New Art Site

This is my new site. It's in the works.

http://sophia.smith.edu/~jlhender/

Awake and Dreaming

Immediately, my world became a different place.  I was in a sterile space. My vision was blurred. All things were pale and swimming. Touches of blue and green danced in and out of my room. My body yielded pale beige and blood red. I went in and out of sleeping and waking life. But, I was in a dream the whole while. He dream was interrupted in short flashes by “reality.” There were stark awakenings: moments of sharp pain, needles and tubes being forced into and pulled from my body.  My vessel, mostly nude, sometimes draped, was open for all whom collected a paycheck from the hospital. My mind was floating and my body was exposed inside and out. While hospital staff were examining, monitoring and photographing the insides of me, I chose to capture the outside as I was experiencing it.  The outside as a distorted reality. 

Interview With Anne Wilkes Tucker Of MFAH

Anne Wilkes Tucker has been the head curator of photography at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston since 1976. She is solely responsible for the photographic collection at the MFAH, as it was next to non-existent when she joined the museum in '76.  In 2001, Time Magazine honored Tucker as "America's Best Curator."

I was honored that she offered me a bit of her time to answer a few questions. 

_________________________________________________________

Q: Do you have a favorite photographer? If so, who? And what attracts you to her or his work?

A: I have done more with Robert Frank’s work than any other photographer. But, I’ve also done years of research on the Photo League (New York, 1936-1951).  The thread in the photographers to whom I am committee is their passion and sense of urgency in communicating their vision of the world or at least of the world as they experience it.

Q: At what point in your life or education did you realize photography was it for you?

A: I first was a photographer in college where I was majoring in art history. I later got a second undergraduate degree (an AAS degree – 2 year but done in 1 year) as a photographer before getting an MFA as a photo historian.  That has been my focus since then.  I’ve been a curator at the museum since 1976.

Q: What are some important questions you feel you should be left with after viewing a photograph or a body of work?

A: When I look at a photograph I ask, 'what does the photographer expect me to see' and 'what do they expect me to feel?'  Also, are their decisions of craft appropriate to what they are seeking to convey?

Q: What do you look for when choosing a photo for MFAH?

A: Do I remember it days, even weeks, after I have seen it?  Does it disturb or provoke or pleasure me?  Are the ideas and images fresh?  Is there a coherent body of work? Are there coherent bodies of work preceding this one?

Q: What projects are you working on at the moment, whether with or aside from MFAH?

A: The two most demanding projects are a history of conflict photography and a book on the museum’s collection of photography?

 _______________________________________________________

The last time I was in Houston, I attended an opening at Spacetaker (at Winter Street Studios) and an opening at a downtown shoe store that had been converted to a gallery for the evening. Houston seems to have an ever-growing variety of spaces being created and used to show photography.

Q: How would you describe the role of the gallery in Houston?

A: There are two non-profit galleries specifically for photography (outside the museums), which are Houston Center for Photography and the FotoFest gallery.  There are several commercial galleries devoted to photography: Cleary Gallery and De Santos.  Many of the art galleries also represent photographers.  These galleries present contemporary photography and keep all of us informed about what is happening in various ways.

Q: Would you say there is a need for or oversaturation of gallery space in Houston?

A: Certainly not an oversaturation compared to NY, San Francisco, LA, etc

_________________________________________________________

In 2003, you were quoted by Texas Monthly:

"When I wrote The Woman's Eye in 1973, very few women photographers were accepted in the elite of the field. That is no longer true. Photography has also had many important women as photo historians and curators. Nancy Newhall, Alison Gernsheim, Giselle Freund, and Grace Mayer were some of the important early women historians. I knew Nancy Newhall and Grace Mayer and admired both very much."

Q: How do you see the role for women in photography today? Has it changed since 2003?

A: Well women are the senior curators at SFMoMA, National Gallery, Los Angeles Museum of Art, Center for Creative for Photography,  and Houston MFAH.  Three women curators are directing the program at NYC MoMA while the director of the photography department is on sabbatical.  That is a big switch. Women are holding positions of major photo editors at magazines, directors of art galleries, etc.

Q: Is there a strong presence of women photographers, curators or photo historians in Houston?  If so, are there any individuals or groups I should look into?

A: Bevin Berring is director of HCP. Wendy Watriss is co-director of FotoFest.

__________________________________________________________

I really appreciate the Eye On Third Ward collaboration between MFAH and Yates High School.  I lived in Third Ward for 10 years before returning to college and I am very interested in community involvement through the arts. Inspired by this project and projects like Project Row House, it is my dream to create a not-for-profit community dark room, studio and gallery that will offer exposure of and access to photography in an areas of Houston that do not have the resources to explore this art form.

