"Colibrís Gigantes En El Puente De La Calle Sexta" (Giant Hummingbirds at Six Street Bridge) by Ithaka Darin Pappas

 "Colibrís Gigantes En El Puente De La Calle Sexta" 

(or Giant Hummingbirds at Six Street Bridge) by Ithaka Darin Pappas

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

"Colibrís Gigantes en el Puente de la Calle Sexta" is a 2024 mixed-media artwork by photographer/artist Ithaka Darin Pappas for his international photo-collage series, Urban Nektar. Created on wood with ink, paper and acrylic paints, the original piece measures 120cm x 80cm.

"Colibrís Gigantes en el Puente de la Calle Sexta" portrays two gigantic hummingbirds feeding on fluorescent-colored cactus flowers growing directly out of the cement arches of the Sixth Street bridge in downtown Los Angeles (designed by architect Michael Maltzan).

During late 2024, Ithaka Darin Pappas made hundreds of reproductions of the image "Colibrís Gigantes en el Puente de la Calle Sexta" on long rolls of canvas panel and hung them throughout the downtown Los Angeles area surrounding the bridge, including; Boyle Heights, The Arts District, Skid Row and Little Tokyo. Graffiti artists quickly recognized the potential of surfaces and proceeded to tag upon, transforming them into new unsolicited 'collaborative works'.

Punk stars Bob Vylan in Los Angeles - (photographed by Ithaka Darin Pappas - 2022)

UMBILICUS by photographer Ithaka Darin Pappas (Tokyo 1992)

"UMBILICUS" (the Tokyo  belly-button project)

by artist, Ithaka Darin Pappas 

______________________________________

"UMBILICUS" by Ithaka Darin Pappas (Japanese belly-button project - 1992) @photographer_ithaka.d.pappas *To schedule this exhibit at a museum or gallery - or for merchandising inquiries, please contact ithaka.official@gmail.com

Although originally conceived in 1988, it wasn’t until the summer of 1992, while briefly living in Japan, that Ithaka Darin Pappas began and completed his photographic project UMBILICUS, a collection of one-hundred and twenty-seven black and white navel portraits. During a period of two months, Ithaka combed the streets of Tokyo is search of willing belly-button subjects.

However, photographing in the light of day, sometimes in the middle of public squares and parks filled with thousands of people, did not prove to be an easy task. Japanese people were quite shy when asked to show their navels in public to a stranger, further complicated by the fact that the photographer was a Gaijin (foreigner).

For this reason some sessions were held in the subjects’ homes or offices after first meeting them in public. Regardless, because of the high rejection rate (10-20 refusals for every one acceptance), sometimes it would take an entire day just to complete the belly-button portrait of only one or two subjects. In addition to the Japanese majority of navels photographed, a percentage of outsiders were also included. These individuals were from Brazil, China, Denmark, England, Germany, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United States. Subject ages ranged from three to ninety-six. In addition to the Japanese majority of navels, a percentage of outsiders were also included. People from Brasil, China, Denmark, England, Germany, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden and the United States. Says Ithaka, “I didn’t photograph tourists for the project, but only actual residents of Tokyo.The foreigners who participated, mostly in their 20s-40s, were all living full-time in Tokyo and held a diverse spectrum of jobs from dishwasher to scientist. Among the Japanese subjects - I photographed the navels of children as young as three (as well as those of their parents) and elderly people too, one in his late 90's. The end result of UMBILICUS wasn’t only a study of human anatomy, but in actuality, concluded in becoming an anthropological observation of Tokyo’s population in 1992."

UMBILICUS was published for the first time in January 1993 in the Japanese edition of the world-renowned fine art photography quarterly called Déja-Vu (Issue #11), the same issue that photographic legends Inose Kou, Frederick Sommer and Nobuyoshi Araki appeared. Other international magazine appearances of UMBILICUS soon followed. In 1995, the rock group Flood (signed to the Portuguese label, União Lisboa) chose images from UMBILICUS to appear on the front and back cover of their debut album, Despertar.

In 1996, the San Francisco culture magazine Speak featured Ithaka’s UMBILICUS as their cover-story. The cover itself (designed by world-famous graphic artist Martin Venesky) was considered controversial, causing the magazine to be returned by many of their distributors. It was the worst-selling issue in the magazine’s history.

