Film Review: The Eye Has to Travel (2011)

Posted November 13, 2015 by Michael @ Knowledge Lost in Documentary / 0 Comments

Title: The Eye Has to Travel
Released: 2011
Directors: Lisa Immordino Vreeland, Frédéric Tcheng, Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt
Genre: Documentary

I am not one for fashion but at a recent event, I might have been convinced otherwise. My wife and I attended an art/fashion show that was also attended by fashion photographer Lance Balchin from 27 Photographs who is best known for working with Vogue. Balchin has a fine arts background, with a focus on painting, and his interest in art really translates into his photography. Lance works with an Art Director (Ali Rigney) which he claims to be a vital element to his art. Rather than projectiong his masculine opinions of beauty into his photos his work with a female art director allows for a balance and unique photographs. Lance also introduced me to Russian fashion photography duo Andrey and Lili.

The night ended with a screening of the documentary of Diana Vreeland, The Eye Has to Travel. I will admit I knew nothing about Diana Vreeland or fashion but I found it fascinating to learn a little more. I do not care about the clothing, modelling, makeup, but I am interesting in fashion as an art form. There is a negative perception of photoshopping (manipulation) and projecting unrealistic body image but there is also a very artistic side to the fashion world. Diana Vreeland’s work for Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and later in life, the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art really shows fashion as art.

The documentary glosses over the life of Diana Vreeland quickly, trying to compress her life down to a mere 86 minutes. The art direction of this documentary really stood out to me; trying to mimic a fashion magazine, The Eye Has to Travel is a stylish and artistic production. The documentary attempted to give a balanced view on Vreeland’s life but as most of the interviews were from people who worked with and enjoyed success because of her, it tended to be a little biased. Having said that, Vreeland has a huge career, so I understand sacrifices needed to be made. For a more balanced portrayal I might need to pick up a biography (suggestions welcome) of Diana Vreeland.

Did this Artgaze event shift my perspective on the world of Fashion; will this mean that I will blog more about this topic? It is hard to say. I was fascinated about what Lance Balchin had to say, especially when it comes to the Russians. I am interested in learning a little more about Diana Vreeland; she seemed to revolutionise fashion magazines. I recommend The Eye Has to Travel, there is a lot to learn and Vreeland is quite a character.

Walking the Camino

Posted July 14, 2015 by Michael @ Knowledge Lost in Documentary / 0 Comments

Camino de Santiago is commonly known as just the Camino or Way of St. James. It is a popular pilgrimage people take to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia where many believe the apostle St. James the Great is buried. Recently I watched a documentary called Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago which got me thinking a lot about the pilgrimage. I should first point out I am not Catholic, as were many of the people in the documentary but I found it interesting to explore what motivates people to take on such a huge task.

There are many routes you can take to walk the Camino, however the Camino Francés (The French Way) is the most common option. This is a 780km walk that starts off in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees and while there is no set agenda, according to the itinerary found on Wikipedia, takes 29 days to walk. This is just an example itinerary and it involves a 20-40km walk each day to the next town on the route.

The Camino de Santiago has mainly been a spiritual pilgrimage but while watching the documentary Walking the Camino it seems that nowadays it is a fitness challenge or a journey of self-discovery. A 780km walk would not be easy and I do not think I could ever complete it but I love the idea of slowing down and reflecting. The whole idea of no schedules and no worries (apart from the task at hand) would allow for time to reflect on life.

I found this documentary fascinating and I feel like completing the Camino would really be an impressive (and pretentious) feat. I have considered trying to complete it but that much walking really worries me. The idea of walking through Spain looking at the country side and eating the food is very appealing. I have only visited one town along the Camino, which is Santo Domingo de la Calzada but the medieval architecture and art is enough to entice people. Has anyone considered walking the Camino?

Category: Documentary