A Small Voice: Conversations with photographers and filmmakers (complete member-only archive) | Podcast on RSS.com

A Small Voice: Conversations with photographers and filmmakers (complete member-only archive)

A Small Voice: Conversations with photographers and filmmakers (complete member-only archive)

by Ben Smith

Season 165

165 - Nick Hannes

Nick Hannes was born in Antwerp in 1974. Based in Ranst, Belgium, he graduated from the Royal Acadehis of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent in 1997 and for the next eight years worked as a photojournalist before quitting press assignments in 2006 to fully concentrate on his own documentary projects, most of which have a strong political and social component. His first trip was a year-long journey by bus and train through the former Soviet Union, which resulted in his first book. Red Journey (Lannoo Publishers, 2009). The book deals with the transitional phase in post-communist society and laid the foundation of Nick’s photographic approach in which irony, ambiguity and visual metaphors play prominent roles. In 2010 Nick started Mediterranean. The Continuity of Man., an epic project that involved twenty trips to twenty one Mediterranean countries over a four year period. Published in 2014 by Hannibal Publishers (Belgium), this series juxtaposes parallel realities and paradoxes of the Mediterranean region, focusing on various contemporary issues such as mass-tourism, urbanization, migration, conflict and crisis. Mediterranean. The Continuity of Man.was launched at the Museum of Photography (FoMu) in Antwerp in 2014, before travelling to several international photography festivals and museums. HIs third book, Garden Of Delight (Hannibal / Editions André Frère, 2018), showcases Dubai in the UAE as the ultimate playground of globalization and capitalism, and raises questions about authenticity and sustainability. This series was awarded the Magnum photography Award in 2017 and the Zeiss Photography Award in 2018. During the outbreak of Covid-19 in the spring of 2020 Nick started to photograph his family in lockdown and the resulting visual diary, An Unexpected Lesson In Joy, was his first self-published book. Nick has exhibited internationally and since 2008 has taught documentary photography at KASK/The School of Arts in Ghent. He is represented by Panos Pictures (London) and Black Eye Gallery (Sydney). On episode 165, Nick discusses, among other things: His lockdown project, An Unexpected Lesson In Joy. His photographic origin story. Early years in Kurdistan as an ‘activist with a camera’. His first book project Red Journey, documenting his travels in the former Soviet Union. How the project triggered his interest in urbanisation. Mediterranean. The Continuity of Man. The strangeness of Dubai, the most excessive example of market driven urban development. How he got access to shoot the images in Garden Of Delight How he manages to fund his trips. How being able to travel again post lockdown made him feel ‘reborn’. His next project focussing on new capital cities. Referenced: Mediterranean: Portrait of a Sea, Ernle Bradford The Capsular Civilisation: On The City in the Age of Fear, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieven_De_Cauter

232 - Photo London 2024 Special

Featuring: Lydia Goldblatt Website | Instagram Kamiar Maleki Website | Instagram Michelle Sank Website | Instagram Gered Mankowitz Website | Instagram Alys Tomlinson Website | Instagram | Mother Vera film Fariba Farshad Website | Instagram Charlotte Jansen Website | Instagram Andi Gáldi Vinkó Website | Instagram Anne-Marie Beckmann Website Renée Mussai Instagram Valérie Belin Website | Instagram Matt Stuart Website | Instagram Chloé Jafé Website | Instagram Photo London: Website | Instagram

231 - Fotografia Europea 2024 Special

Featuring: Silvia Rosi Website | Instagram Arko Datto Website | Instagram Yvonne Venegas Website | Instagram Tim Clark Marta Bogdanska Website | Instagram Michele Sibiloni Website | Instagram Referenced: Walter Guadagnini Luce Lebart Bruno Latour Timothy Morton Daisy Hildyard Festival: Website | Instagram / Collezione Maramotti: Website | Instagram