Also in 1996, UMBLILICUS was exhibited at Lisbon’s Instituto Português do Juventude, with selected images printed as large as two-meters wide and toned with Ithaka’s trademark deep blues. Later in 1998, UMBILICUS was shown at Galeria Zé dos Bois (ZDB) in Lisbon, as part of Ithaka's larger photographic exhibit entitled, Quality Time. #bellybuttons #photography #ithakadarinpappas ________________________________________________________________ Ithaka is represented by WOA-Way Of Arts (Portugal) and Coffin Alley Gallery (US)

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Photo: Ithaka Darin Pappas © 2018

Note: These images are not Public Domain, it is Necessary to acquire authorization

thru my myself ithaka.official@gmail.com or my representatives at the Tack Artist Agency Group in Los Angeles before reproducing in print, online or merchandising ... thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12579280/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1

Inspiring photographers: Shihachi Fujimoto, Bruce Gilden Hisae Imai, Takeji Iwamiya, Akira Komoto, Motoichi Kumagai, Seiji Kurata, Michiko Matsumoto, Aizō Morikawa, Eiichi Moriwaki, Tadayuki Naitoh, Kiyoshi Nishiyama, Yoshino Ōishi, Kōji Satō, Tokihiro Satō, Bukō Shimizu, Mieko Shiomi, Teikō Shiotani, Raghubir Singh, Yutaka Takanashi, Toyoko Tokiwa, Haruo Tomiyama, Kansuke Yamamoto 

Speak Magazine (issue 03 - 2006 cover by Ithaka Darin Pappas)

Artist Takashi Murakami photographed by Ithaka Darin Pappas (Tokyo 1992)

 

"Murakami Yawns At Mars"

World-renowned contemporary artist #TakashiMurakami @takashipom with his piece entitled "Physical Pie" photographed at Mars Gallery in Shibuya-Ku, Japan, Tokyo (1992) by Greek-Californian artist/photographer #IthakaDarinPappas @_Ithaka_ @photographer_ithaka.d.pappas

For licensing inquiries regarding these rare images of

Takashi Murakami by Ithaka Darin Pappas,

please contact ithaka.official@gmail.com

"Physical Pie" by Takashi Murakami (1992)

Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas,

Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas,

Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin PappasTakashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas,Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas, Takashi Murakami, Ithaka Darin Pappas

World-renowned singer composer Dimitra Galani performing in Athens (1991) photographed by Ithaka Darin Pappas

World-renowned singer composer Dimitra Galani
performing in Athens, Greece (1991).

Photographed by Ithaka Darin Pappas

Dimitra Galani (b. 14th November 1952) is a Greek singer and composer.

Galani was born in Athens. Her father had studied art and song, and her grandfather was a cantor from Epirus. In 1968, at the age of sixteen, she contributed two songs to an album by D. Moutsis and Νikos Gatsos, Ena chamogelo (a smile); that was the beginning of a long career in music. That contribution turned out to be the beginning of a long career in the history of music of both her era and Greece. She became a great performer gifted with a beautiful voice and a strong personality that has always prompted her to look into the reasons behind everything. She belongs to a “generation of leaders”, who for almost three decades have underlined and supported -each in his or her own way -quality Greek songs contributing at the same time to a colorful rainbow of great voices.

Her career currently includes well over eighty albums, and varies from pure Greek folk music to Byzantine hymns and easy listening performances.
She composes songs for herself as well as for other singers and she also composes music for television and film.As a producer she promotes young and talented artists.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimitra_Galani

Composer, Thanos Mikroutsikos - Athens 1991 - photographed by Ithaka Darin Pappas

Prominent Greek composer Thanos Mikroutsikos 
(13 April 1947 – 28 December 2019) 
photographed by Ithaka Darin Pappas in Athens 1991

Photographer Ithaka Darin Pappas self-portrait in Carangola, Minas Gerais (Brazil) 2001

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ithaka/69363540

https://store.cdbaby.com/artist/Ithaka2

https://www.instagram.com/_ithaka_/?hl=en

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5225987/

https://thehundreds.com/blogs/content/ithaka-interview

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaka

http://upmagazine-tap.com/en/pt_artigos/ithaka-2/

"The Miracle Mile Shot" (1988) The Photograph of N.W.A. by Ithaka Darin Pappas

    Watch here:

                   

About the mini-documentary: "The Miracle Mile Shot":

"The Miracle Mile Shot" is an experimental, non-dialogue short-subject documentary film by Greek-American artist-photographer Ithaka Darin Pappas. This is the third in his series of hip-hop Photomentaries almost entirely relying on his own archival imagery of West Coast rap artists.

