Foto Friday – David Shankbone’s Jerusalem

May 22, 2009 - 11:42 PM by Rachel Neiman · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Art, Blogging, Foto Friday, General, History and Culture 

David Shankbone is a photographer, writer and vice-president of non-profit organization Wikimedia New York City, Inc. He has also, for the last three years, engaged in a public art project on Wikipedia, in which he has released all his photography on topics ranging from landscapes and cityscapes to celebrity portraits, for the public to use. As Shankbone puts it, “I set out on a project to create a body of high-resolution work whose copyright allowed the public to reproduce it, even alter it, without my permission. Even for commercial purposes, as long as nobody’s personality rights are violated.”

“The totality of the work is a documentation of human existence” states Shankbone, who has photographed everything “from subway stations to Kanye West; from Madison Avenue to Madonna; from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the hills of southern Lebanon.” And, as of this past March, Israel, where he was invited as a guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For his project, Shankbone snapped pictures of Jerusalem that are illustrative…

david_shankbone_jerusalem_temple_mount_western_wall

and poetic…
david_shankbone_jerusalemal-aqsa_mosque

…ranging from the Old City…
david_shankbone_jerusalemvia_dolorosa

david_shankbone_jerusalem_panorama

…to the New…
david_shankbone_jerusalem_new_city_panorama

…the past — and possibly the future!
david_shankbone_jerusalemmount_of_olives

Shankbone’s Wikipedia work is an amazing resource, giving users the benefit of being able to use work from a photographer who is both skilled technically, and an artist in terms of effect and composition.
david_shankbone_jerusalem_western_wall_tunnel

They can also benefit from his news-savvy. On Wikinews, which is Wikipedia’s news arm, Shankbone has posted over 40 interviews with global cultural leaders. A story about the project entitled, “Why Shimon Peres sat down with David Shankbone” is definitely worth a read as it explains a bit about his history and the project.

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From Vision to Reality

September 21, 2008 - 8:51 AM by David · 2 Comments
Filed under: General, Holidays, Movies, Pop Culture 

Here, in Jerusalem’s Old City tourist traps, they sell those T-shirts bearing an image of a fighter jet and the title ‘Don’t Worry America, Israel is behind you’.

I guess they could add a new version now saying ‘Don’t Worry Israel, Hollywood is behind you’.

beatty2.jpgThursday night’s gala celebration of Israel’s 60th birthday – titled marquee style ‘From Vision to Reality’ – which took place at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, brought out a bunch of A-lister, some oddities and some perennial friends of Israel in a show of strength for our humble, little country that could.

Folks from the ‘hood like Warren Beatty and his wife Annette Bening (looking more like Diane Keaton every day, no?), Seal, tennis star Serena Williams, Jason Alexander, and music producer David Foster, mingled with Israeli Consulate officials and helped to honor the evening’s guest of honor (besides Israel), movie producer Arnon Milchan, who received a lifetime achievement award from the Citizens’ Empowerment Center in Israel, a nonprofit that promotes democracy and civic involvement.

According to an AP report, the Israeli-born former fertilizer salesman Milchan, who has produced films like Pretty Woman and LA Confidential, originally declined the offer, then reconsidered.

“I realized for Israel, you can’t say no,” he said.

Milchan brought out Williams during his acceptance speech, a connection evidently forged years ago when the Hollywood mogul helped the young tennis star broker an endorsement deal with Puma.

Adam Sandler, rumored to be a possible MC for the event, was a no-show, but his comedy cohort Howie Mandel sent in a video presentation in which he discussed a recent vacation to Israel. Former Seinfeld star Alexander also praised the country and disclosed that he’ll be making a visit here next June, and for the first time bringing his sons. Fans should look for him registered, of course, as Art Vandelay.

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