The Messy Truth - Conversations on Photography

Antuwan Sargent is an art critic, writer and curator. He has contributed to The New York Times, The New Yorker, and more, as well as essays to multiple museum publications. His first book, “The New Black Vanguard: Photography between Art and Fashion” (Aperture) is out now. In the book, Antwaun addresses a radical transformation taking place in fashion and art today. The presentation of black figures and black runway and cover models in the media and art has been one marker of increasingly inclusive fashion and art communities. More critically, however, the contemporary visual vocabulary around and the body has been with new vitality and substance thanks to an increase in powerful images authored by an international community of black photographers.

Antuwan Sargent talks to Gem Fletcher about representation, the shifting photographic landscape and how young artists are rejecting broken systems to create exciting new modalities for photography.

@sirsargent

Recorded in London, UK

Edited by John Webb

Music by Judd Greenstein – Change from Awake

Design by Ruby Wight

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Michelle Groskopf is a street and editorial photographer based in Los Angeles. Her street photography has been exhibited around the world, including Korea, London, NY and LA, and has been featured in the New Yorker’s photo booth, Creative Review, Lenscratch, The British Journal of Photography, Ain’t Bad and more.

Her client list includes The NY Times, Apple, New York Magazine, California Sunday, Wired, GQ, Bloomberg Businessweek and Refinery29.

Michelle Groskopf talks to Gem Fletcher about vulnerability, taking risks, the new wave of street photographers and how she navigates the challenges of editorial work.

https://mgroskopf.com/

@michellegroskopf

Recorded in London, UK

Edited by John Webb

Music by Judd Greenstein – Change from Awake

Design by Ruby Wight

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kimberly Drew is a writer, curator, and activist. She received her B.A. Smith College in Art History and African-American Studies. She first experienced the art world as an intern in the Director’s Office of The Studio Museum in Harlem. Her time at the Studio Museum inspired her to start the Tumblr blog Black Contemporary Art, sparking her interest in social media. Her writing has appeared in Vogue, Glamour, W, Teen Vogue, and Lenny Letter and she has executed Instagram takeovers for Prada, The White House, and Instagram. Drew recently left her role as the Social Media Manager at The Met after growing their audience by six million followers. In 2020 she is launching her much anticipated book Black Futures, created in collaboration with Jenna Wortham. Black Futures a collection of work - art, photos, essays, memes, dialogues, recipes, tweets, poetry, and more that tells the story of the radical, imaginative, bold, and beautiful world that black artists, high and low, are producing today.

Kimberly Drew talks to Gem Fletcher about social media, the art world and how accessibility should be a priority for everyone.

@museummammy

Recorded in London, UK

Edited by John Webb

Music by Judd Greenstein – Change from Awake

Design by Ruby Wight

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prarthna Singh's work explores female identity in contemporary India, within the intersection of gender and nation. Particularly drawn to stories that stand at the conflux of radical vulnerability and power; her images highlight India’s transition and contrast while exploring a dual dichotomy between feminine identity and strength. These female narratives are constructed within India’s own traditions, poised between fragility and abundance. After completing her BFA in photography from the Rhode Island School of Design, Prarthna lived and worked in New York. Returning to India was a deliberate decision; she is currently based out of Bombay.

Prarthna Singh's talks to Gem Fletcher about the significance of location and it’s direct impact on opportunity. They discuss how to thrive outside the main commissioning hubs. 

www.prarthnasingh.com

@peeezers

Recorded in London, UK

Edited by John Webb

Music by Judd Greenstein – Change from Awake

Design by Ruby Wight

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlotte Jansen is a British Sri Lankan author and arts and culture journalist. Since 2015, she has held the position of Editor-at-Large at Elephant magazine. She has written for The Guardian, The Financial Times, ELLE UK, Vice, The British Journal of Photography and Wallpaper*, among others. In 2017, she published her first book, Girl on Girl: Art and Photography in the Age of the Female Gaze. The critically-acclaimed publication will be released as a paperback edition in Autumn 2019. She is also a contributing author on the painter Lucy Jones (Elephant Publishing, May 2019) and the artist Mary McCartney (Paris Nude, Heni, February 2019).

Charlotte Jansen talks to Gem Fletcher about the rise of female led visual culture, gaze and how photographers engage and document communities.

https://elephant.art/author/charlotte-jansen/

@omfgnoway 

References

Girl Girl Book

Recorded in London, UK

Edited by John Webb

Special thanks to Siddall

Music by Judd Greenstein – Change from Awake

Design by Ruby Wight

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Alys Tomlinson grew up in Brighton, UK and studied photography at Central Saint Martins. She recently completed an MA in Anthropology at SOAS, University of London. Her projects are often research-led and she is most interested in the relationship between people and place, exploring themes of environment, belonging and identity.