"I begin seeing these incredible documentaries randomly at different times and places around the world, on planes, at friends houses etc. And it took me a minute to realize that all of this compelling story-telling; Jazz, The Civil War, and The National Parks: America's Best Idea were coming from the same source, Ken Burns. His projects can tell an entire story with only still photographs if necessary, it's amazing.

I realized that I was the creator of much of the kind of raw still photographic material that Mr. Burns uses for his projects, and it has inspired me to begin to edit and present these images in a film format to tell a story. The Miracle Mile Shot is my third short-subject film festival project. I have already completed earlier this year "Eazy E & Venice Locals (A Historic Day in the Brotherhood of Hip Hop and Skateboarding".

I call these projects Photomentaries, meaning at this point I am only using still photographs in movement, with sound and text to vocal communicate ideas. I am not sure I will ever incorporate narration, I am enjoying the closed-mouth communication direction of it all and think I'd like to take it to the next level and even try a much longer project, of up to an hour.
_____________________________________________

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Miracle_Mile_Shot
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10519540/
https://businessallstarsblog.wordpress.com/2019/06/26/the-miracle-mile-shot-non-dialogue-short-subject-documentary-at-lagff/

Rare Eazy E photograph by Ithaka Darin Pappas shown at Annenberg exhibit, "Contact High"

“Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop,” at the Annenberg Space for Photography. A new group show organized by author Vikki Tobak looks at the work of photographers who chronicled the rise of hip-hop, with famous prints (like the iconic portrait of Biggie Smalls in a crown by Barron Claiborne) as well as unedited contact sheets and other images of key musical figures from the genre, including Eazy-E, Jay-Z and Salt-N-Pepa. Tobak is the author of the bestselling book on which the exhibit is based. Opens Friday and runs through Aug. 18. 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, AnnenbergPhotoSpace.org.

Rapper Eazy-E skateboarding in 1989 is among "Contact High" images. (Ithaka Darin Pappas)

Source: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/miranda/la-et-cam-datebook-contact-high-annenberg-story.html

Naim Uddin as photographed by Ithaka Darin Pappas in Jaipur, India

Naim Uddin as photographed by Ithaka Darin Pappas in Jaipur, India

Naim Uddin as photographed by, Ithaka Darin Pappas, @photographer_ithaka.d.pappas (instagram)

https://www.discogs.com/artist/468212-ITHAKA

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZXy50yj_t9UuHqeOQhpGQ

http://planetithaka.blogspot.com/

https://genius.com/artists/Ithaka

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaka_Darin_Pappas

http://ithakaofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/IthakaBlue/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ithaka/69363540

https://store.cdbaby.com/artist/Ithaka2

https://www.instagram.com/_ithaka_/?hl=en

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5225987/

https://thehundreds.com/blogs/content/ithaka-interview

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaka

http://upmagazine-tap.com/en/pt_artigos/ithaka-2/

"DEZI" photographed in Punta Hermosa, Lima - Peru by Ithaka Darin Pappas

"DEZI" photographed in Punta Hermosa, Lima - Peru
by, Ithaka Darin Pappas, @photographer_ithaka.d.pappas (instagram)

https://www.discogs.com/artist/468212-ITHAKA

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZXy50yj_t9UuHqeOQhpGQ

http://planetithaka.blogspot.com/

https://genius.com/artists/Ithaka

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaka_Darin_Pappas

http://ithakaofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/IthakaBlue/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ithaka/69363540

https://store.cdbaby.com/artist/Ithaka2

https://www.instagram.com/_ithaka_/?hl=en

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5225987/

https://thehundreds.com/blogs/content/ithaka-interview

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaka

http://upmagazine-tap.com/en/pt_artigos/ithaka-2/

Contact High Exhibit's Unusual Eazy E Skateboarding Photograph By Ithaka Darin Pappas at 2017 Photoville in Brooklyn, New York

[Contact High: Hip-Hop’s Iconic Photographs and Visual Culture]

Rapper, Eazy E skateboarding in Venice Beach, California Feb. 24th 1989 - photographed by:Ithaka Darin Pappas

