Latest news with #Gottfried
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sing for your snapper: a life-affirming view of New York
Laurence Cornet, curator: 'I love this photograph that could be a self-portrait by Arlene. The singer in the photograph conveys the same warmth and full engagement. Arlene got so deeply involved with gospel that she really became one of them. She had this look and face that could make people believe that she belongs to any community – black American, Puerto-Rican, Jewish, all communities she spent a lot of time with. Also, it's a Cibachrome print, which Arlene used for most of her colour work. It's so rare to see Cibachrome nowadays. I'm nostalgic for their bright and dense colours' Gottfried's first photographs are of life on the streets, showing her friends, relatives and neighbours in the ethnically diverse area of Brooklyn she lived in. The photographs from the 1970s and 80s document a part of New York City that no longer exists: a rough environment where she gravitated towards individuals with unique characteristics and large personalities In the 1970s and 80s, New York was the scene of irresistible social diversity, revealing a gallery of people, each more eccentric than the last 'This image always reminds me of one by Robert Frank. Gottfried's work, like Frank's, is characteristic of the American interpretation of street photography that, while being focused on people, gives a sense of its vastness and chaos. She didn't intend to draw a portrait of NYC, but her images are nonetheless documents of a vanished city, before the speculation bubble hit' Having grown up in the working-class neighbourhoods of Brooklyn, first on Coney Island and then in the Latino and Afro-American barrio of Crown Heights, Gottfried had been close to this reality since childhood, spontaneously turning to her neighbours when she received her first camera from her father Although Gottfried initially chose photography because she 'couldn't stand still in a classroom', she soon turned it into a full-time activity. Gottfried criss-crossed the metropolis, a camera around her neck, documenting what touched her: the figures in her community, whom she met every day, her friends, the clubs, the provocative extravagance that preceded the wave of Aids scares and gospel music, which she soon took up with as much fervour as photography' Gottfried returned to the beaches of her childhood, Coney Island and Brighton Beach, photographing the only nude bay in New York, Riis Beach's Bay One. She also shot clubs and disco nights that had a sense of wild and free self-expression in a world before Aids Gottfried's benevolence can be seen in the looks on people's faces, image after image. 'Everyone was so relaxed at the idea of being photographed,' she once explained Often, they were the ones who asked her to do it, like the muscular nudist posing next to an Orthodox Jew Laurence Cornet: 'These two women are Arlene's mother and grandmother. They systematically kissed each other on the mouth when they greeted each other goodbye. Family was very important for Gottfried. She granted her upbringing for her love of others, for the fact that she felt comfortable with everyone. It's also her mother who first called her a 'singing photographer', an expression that appeared on Arlene's business card and that gives its title to the exhibition' Each slice of this portrait of New York is a story, an intimate memory of Gottfried, the people she met and the places she loved Laurence Cornet: 'Kerouac said that Robert Frank 'sucked a sad poem out of America'. Gottfried did quite the opposite. She doesn't avoid or hide the poor and the rough conditions in which they live, but she engaged with them in such a generous way that her photographs are an invitation to look and care for each other. That is one of the aspects that has motivated the exhibition, at a time when the political situation tends to divide people' We are free to look at these images with nostalgia for a bygone era, or to study them as historical documents. Despite being rooted in an era, they remain timeless, charged as they are with humour and tenderness. An altruistic ode sung in images
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DFL's David Gottfried wins special election, ensuring power split in Minnesota House
Minnesota Democrat David Gottfried won a special election for House District 40B on Tuesday in a landslide, restoring a 67-67 split in the House of Representatives. The special election for the district, which is in Ramsey County and covers most of Roseville and Shoreview, was organized after the November winner — DFLer Curtis Johnson — didn't meet residency requirements following a court challenge. Gottfried defeated Republican Paul Wikstrom, who also ran for the seat in 2024 and challenged Johnson's residency in court. Gottfried received 70.15% of the vote (9,352 total). Wikstrom received 3,966 votes. This marks an increase in the margin of victory compared to November's election, when Johnson received won by a 65%-34% margin over Wikstrom, albeit with lower turnout. Gottfried said in a statement the victory is "for Roseville, Shoreview, and every constituent who hasn't been represented for weeks." "I couldn't be more thrilled to be headed to Saint Paul as soon as possible to get to work for this district and Minnesota. Our team's efforts during the many phases of this campaign have been astounding. I'm so proud of the work of everyone who knocked doors, made phone calls, sent postcards, chipped in a few bucks, and did everything they could to make sure we won tonight," Gottfried said. 'We never lost sight of what's at stake. The President [Trump] is sowing chaos that is increasing the price of basic needs like food, energy, and healthcare. It's never been more urgent that we work together in Saint Paul to shield Minnesotans from the chaos, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and make a smart plan to protect our shared futures in Minnesota.'Democrats already hold a one-seat majority in the Minnesota Senate. Given that 68 votes are needed to pass anything in the House, bipartisan teamwork will ultimately be needed to get most bills passed onto Walz's desk for his signature. DFL Chairman Ken Martin provided the following statement after Gottfried's victory: 'As a proud Minnesotan, I'm honored to congratulate David Gottfried on his crucial special election victory. Minnesota is a shining example of what can happen under Democratic leadership: providing free breakfast and lunch for K-12 students, investing in mental health services, strengthening worker protections, establishing paid family and medical leave, and enshrining protections for reproductive freedom into law. Since November's election, Democrats continue to fight and win in communities across the country.' House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, also issued a statement following Gottfried's win, saying it "was always going to be an uphill battle to win in a dark blue Democrat seat." "I want to thank Paul Wikstrom for running an incredible race and ensuring that District 40B is represented by someone who actually resides in the community," Demuth said. 'While the House will return to a 67-67 tie after tonight, House Republican priorities remain unchanged: we will continue our effort to stop the fraud, protect Minnesotans from harmful tax increases, and work with our Democrat colleagues to pass a responsible and balanced budget.'