Her major body of work ‘Ex-Voto’ (2016-2018) explores Christian pilgrimage sites in Lourdes (France), Ballyvourney (Ireland) and Grabarka (Poland). Often placed anonymously and hidden from view, ex-voto are left by pilgrims as expressions of hope and gratitude, creating a tangible narrative between faith, person and the landscape.The project images encompass formal portraiture, large format landscape and small, detailed still-life shots of the objects and markers left behind. Shot on 5×4, large format film, the images evoke a distinct stillness and reflect the mysterious, timeless quality present at these sites of great spiritual contemplation.

Gem Fletcher chats to Alys Tomlinson about Ex Voto, the project that was a catalyst for growth, visibility and success for the photographer in last two years. They also discuss the complex subject of industry awards exploring their value and strategies on how to best approach them.

“The Sony award changed my life. It gave me a platform for global exposure, accelerating my career for the foreseeable future.”

www.alystomlinson.co.uk

@alystomlinson

References

Lourdes Film

Ex Voto book

Gost

HackelBury Fine Art Gallery

Sony Awards

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After eight years in London including a five-year stint at M&C Saatchi and time with Anomaly, Lydia Pang moved to New York and now works as a Creative Director for Refinery29. She defines herself as a Frankenstein Creative, born out of an international outlook and the changing industry - the job she has created for herself is made up of many roles. She has made it her mission to support new voices and given many photographers their first big job. She’s an advocate for constant learning, discovery and evolution no matter where you are in your career and she lives and breathes this ethos herself.

“It’s privilege to make work. Holding ourselves, and the community more responsible is really important. Don’t fear the change. There’s never been a more exciting time to make creative work. Images are a platform for real world change and business know that. This is our time.”

Lydia Pang and Gem Fletcher explore the crucial role commissioner’s play in how the future of the industry and visual culture is being shaped. They discuss the importance of responsibility in image making, telling authentic stories and how to survive and thrive in this ever-changing industry.

www.lydiapang.com

@lydia_pang_

References

Refinery29

@refinery29

#THISDOESNTMEANYES

#MOREWOMEN

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Jack Davison studied English Literature at Warwick University but spent most of the time experimenting with cameras. Since the age of 14 he has continuously photographed those around him. He lives in London and works for numerous publications including New York Times Magazine, M Le Monde, Luncheon, Double & British Vogue, but spends most of his time shooting for his on-going personal work. He had his first solo exhibition, Revisiting Pictures, at the Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam in 2016.

Agnes Lloyd-Platt is a fashion and beauty photographer and her work is characterised by positivity, colour, character and a graphic sensibility. Touching on these inspirations, Agnes embraces playfulness in her work and believes fashion photography should be uplifting and inclusive - “There are enough terrible things in the world for us to see. If you look at fashion imagery, it should be good to look at, and make you feel good.” Agnes applies her singular aesthetic to assignments for titles such as British Vogue, Modern Weekly China, Time Magazine, Twin Magazine & W Magazine. 

Jack and Aggy talk to Gem Fletcher about feedback, support systems, social media and how they make, shape and share their work.

www.jackdavison.co.uk

@jackdavisonphoto

www.agneslloydplatt.com

@agnesvita

References

Photographs by Jack Davison

Double Take for Twin Magazine by Agnes Lloyd Platt

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Campbell Addy is a London based photographer & filmmaker. His work is narrative and emotional in nature, with a focus on a unique casting and under-represented faces. In addition to his photographic and directorial career Campbell has launched Nii Journal, a biannual arts and culture publication as well as Nii Agency, a modelling agency dedicated to representing interesting faces and celebrating diversity.

"I think my generation struggles because no one posts their fails. It’s vital to keep your head in the game, keep your blinders on and stay focused."

Campbell Addy talks to Gem Fletcher about his creative output, vision and mental health.

campbelladdy.com

@campbelladdy

Nii Agency

Nii Journal

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 American Photographer Alexander Coggin has an extraordinary eye for the unusual, the unexpected and the unlikely. A trained actor, his theatrical education influences his image-making – championing character and blurring the space between perception and reality. 

“We all have within us the capability to make work that is very specific to our value systems, our upbringing, our visual references, our interests and desires, and if you really pay attention to yourself, you will make work that looks like nobody else’s.”

Alexander Coggin talks to Gem Fletcher about his autodidactic pathway to photography and the importance of authorship.

alexandercoggin.com

@alexandercoggin

References

Charlie Kwai

Michelle Groskopf

Alice Mann

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