Presented by
Contact High with support from Mass Appeal and Invictus Black

Curated by
Vikki Tobak; Associate curator: Syreeta Gates

“Contact High” spotlights the photographers who have played critical roles in bringing hip-hop and music culture imagery onto the global stage. Photographers share their era-defining stories’ iconic images, what legendary street photographer Henri Cartier Bresson called ‘The Decisive Moment’. “Contact High” offers a rare glimpse into the creative process and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the imagery that shaped hip-hop and music visual culture. Getting access to the original and unedited contact sheets, we see the ‘big picture’ visual legacy being created. Contact sheets let you look directly through the photographer’s lens and observe all of the other shots taken during these legendary moments.
Hip-hop and rebel cultures have always been about self-definition, especially when it comes to visuals and style. For artists, that one iconic pose, press shot or album cover would play a major role in shaping them into icons by any means necessary—skills, style, swagger, bravado and visuals. Today, the way we digest and create cultural imagery has radically changed. Today’s visual landscape is haphazardly shaped from every direction. The contact sheets reveal how photographers shaped the evolution of a visual cultural phenomenon.
Let’s get analogue for a minute. Contrary to the iPhone’s dominance, film is not dead. In fact, there’s a whole movement of analogue film photographers hashtag bragging: #FilmIsNotDead #35mm #ishootfilm #analogphotography #analogvibes… the list goes on. In this digital age of Instagram and Photoshop, it’s easy to hide imperfections. Analog film reveals beauty and individuality by exposing imperfection and process. There is individualism and eccentricity in every shot, like the dust and grooves of vinyl records. Photographers typically don’t show their contact sheets. It’s their visual diary. Not every shot worked, in fact, most didn’t. Back when every photo was methodically shot on analog film, the negatives on a roll of film would be contact printed on photographic paper allowing you to see the full range of images that would eventually develop into the ‘money shot’.

ORGANIZATION BIO

“Contact High: Hip-Hop’s Iconic Photographs and Visual Culture” spotlights the photographers who have played critical roles in bringing hip-hop and music culture imagery onto the global stage.
The exhibition encompass more than 40 years of history and celebrates what and how photographers saw as hip-hop evolved into a global force. Coinciding with the publication of “Contact High: Hip-Hop’s Iconic Photographs and Visual Culture” (Clarkson Potter/Penguin Random House) to be published fall 2018.

Source: http://photoville.com/contact-high-hip-hops-iconic-photographs-visual-culture/

EAZY E _ Ithaka Darin Pappas's Iconic Hip Hop Imagery

https://www.generaladmission.us/blogs/news/eazy-e-and-ithakas-iconic-photo

Eazy E, N.W.A and Ithaka Darin Pappas's Iconic Imagery

• Damien Fahrenfort
• December 16, 2016

We all have a friend like Ithaka Papas; he’s the one everyone's jealous of. The guy who picks up sports quicker than anyone. That friend who hears a tune once and can play it on any instrument and he also happens to tell the best stories all-the-while completely nonchalant about the said above. He's that guy that you want to hate on but you just can't. When I first met Ithaka six years back, he came over to my pad with a little point and shoot camera. He snapped a few pics while we were hanging out. I didn’t think anything of it. We later went surfing and I was blown away by his ability in the surf. I got to know him, and he was an unraveling onion. Each layer was a wild adventure; his life was coated with wonder. And, it wasn’t until the feature film Straight Out Of Compton landed in theaters that I learned Ithaka had spent two years with N.W.A. He had shot their album covers, editorial and more. Fascinated by our cover photo of Eazy-E in Venice I grabbed him for the real story and the back story on a few of his other favorite pics.
All photos courtesy of Ithaka Darin Papas/Tack Artist Group
GA: Tell us about the cover photo and how you got to that point with N.W.A?
Ithaka: At the time I was working for Priority Records. I was their main freelance photographer during this period and I had photographed N.W.A. probably more than any other photographer. This particular day was a shoot for MTV and they were doing a little culture clash unite between this pop group Kris Kross and N.W.A. Kris Kross came down and we all met in Venice. Fab 5 Freddy did the interview, an old-school artist and hip-hopper from New York. After the Kris Kross bailed we all walked down to the skate area down there on the beach at Venice. Eazy grabbed some kid's skateboard and took off. I'd already been working with this crew for probably almost two years and I'd never even heard the word skate board came out of anybody's mouth, or surfing, or anything like that. It was a shock to me, and he'd obviously spent some time on a skateboard because he knew what he was doing. 

