Recently HG used the cover of Les Krims‘ wonderful book, Making Chicken Soup to illustrate HG’s post on his Mom’s soups. This illustration drew much comment. To clarify, the elderly model making chicken soup in the semi- nude (topless) is not HG’s sainted mother. It is in fact Les Krims’ mother and Making Chicken Soup is both hilarious and ripe with Oedipal pathos…Or maybe it is that Oedipal pathos which makes it hilarious, which is precisely the point. A critic has noted that Krims’ photos create “outrage or laughter — or both.” In any case, he is a true, mind bending original. A long time teacher at Buffalo State College, he has not received the recognition he deserves. Cindy Sherman was one of his students and was obviously influenced by his staged photographs. She has gained renown (and financial rewards) while Krims has not. Search out Krims’ photos. They are unforgettable. An HG favorite is: “The Static Electric Effect of Minnie Mouse on Mickey Mouse Balloons.” (1968). While his photographs are radical, Krims’ political beliefs are very conservative (He admires George Bush, for example). Go figure.
