Balint Magyar, a Hungarian scholar of autocracy… isn’t interested in calling Donald Trump a fascist, rather, he sees the president-elect’s appeal in terms of something more primal: “Trump promises that you don’t have to think about other people.”
- M.Gessen NY Times 11-14-24
A phantom political force has been birthed in this election by both Russian and American actors. The ingredients are oligarchical money + psychographic information about individuals + social media delivery systems + a demotivational message.
It’s a force that discourages people from voting and helps explain the 10 million voters gone missing from the last election. We can get ourselves out of this phantom world, but first we need that spark of recognition that tells us where we are.
-Timothy Snyder Substack 11/17/24
In the 1850s, white southern leaders made sure that voters did not have access to news that came from outside the American South, and instead steeped them in white supremacist information. They stopped the mail from carrying abolitionist pamphlets, destroyed presses of antislavery newspapers, and drove antislavery southerners out of their region.
-Heather Cox Richardson Substack 11/8/24
The Two TREASURES
2024
Created and Performed by Moshe Cohen Music by Yogetsu Agasaka, Film by Peter Cunningham 2024
My talk at The Bruce Springsteen Archives in Monmouth, NJ January 7, 2023. Click through to see the “slightly standing” ovation.
HOW DOES IT FEEL?
2024
Billy had just been approved for hospice care, but when music was put by his ear, he came back alive, began singing along, knew all the words. Billy was the co-producer of this film. Update: On April 24, 2024. Billy was kicked out of hospice: he's eating again and as happy as a man in his situation can be. If you want to write him a card: : Billy Cunningham Lifecare Center of Acton, 1 Great Rd, Acton Ma 01720 This film isn't for everyone; It's rated PG45.
Henri
cartier-bressoN
IN NEW JERSEY
1975/2003
In January 2024, THE NEW YORKER ran an account of my experience assisting Henri Cartier-Bresson in 1975. (or here). Here, David Remnick interviews Peter for The Radio Hour.
MADONNA’S FIRST
1982/2023
The New Yorker chose to illustrate their article on Madonna with my contact sheet from 1982.
JANIS IAN
1969-2022
JANIS IAN on the stage of Jazz at Lincoln Center.
In the blink of an eye
All that's left is the past
And the memories fade
'Til there's silence at last
But the song will remember
The spark will still shine
It's the light at the end of the line
There's a light at the end of the line
This is a film about an artist at work from 1969-2022. The music is from Janis’ recent farewell album. Janis has successfully recorded and performed since the age of 16, so it was disappointing that just before completing her last tour with shows in Nashville and Dublin, a viral infection caused vocal cord scarring and she can no longer sing. She will, however, continue to lecture on the artistic process in universities around the world. A film about her life will be showing in film festivals in 2025. Janis has donated her archives to Berea College in Kentucky where she will join bell hooks on the shelves. Film 4 min.
ON LOOKING BACK Orpheus and Eurydice from Eurydice’s point of view. Written and Performed by Ara Fitzgerald. Film by Peter Cunningham. Music by Wall Matthews. 7 min
Stories from the Lip of the Stage Imagined double-bills Photographs and text by Peter Cunningham Above: Lou Reed and Bo Ridley
A portrait of life in pre-pandemic New York. Music by Zoe FitzGerald Carter. Photographs and film by Peter Cunningham. 5 minutes. 2020
In 1982 I was honored to travel in Japan with these fellas. Our task was to meet Roshi Bernie Glassman’s teachers’ teachers, the great living Zen Masters, national treasures all. Peter wrote and I made pictures. Published by Compass Books.
ZEN PEACEMAKERS IN ALABAMA
2022
ZEN PEACEMAKERS BEARING WITNESS in Birmingham, Selma, and Montgomery May, 2022
cunningham’s rough riders
1950-2000
My Father, Bob Fogseeker Cunningham (1919-2008) was a Cloud Physicist This C-130 was dubbed, Cunningham’s Roughriders.’
MY BROTHER’s DEATH
2022
THE SUMMER MY BROTHER DIED Lincoln, Massachusetts and Grand Manan, New Brunswick. October 2022
A CHILD’S VIEW
2024
LUCY CALKINS’
YOUNG WRITERS
2024
In 2024 Heineman introduced 20 new Lucy Calkins books for teaching teachers how to teach writing. These are the best classrooms I’ve ever worked in. My thanks to all the kids, you know who you are.
BEARING WITNESS IN AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU
1996-2005
Auschwitz-Birkenau with Zen Peacemakers 1996-2005 4 films 10 mins
THE GATES
2005
THE GATES by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in Central Park 2005. Music by Ricky Ian Gordon performed by John Nauman Film 5 mins
PHOTOGRAPHS OF WORDS Here’s a game and a children’s book, and above is a film with music by ZOE FITZGERALD CARTER
ME ME ME
AND ME
Peter’s Bio Here he shares an exercise with students at a Yale School of Drama workshop.
Downtown 2024
Downtown 2001
From a 2019 exhibition in Vermont curated by Dian Parker. This currently links to a series of old but still relevant pictorial blog posts.
a bonus episode for our CURIOUS customers:
DIAGNOSIS DAY
This was a 2012 book collaboration with Mark Schapiro on California Agriculture and Climate Change. Music by Jason Rabin-Go Down Slow music) Photographs by Peter Cunningham with. film 3 min