Hasta La Ideas

Kashi’s 1999 photograph captures the hands of a boat painter in Pisco, Peru.

When last we caught up with photojournalist Ed Kashi, he was busy suing Google for copyright infringement and documenting life in Madagascar (as the recipient of the 2009 Prix Pictet Commission). Now comes word that Kashi is the newest member of VII, the photo agency founded in 2001 with the goal of “documenting conflict—environmental, social and political, both violent and non-violent—to produce an unflinching record of the injustices created and experienced by people caught up in the events they describe.” Kashi, the collectively owned agency’s twelfth member, joins an esteemed group that includes James Nachtwey, Ron Haviv, Marcus Bleasdale, and Stephanie Sinclair. “I take on issues that stir my passions about the state of humanity and our world, and I deeply believe in the power of still images to change people’s minds,” said Kashi in a statement issued today by VII. “I’m driven by this fact; that the work of photojournalists and documentary photographers can have a positive impact on the world.” And that Madagascar project? Done! Have a look at the stunning results here.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

A mouth-watering book of Italy’s warm-weather recipes from the authors of the Italian cooking bible

For Italian food fanatics, the new cookbook “Recipes from an Italian Summer” culls the country’s famed culinary delights, gathering together a collection of warm-weather dishes that go far beyond flavored ice. Spanning lesser known North African-infused Sicilian cuisine to more traditional Tuscan fare, the recipes and photos alike are a gorgeously inspiring journey through Italy’s diverse terrain and its seasonal produce.

Chapters dedicated to usual summer affairs such as picnics, barbecues, entertaining and more help put the pretty pictures and mouth-watering recipes to use. Compiled by the authors of the “The Silver Spoon“—the magnum opus of Italian cooking—the book serves up over 380 newly-sourced recipes dedicated to more daring chefs. Dishes such as ham and kiwi mousse, veal roulades in aspic and Trieste-style potato gnocchi with plums appear next to classics like piadina, Florentine T-bone steak and gelato in flavors from rose petal to jasmine flower.

Colorful photographs of the dishes and ingredients by Andy Sewell are interspersed with hazy scenes of the nation’s countryside shot by Joel Meyerowitz. The book also includes a calendar of seasonal produce, a schedule of summer food festivals, a directory of specialty stores stocking items used in the cookbook and Italian translations of all the recipe titles for a little passive learning.

“Recipes from an Italian Summer” sells from Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

This skyscraper by Mexican studio Rojkind Arquitectos is about to commence construction in Mexico City. (more…)