Comments on: John Claridge’s Boxers (Round Two)

By: john edwards

john edwards — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:34:59 +0000

1958 thru 1965 – As students we’d frequent the best salt beef bar in town, that being on Great Windmill St W1. It was in a strip of three salt beef places, Phil Rabin’s, The Nosh Bar & …….. The Best : Carroll’s
…By many a mile. The rooms were all about 20 x 15 foot if, and all Jewish of course.
Carrol’s had pristine leatherette bar stools, shining narrow zinc & formica counters, wall panels, mirrors and numerous signed photo’s of boxing champs in their prime – Kid Lewis, Randolph Turpin,
Archie Moore, Louis, Ezzard Charles, Rinty Monaghan , Jersey Joe, Cerdan, Terry Downes, Sugar Ray, who started an orphan/youth school in L.A. & was, sadly, a wreck when I met him there.Dado Marino
Ingemar Johanson, Floyd Patterson, Freddie Mills … [There’s a tale ] – many others, Then there was
old ‘Chicago’ a rock fisted craggy American black man who occupied the far corner stool ‘above the salt’ just north of the absinthe dispenser in Gaston’s ‘ French’ Pub. In his late 60’s Chicago was still formidable, a punch drunk giant – Soho was rocking & we were so lucky to catch it …… & to end this part – about salt beef & boxers I can still see, taste, Carroll’s salt beef as it rose into view from the basement on the wooden dumb waiter, pink & quivering, sweating juice and light steam – just like Don Cockell after round one with Joe Baksi – sliced, put between caraway rye bread slathered with beetroot horseradish, touch of mustard, glass of lemon tea in the epns holder…….. Heaven on a platter! Knockout!! TKO …… Never equaled – Not even close …. More of that world in Round Six.
Got your juices going Johnny? Oh! Yes……

By: Olga Secerov

Olga Secerov — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 22:47:18 +0000

very powerful portraits. totally absorbed by them.

By: Marien de Goffau

Marien de Goffau — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:05:08 +0000

Wonderful series. A life portrayed in each picture.

By: Andrew Elliot

Andrew Elliot — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 20:33:15 +0000

Fantastic. What I like is the time … not just the way time’s changed them physically – but the way that you’ve looked and looked until you’ve sen something. I don’t know whether you spent a lot of time with them or not – but you spent the right amount of time. I can see that you’ve almost sculpted their heads – pulled them out of the ordinary – made those boys into heroic/tragic mythical figures.
I do think photography has to be about seeing first of all – not equipment, not technique but just seeing: looking and seeing – until the picture virtually offers itself to you. And after seeing … you’ve got to care. Taking the pictures has reminded those elderly men of how special they are. You’ve given something back to them – and I think that’s honourable, maybe even essential. I’ve to think that all art must have something of the artist – something living – buried within it: something that can be re-dsicovered over the years.
Take care!
A

By: David Drakes

David Drakes — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:07:24 +0000

Only Round 2?! . . . 8 to go?! . . . what on earth can we expect from the remaining rounds?!
. . . only JC’s perceptive lens can possibly reveal!!!

By: Jan Davis

Jan Davis — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:29:13 +0000

They are wonderful John – such strength and emotion – all the history etched on each of those amazing faces

By: Alice

Alice — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 09:42:27 +0000

Round 2 is just as exciting as round 1 was! Thank you to John and the boxers for such a fantastic set of portraits. Will we be seeing the full 12 rounds? I completely agree with one of the other commentors, John’s affinity with his sitters or subjects is like no other and adds a personal dimension to his images that is lacking in so many others.

Round 3?

By: Adrian Taylor

Adrian Taylor — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:53:25 +0000

G’day John and Janet,

One can only guess at the career trajectories of the boxers from the dates of their first and last fights.
John Smallwood (First fight 1934 – last fight 1949) Wow! one tough bloke.
AT

By: Nicola Albon

Nicola Albon — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:44:43 +0000

As always, John’s portraits are full of character and humanity. Love them

By: Jens Marott

Jens Marott — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:00:36 +0000

Up close and personal, WOW.
Some faces tells a thousand stories, and I am still reading, this series really is the signature of John Claridge, there’s a trust and a understanding, one might even say admiration that needs to be present to allow a photographer this close to his subject and that’s when real portraiture happens in my opinion, and Mr John is the master of such portraiture, wonderful to see and so very real.
Cheers John for showing them and please don’t stop here, I would love to see more.