Kingston Mines

Last night we headed to the Kingston Mines, a jazz and blues bar just around the corner from where i am staying. The bouncer eventually let me in after not really believing i was 21. To make it obvious for the staff he wrote in a fat texta on both of my hands 'N/A' and tagged my wrist. He then called up another security guard to escort me inside and introduce me to the bartenders.

The place was fairly small, with two main rooms with stages and one bar, it lived up to the reputation of a seedy blues bar. The guy who was in charge was a big fat mafia guy who got up before each act and outlined the smoking and fire exit rules etc. During the act this man would smoke and block the exits with his big belly and little numerous women dirty dancing around him. The music was great, unfortunately i'm not sure how the beer was, but the atmosphere was good too.

Earlier that day i had a big ol' lazy wander around. I went to the pancake house for lunch which was a lot like the setting of the beginning scene in Pulp Fiction. The waitress kept on filling up my coffee, which now in America i drink black with lots of sugar. I accidently veered into a recycled clothing store and came out with a funky bright green cardigan.

Later on i headed into town to visit the Museum of Contemporary Photography and The Institute of Art in Chicago. At the Institute there is an exhibition called 'So The Story Goes', a group exhibition featuring Tina Barney:

Philip-lorca Dicorcia:



Nan Goldin:



Sally Mann:



and Larry Sultan:


all photographers that i have studied the past two years so it was great to see them in a gallery. Especially Nan Goldin's work 'The Ballad of Sexual Dependency', I own the book of this work but did not realise that it is a slide show with a soundtrack, a very powerful and moving piece when presented this way.