extra sunlight" he proudly told me. This was a dream commission (One of a handful that I will always cherish) and we should thank our lucky stars that Henri Chopin existed.

R.I.P.




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