GA: He could skate? 
Ithaka: Yes. He was confident on it. One thing we've learned from this photo is Eazy is a goofyfooter. (Ed’s note: Goofyfoot is the type of stance a surfer or skater is defined by) 
GA: Back then Venice was still pretty hardcore, we’re people excited to see Eazy, or was he getting a few scary looks? 
Ithaka: No, they were super excited to see him. But during that period there were a lot of gang conflicts here. A lot of these shoots that I did with N.W.A., we'd go to a place and there'd be a mixed reaction. I don't think anybody specifically from the band has ever been an affiliated gangster, but friends of theirs are and that ends up being a co-affiliation. Sometimes they'd go to these shoots and there would be some vibe from whoever. But generally speaking it was just excitement, it was a big deal, Eazy-E was down on the beach, he was signing autographs non-stop, and girls were screaming, they were big stars. 
GA: Anything else exciting happen that day?
Ithaka: Not really, that was it. We just went down there and everyone went their separate ways. I did another little shoot with Dre and DSC after this. These were good shoots because they were very informal so you could get good material and everybody in their element, that was my specialty, going where they were shooting a video, then doing a portrait session on the side, that kind of thing. It's hard to get everybody together in the same space, like, "Okay, we're going to have a photoshoot out of the studio." It's hard to get them together and focused for more than a couple minutes at a time.

GA: You also shot Eazy E's famous pool party from the movie Straight Outta Compton?

Ithaka: I did not shoot the pool party but I went to the pool party. Way better to participate in that one than photograph it [laughs]. That was pretty nuts, it was at some ranch up in Malibu. No holds barred, they put on a serious party. You know, the great thing about "Straight Outta Compton", you know I'm sure you know people that were even more involved than me might see subtle details that weren't accurate from my perspective, it was exactly the way I remember working with them, the portrays of them.

GA: Let's go through some other photos. Tell me about this one of Eazy on the train tracks.
Ithaka: This was on the east side of downtown LA. Once again, it was myself doing promotional portrait stills on the side of a video shoot, and in this case, this was the video for “100 miles and running”. This was when Ice Cube already left the band. This was the second N.W.A. album. So, this was towards the end of the project because Ice Cube had already left the band a few months before, so it just totally changed the direction of the project.

GA: What a bummer. This one of him here is my favorite of the four. He looks so young.

Ithaka: So, this was, I think it was November 1988. This was the first time I had ever met any of these guys. This was the record cover shoot for “We want Eazy” the single, which just had the song “Radio” on it. So, this shoot was mostly about Eazy. Everybody was there though, so also there's some shots of N.W.A from the day. This is at my apartment on Orange Street near Wilshire and San Vicente. So, this one it was a little bit more produced. I think I got 500 dollars for this shoot and I’m sure I spent more than 600 dollars shooting it. But I didn't care I was so excited to shoot them. (Continued below) 

Ithaka: I was a fan of these guys as well. I was a daily listener to K.D.A.Y. I knew the music very well before I ever even worked with N.W.A. or Eazy. So, it was like I knew what I was getting into and I wanted to do a good shoot, and one of the shots from this shoot had all five members, they gathered without their sunglasses, and the image is one of the images that has survived the test of time. Because it’s really rare to see everybody without their sunglasses in controlled lighting.
GA: I remember you telling me a funny story about the catering for the shoot?
Ithaka: Oh, yes. This was Clarity Records and the only records they had really done before this was the California Raisins. You know, the California Raisins?
GA: Yeah I saw it in the movie.
Ithaka: They went into hip-hop and they were treading lightly. Unsure of how it was going to turn out they didn’t want to spend too much money. So the catering for the shoot was four bags of Doritos and a 24 pack of Old English 800.

GA: It’s crazy how young they are here, man. They’re just kids. Eazy would have been what age?
Ithaka: He might have been 20, so let me think. Dre’s a year older than me, ’88, how old was I? So, I was 22, Dre was 23, Cube is like 20-21.
GA: Insane. Fuck, that's such a good photo.
Ithaka: Fun shit though, huh?

GA: Yes, it’s such cool shit, man. Okay last one, what about this one below. 

Ithaka: Yes, this was down at MacArthur Park. This was another segment for MTV. This was the record cover shoot for the single "12-inch", extended version of “Express yourself”. Which also had "A bitch is a bitch" on it. This was the cover of that. At the time MacArthur Park used to be a pretty rough neighborhood. I think they'd just drained the lake right before this. They found 700 guns in the lake, 3,000 knives, couple dead bodies. I don’t know what it’s like now down there now but I imagine a lot nicer. 


__________________________________________________

https://www.generaladmission.us/blogs/news/eazy-e-and-ithakas-iconic-photo