230 - Julia Kochetova

Julia Kochetova (b. 1993) is a Ukrainian photojournalist and documentary filmmaker based in Kyiv. Her work focuses on firsthand storytelling as a method, researching topics of the war generation, post-traumatic stress disorder, and feminism. Julia studied journalism at Taras Shevchenko National University (UA) and Mohyla School of Journalism (UA), alongside participating in IDFAcademy (NL). As a freelancer, Julia has covered the Maidan revolution (2013-2014), the annexation of Crimea (2014), and the Russia-Ukraine war (2014-now). She is a regular contributor to Der Spiegel, Vice News, Zeit, Bloomberg, The Guardian, amongst others. In 2023, Julia won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing News Coverage: Long Form with VICE News Tonight and in 2024, just a few weeks ago, was the global winner of the Open Format category in the World Press Photo awards for her multi-media project War Is Personal. In episode 230, Julia discusses, among other things: Viewing the war as a long-term project. Not choosing to be a war photoghrapher. Still photographs no longer ‘working’ - importance of text. How her WPP winning project was done ‘last minute’. Her love/hate relationship with Instagram. How all her plans changed in 2014 with the Maidan Revolution. Her documentary film project See You Later. What she means by ‘it’s about the photographs I haven’t taken’. A valuable lesson learned about behaving ethically. How war has deprived her of the capacity for joy. Referenced: Oleksandr Komiakhov Daria Kolomiec Website | Instagram “I’m really grateful that our story is being told by Ukrainian photographers, but it never was about career ambition. We Ukrainian storytellers were never in the position that we chose to become war photographers. I keep saying I’m not a war photographer. I’m photographing war because this is what’s happening in my country. I have zero wish to photograph any other wars. I’m doing this because this is my war. That’s the only accurate skill I have.”

229 - Michael Ackerman

Michael Ackerman was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1967. When he was seven years old his family emigrated to New York City, where he grew up and began photographing at the age of eighteen. Michael has exhibited internationally and published five books, including End Time City, by Robert Delpire, which won the Prix Nadar in 1999. His other books are Epilogue (Void, 2019) Half Life(Delpire, 2010) Fiction (Delpire, 2001) and Smoke (l'axolotl, 2023). His work is in the permanent collection of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Brooklyn Museum, and The Biliothèque National, France among others, as well as in many private collections. “In Michael Ackerman’s work, documentary and autobiography conspire with fiction, and all of the above dissolve into hallucination. His photography explores time and timelessness, personal history and the history of places, immediate family and love, with all it’s complexities and contradictions. “ Jem Cohen. Michael currently lives in Berlin and is represented by Galerie Camera Obscura, Paris, Spot Home Gallery, Naples and MC2 Gallery, Milan. In episode 229, Michael discusses, among other things: A little family history Why he put that info on his website Collating family photos on becoming a father Why he loves New York How he started photography there Being ‘very, very slow’ Why he uses cheap plastic cameras What he likes about photographing animals Mood Anders Petersen Longing being the human condition Photographing ‘life’ Text and context Transcending the facts while keeping a strong hold on a deeper truth His life in Berlin with an impossible ‘to do’ list Referenced: Teru Kuwayama Sylvia Plachy Lorenzo Castore Anders Petersen Robert Frank Masao Yamamoto Boris Mikhailov Jem Cohen Website | Instagram “For me photography is always a negotiation between confrontation and avoidance. And I think my pictures show that. I think my pictures are very intimate and they do get close to something and they are an attempt at getting close, but there’s also a lot of fear in them I see, because I know it in myself, and a lot of solitude.”