Q: In your opinion, is there a needed space for this type of project in Houston? Do you know of any similar projects? Other than Eye On Third Ward, does MFAH do much work with community centers/not-for-profits to increase access to photography, specifically?

A: Besides what the above-mentioned galleries (profit and non-profit offer) The closest would be Project Row Houses which offers 3 month shows to artists.  I don’t know if Michele Barnes still has her gallery.  There is MECA for Latino artists.  There is always a need for artists to have venues for their work.  Diverse Works and Lawndale are others. Time and money are problems.

Broken

I was recently hospitalized for a few days after sustaining a spinal injury. I have been working with nudity, space and privacy in my photos a lot lately.  This was an interesting experience, because it gave me a chance to explore my own feelings toward nudity.  I have been working a lot to figure out a way to take sexuality and seduction out of my nude photos. When I was lying in the hospital being examined and feeling very vulnerable, I found my space where there was nothing sensual about nudity. My body was broken, so I decided to capture images of my own naked body in it's most broken state and the sterile space it inhabited. 

                            

Fantasy

An intangible look at people and space.

or...

Photo Journal - Shadows and Limbs

Peter Beste Interview

All images in this post are by Peter Beste.

Peter Beste is nothing short of a celebrity in Houston and he is well known around the world. If you are interested in photography, ThirdCoast Rap or Norwegian Black Metal, the odds are good you’ve seen his work, even if you don’t know his name. He’s shot in Houston’s 5^th and 3^rd Wards, documenting many Houston Rappers, Texas truckers and local after-hour spots. He’s also done some really interesting work in Norway, documenting the Black Metal culture. 

About a week ago, I had the pleasure of having a relaxed conversation with PB.  It was meant to be an interview, but his relaxed nature and openness made it feel more like a conversation with an old friend.

Me

Are you from Brooklyn originally?

PB

I've been here about 10 years. I'm from Texas!  I grew up in Houston and went to college in Austin.

Me

That explains the greatness. What did you go to college for?

PB

Photography.  At St. Edwards university. I love St. Ed's.

Me

How was their Art Dept?

PB

The Art Dept was pretty minimal when I was there, but the Photocommunications Dept (which is what they call it) is great. Really good professors.

Me

So, did you listen to a lot of rap/hip hop growing up?

PB

I went through periods of being into rap. I was really into the Geto boys and Ganksta NIP when they broke in 91.  And I was into some commercial rap. But my music tastes are all over the place.

Me

And Norwegian metal?

PB

I come from a punk rock/hardcore background. I was into metal also as a kid, but not norwegian black metal. I didn't get into that till college.

Me

Is that what made you choose to shoot it? Or was there an aesthetic appeal ... or both?

PB

Both. I have strong childhood connections to the imagery and culture of rap and metal. Both seemed like perfect projects to me because I could photograph these reclusive individuals that fascinated me. For Norway, I was into the connection between black metal and ancient Norse Pagan religions. It kept me interested much longer because it had real cultural relevance. Houston is similar because I think that what has been going on in South Park, 3rd and 5th Wards in the last 25 years is very important and needs to be documented. Too bad I didn't start until 2004.

Me

Better late than never.

PB

I am sorry I missed out on 4th Ward. I got the idea for the Houston project in 2001 but didn't start till 04. I did a couple shoots in 4th ward before it was completely gentrified.

Me

So my next question was ... Do you think there was a moment in your childhood or adolescence when you saw an image or aesthetic that molded your work today? But you answered that. So, is there a specific image you can recall?

PB

Definitely. The artwork of many of these metal, rap records (as well as other genres) helped shape my aesthetic. That mixed in with various photographers I became interested in during college.

Me

Like who?

PB

As far as Houston goes, the artwork of Geto Boys, Point Blank, and Ganksta NIP really intrigued me. I love the aesthetic of early Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, Slayer, and many of the early Norwegian bands like Mayhem, Darkthrone and Burzum.

I think it's a subconscious connection. I just try to get to know my subjects as much as I can and get honest and realistic portraits of them in their environments, mixed in with some over the top or posed shots.

Me

What kind of camera/ what format did you use to shoot Houston Rappers? Same question for the Black Metal.

PB

35mm film Canon + Mamiya 645 Medium format + Canon 5D mark 2. For both.

