Smoke signals.

In September 2010 I blogged (here) about photography involving smoke, clouds, dust etc. as I was transfixed by the elegance of the shapes and different resonances of the images. I have continued to be transfixed by such provocations, and thought it high time to blog again...

Mark Mawson's collection of photographs entitled Aqueous Fluoreau is "inspired by the vibrant colours that brighten up everyday life". I love the vivacity, but I also find that the thicker the smoke (forgive my naivety of the precise materials and methods) becomes, the more menacing it seems. The contrast between the lithe, thread-like elements and the blanket-like thick smog creates an uneasy balance in the images that somehow makes them captivating.

One of my favourite places in the world in Port Meadow, an expanse of grazing land that hugs the North and West borders of Oxford. I row on a section of the Thames known as the Godstow stretch, which borders this picturesque meadow, and the sense of space it breeds looking into the distant spires across the meadow feels wonderful. It sounds trivial, but rarely do I find myself with such a lot of sky surrounding me, and the variation in weather and cloud formations mean it is never dull.

A horse on Port Meadow, one of the troop of grazing animals giving height to the vast expanse. 

 This is a photo I took on my phone one morning when I arrived at rowing. The sketchy image doesn't do it justice by any means, but the sunrise was beautiful.

Smoke signals probably conjures up an image of native Indians sitting around a fire communicating with neighbouring tribes. Right? But smoke signals have also been used, and are indeed still used today, in many other cultures and circumstances. For instance, in Ancient China, soldiers communicated with each other along the Great Wall by sending smoke signals. They could communicate about impending attack along distances of up to 750km in just a few hours! In 2006 the Chinese authorities also used smoke signals along the Great Wall to alert the population of the dangers of drugs, which coincided with the execution of several prominent drug traffickers. I wonder what those people who hadn't heard of the significance of the 2006 signals thought, and how they interpreted the smoke?

Another use of smoke signals in current society can be seen at the Vatican, where smoke issued from the building indicates whether secret ballots by the College of Cardinals have been successful in electing a new Pope (white smoke) or have failed and must be re-drawn (black smoke). I remember seeing news channels during the last papal election holding continuous coverage of the pipe out of which the smoke would be expelled, ready to catch the moment the second it arose!

I couldn't resist including some images of the cardinals (above) in their striking arterial blood-red regalia and uniform comportment, alongside an image of the black smoke signalling a failed ballot (below).

The brand Alexander McQueen has often used smoke as an obscuring and ethereal accompaniment in advertising. Take a look at some of these images. This is why Sarah Burton won Designer of the Year at the recent British Fashion Awards.

Long Live the creativity of Alexander McQueen clothing.