Los Angeles Times
12-03-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Democrat David Gottfried wins Minnesota House special election, restoring a 67-67 power split
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Voters in a Minnesota House district at the center of post-election drama over chamber control decisively chose Democrat David Gottfried on Tuesday, tying the House and ending a short-lived Republican majority. The Democratic victory will force the two parties to work together on a budget for the next two years. Gottfried got about 70% of the vote to defeat Republican Paul Wikstrom, who also ran for the seat in November. The special election in the heavily Democratic district in the northern St. Paul suburbs of Roseville and Shoreview was scheduled after a state court ruled that Democratic winner Curtis Johnson failed to meet residency requirements. That disrupted an expected 67-67 tie in the House and led to the collapse of a power-sharing agreement when Republicans tried to capitalize on their unexpected majority, prompting a three-week Democratic boycott of the chamber. The parties reached a new power-sharing agreement in February that assumed Democrats would win the special election and restore the tie. Under the terms of the deal, Republican Lisa Demuth will remain House speaker for the next two years. Once Gottfried is sworn in, the two parties will have even strength on most committees, with co-chairs who will take turns holding the gavel, except for an oversight committee that Republicans will control to investigate fraud in government programs. Democrats hold a one-seat majority in the Minnesota Senate. Given the tie in the House, some degree of bipartisan cooperation will be required to get the 68 votes needed to pass the big budget measures to Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. Updated budget projections released last Thursday suggested difficult negotiations ahead. The projected surplus for the next two-year budget slipped to $456 million, while the projected deficit for the two years after that grew to $6 billion. Gottfried's 40-point margin of victory exceeded Johnson's 30-point win in November. Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried the district with 68% of the vote over President Trump, the Republican nominee. Gottfried said his win is a victory for the voters in his district, who haven't been represented in the House since the session convened in January. 'The President is sowing chaos that is increasing the price of basic needs like food, energy, and healthcare,' Gottfried said in a statement. 'It's never been more urgent that we work together in Saint Paul to shield Minnesotans from the chaos, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and make a smart plan to protect our shared futures in Minnesota.' House Democratic Caucus leader Melissa Hortman said Gottfried's win confirms that they'll be working under the power-sharing agreement they negotiated with House Republicans. 'Democrats have been ready to work in a bipartisan way for months,' Hortman said in a statement. 'It's time for our Republican colleagues to leave the partisan games behind and work with us to craft a budget for the people of Minnesota.' Demuth said it was always going to be an uphill battle for a Republican to win in the district. 'While the House will return to a 67-67 tie after tonight, House Republican priorities remain unchanged: we will continue our effort to stop the fraud, protect Minnesotans from harmful tax increases, and work with our Democrat colleagues to pass a responsible and balanced budget,' Demuth said in a statement. Ken Martin, a Minnesotan who chairs both the Democratic National Committee and the state party organization, congratulated Gottfried for what he called a 'crucial' victory for the party. Gottfried's win comes on the heels of special election victories earlier this year in Virginia and Iowa, and it shows that Americans are already rejecting Trump, the DNC said in a statement. 'Since November's election, Democrats continue to fight and win in communities across the country,' Martin said. Karnowski writes for the Associated Press.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrat wins special election, bringing Minnesota House to a tie
State Rep.-elect David Gottfried, who won a special election in House District 40B in the north metro area on March 11, 2025. Courtesy photo. Democrat David Gottfried decisively won a special election in the north metro area Tuesday night, bringing the Minnesota House to a 67-67 tie. The seat was empty because the winner of the November election, Democrat Curtis Johnson, was not a resident of the district, a judge ruled in December. 'The President is sowing chaos that is increasing the price of basic needs like food, energy and health care. It's never been more urgent that we work together in Saint Paul,' Gottfried said in a statement. After Gottfried is sworn in, likely on Monday, committees will be co-chaired by one Republican and one Democrat, with membership split evenly, except for a new anti-fraud committee that will remain under Republican control. Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, will remain in her position as the House speaker through 2026, under a power sharing agreement negotiated earlier this year. A bill requires 68 votes to pass in the House, so all bills will require some amount of bipartisan support to pass the chamber. Bills will also require bipartisan support to get a committee hearing, House DFL caucus leader Melissa Hortman said this week. Per a prior agreement, Republicans will retain their majority on the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee, which was formed to address the theft of hundreds of millions of public dollars in recent years. Lawmakers must pass a two-year budget by June 30 to avoid a government shutdown. Republicans, who have controlled committees during their temporary one-seat advantage, have just a few more days to hold hearings on their bills that have no DFL support. The one-seat advantage — though temporary — has paid dividends for Republicans, who secured the speakership and the permanent majority on the anti-fraud committee. And, they were able to get bills on the floor to push their political message, even if they had no chance of passage, like delaying the implementation of paid leave, overturning the duty to retreat, and banning transgender athletes from girls sports. While the seat was empty, Republicans considered using their one-vote advantage to block the seating of DFL Rep. Brad Tabke, who narrowly won his south metro election. Democrats held out from the legislative session for several weeks, preventing the chamber from reaching the number of present members required to conduct business. Democrats returned to the chamber in early February after reaching a deal with Republicans on the details of the power-sharing agreement. 'It was always going to be an uphill battle to win in a dark blue Democrat seat, but we look forward to having the House back at full strength,' Demuth said. 'I want to thank Paul Wikstrom for running an incredible race and ensuring that District 40B is represented by someone who actually resides in the community.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Boston Globe
12-03-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Democrat David Gottfried easily wins Minnesota House special election, restoring a 67-67 power split
Advertisement The parties reached a new power-sharing agreement in February that assumed Democrats would win the special election and restore the tie. Under the terms of the deal, Republican Lisa Demuth will remain House speaker for the next two years. Once Gottfried is sworn in, the two parties will have even strength on most committees, with cochairs who will take turns holding the gavel, except for an oversight committee that Republicans will control to investigate fraud in government programs. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Democrats hold a one-seat majority in the Minnesota Senate. Given the tie in the House, some degree of bipartisan cooperation will be required to get the 68 votes needed to pass the big budget measures to Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. Updated budget projections released last Thursday suggested difficult negotiations ahead. The projected surplus for the next two-year budget slipped to $456 million, while the projected deficit for the two years after that grew to $6 billion. Gottfried's 40-point margin of victory exceeded Johnson's 30-point win in November. Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried the district with 68% of the vote over President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee. Gottfried said his win is a victory for the voters in his district, who haven't been represented in the House since the session convened in January. 'The President is sowing chaos that is increasing the price of basic needs like food, energy, and healthcare,' Gottfried said in a statement. 'It's never been more urgent that we work together in Saint Paul to shield Minnesotans from the chaos, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and make a smart plan to protect our shared futures in Minnesota.' Advertisement House Democratic Caucus leader Melissa Hortman said Gottfried's win confirms that they'll be working under the power-sharing agreement they negotiated with House Republicans. 'Democrats have been ready to work in a bipartisan way for months,' Hortman said in a statement. 'It's time for our Republican colleagues to leave the partisan games behind and work with us to craft a budget for the people of Minnesota.' Demuth said it was always going to be an uphill battle for a Republican to win in the district. 'While the House will return to a 67-67 tie after tonight, House Republican priorities remain unchanged: we will continue our effort to stop the fraud, protect Minnesotans from harmful tax increases, and work with our Democrat colleagues to pass a responsible and balanced budget,' Demuth said in a statement. Ken Martin, a Minnesotan who chairs both the Democratic National Committee and the state party organization, congratulated Gottfried for what he called a 'crucial' victory for the party. Gottfried's win comes on the heels of special election victories earlier this year in Virginia and Iowa, and it shows that Americans are already rejecting President Donald Trump, the DNC said in a statement. 'Since November's election, Democrats continue to fight and win in communities across the country,' Martin said.