Me

Okay ... That's interesting.  I fell in love with the 4x5 about a month ago.  Now I have a backache all the time. Do you ever shoot large format?

PB

Haha. 4x5 is beautiful, but I choose more portable formats because of the nature of my work and having to usually move quickly. Digital is getting better and better. Not that it can ever compare with 4x5.

Me

So, back to your comment about the posed shots.  How does it work being an outsider coming into a foreign culture or subculture? How do you go about telling Ganksta NIP how to pose?

PB

It takes a bit of time to get accepted, but with Houston and Norway, it was a very natural process of getting to know the people and not play the role of a journalist.

There was a short discussion here about Twitter avis. I asked if @therealdevin420’s avi was one of PB’s photos. Turns out it’s the work of another Houston photographer, Mike Frost.

PB

Scarface uses one of my photos for his twitter

Me

Yeah I saw that. I think I saw that that image was used in publications.

PB

The Scarface pic is from XXL.

Me

Oh okay. But the Houston Rappers stuff was for Vice, correct?

PB

No, it was for me. Vice published a few of the images in their photo issue. But, I've never worked for them. They published the black metal book and I co-produced 2 videos for VBS, but that's it.

Me

So, that's another thing I was curious about ... how did Vice discover you? Same for XXL. Did you pitch to them, or did they come to you?

PB

I come up with my projects myself and fund them myself until I can get help or find jobs related to the topic. I do that so I can have control and not have anyone breathing down my neck. I showed my portfolio to vice in 2003 or so and got a few magazine shooting jobs. After I had been shooting the black metal stuff for 6 years I pitched the book idea to them in 2007. Same for XXL - I reached out to them

Me

I am really curious about how photographers get jobs, quite frankly. I am graduating in May. Stuff I should know.

PB

It's not easy. You've gotta hustle. And I kind of hate doing that, but it's part of the biz. That's why a good web presence is important, but that's obvious. The key is to shoot as much as possible for yourself and only publish the good stuff. When your portfolio is ready  you can show it to you whoever you want.

Me

Tell me a bit about the Chemtrails and Sedona skies. Is that your most recent work?

PB

Yes, both works in progress. I am working on a project documenting UFO culture. I went to a UFO convention in phoenix a few weeks ago and spent a day in Sedona. I fell in love with the town and took lots of photos. I'm trying to get back there soon to take more. Since November I've been paying attention to the chemtrail phenomenon and photographing it whenever possible. It's a work in progress, but I plan to continue it for at least another year and then try to do a book. It's my first attempt at a landscape project.

Me

Did you also use a mix of formats for those? I noticed some were 35mm.

PB

A couple were 35mm.  I do mostly digital but when I was in AZ. I shot some medium format as well. I love my Mamiya!

Me

I was wondering if there was some shift you were aware of or if it was just a natural progression into something different?

PB

Just a natural progression. I don't want to be a music photographer. There are so many more things I want to explore. And I'm sick of "scenes." I've been part of too many in my life.

Me

You did a lot of outdoors stuff already. It was like it was bubbling under the surface the whole time.

PB

I see that as a natural progression also. I just need to get these books out!

Me

I really enjoyed Truckers, too. The image of the tattoos and the dirty nails is so interesting.

PB

That was a project while I was in college.

Me

So, you've done one book?

PB

Two actually. A Japanese design company approached me in 2005 about publishing the black metal work. It was only a work in progress at the time, but they published an edition of 3000 of a beautifully packaged book.

Me

Oh wow. So, two books at 32. An amazing portfoilio of work. That's really admirable.

Do you stay in contact with most of the people you shoot?

PB

Some of them. I'm still pretty tight with a few guys in Norway and several guys in Houston. I'm very attached to both places. So, I'm sure I will continue to visit them for years to come.

Me

Last question.  Are there any artists that you would suggest or any Houston photographers I should keep an eye out for?

PB

Mike Frost. He shot Paul Wall's album covers and many more. His website is www.slfemp.com.

We finished the conversation reminiscing about LoneStar beer and all things Houston.  PB talked about possibly making a trip to Houston this summer. If he does, you better believe yours truly will be wrangling him into a shoot and more discussion about his work and the biz.  Stay tuned for that. 

To see Peter's work, visit his site. www.peterbeste.com

Pale

Girl In Space

Vacancy

Photo Journal - Rainy Night

Listen to this while you peruse these photos. 

Mona Kuhn, Reflection and Blur

Along with my Uta Barth blur fascination, I've been looking at a lot of Mona Kuhn. I did an impromptu shoot this evening. And this is what I came up with.