228 - Valerie Belin

A student at the École Beaux-arts de Versailles (1983–1985), and then at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Art de Bourges (1985-1988), French artist Valerie Belin obtained the French higher national diploma in visual expression in 1988 and also holds a diploma in advanced studies (DEA) in the philosophy of art from the Université de Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne (1989). Initially influenced by various minimalist and conceptual tendencies, Valérie became interested in the photographic medium in its own right; this is at once the subject of her work and her way of reflecting and creating. Light, matter and the “body” of things and beings in general, as well as their transformations and representations, constitute the terrain of her experiments and the world of her artistic ideas. Her work is articulated in photographic series, each one produced within the framework of a specific project. Valérie’s work has been exhibited around the world and is held in numerous public and private collections. Winner of the Prix Pictet in 2015 (Disorder), she was made an officer of France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2017. This same year, a touring exhibition was co-produced by the Three Shadows Photography Art Center in Beijing, the SCôP in Shanghai and the Chengdu Museum. In 2019, Valérie unveiled a major new series at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and this year, 2024, she has been named as Master of Photography at Photo London where she will have a major career retrospective. Valerie lives and works in Paris. In episode 228, Valerie discusses, among other things: Her father being an artist at heart The influence of a particular teacher The dual influence of American minimal art and Italian baroque art How she discovered photography and was inspired by a misogynistic teacher Not photographing people initially Presence and absence Why she chose bodybuilders as her first foray into shooting people The theme of beauty How women are ‘attacked’ by stereotypes AI being paradoxical to what she wants to show The importance of Photoshop to her practice Where the ideas come from Use of comic books Making a living Recent series’ ‘Heroes’ and ‘Lady Stardust’. Referenced: Carl Andre Robert Morris Tony Smith (sculptor) Richard Serra Website | Instagram “I think it’s still true to say I’m very close to my medium and to the hybridation, because if you think of it what is photography today when with the same camera you can make videos, you can make whatever you want? I think we are in a time when you always have a kind of superimposition in your mind, you have several channels on all the time in your mind and maybe my pictures are showing that way of thinking or way of living.”

227 - Linda Troeller

Linda Troeller’s art projects focus on self-portraits, women's and social issues. For 20 year she lived in the legendary Chelsea Hotel in New York City, curating an exhibition for the 125th Anniversary, “Chelsea Hotel Through the Eyes of Photographers”, and publishing a monograph of her own entitled Living in the Chelsea Hotel. Other publications include Healing Waters, The Erotic Lives of Women and her newest book of self-portraits taken over almost fifty years, Sex, Death, Transcendence, published earlier this year (2024) by TBW books. Linda was also the subject of a 2023 feature-length documentary film, also entitled Healing Waters, directed by Derek Johnson and Ali Scattergood. She has lectured at the School of Visual Arts, NYU, Parsons, Yale, Salzburg Summer Art Academy, New Orleans Photo Alliance, and Ryerson University, Toronto and was a professor of photography at Stockton College of New Jersey, Indiana University, and Bournemouth College, England. She has a MFA, School of Art, and MS, Newhouse School, Syracuse University and BS from Reed School of Journalism, West Virginia University. Linda lives in New York City and New Jersey. In episode 227, Linda discusses, among other things: Modelling on an Ansel Adams book making workshop The experience of being nude in front of strangers The spirit of the 60s in the 70s + women’s lib Healing waters Societies expectations of women and ageing Her book, The Erotic Lives of Women Living in the Chelsea Hotel for 20 years How Alexander MacQueen influenced her visual palette How she has earned a living over the years Her TB/Aids project Referenced: Lucien Clergue Eikoh Hosoe George Tice Judy Dater Imogen Cunningham Jack Welpott Robert Heinecken Lee Friedlander Melissa Shook Website | Instagram “You have to do some work to build up your self confidence, to be your most youness. ‘You’. Youness, herness, hisness, theirness, whatever it is that you wanna to be your most of you can make some strides by looking at yourself and understanding yourself. And if you want to do some more in your presentation you can. And you should.”

226 - Nicole Tung

Nicole Tung is a freelance photojournalist. She graduated from New York University, double majoring in history and journalism, and freelances for international publications and NGOs, working primarily in the Middle East and Asia. After covering the conflicts in Libya and Syria extensively from 2011, focusing on the plight of civilians, she spent 2014 documenting the lives of Native American war veterans in the US, as well as former child soldiers in the DR Congo, the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, and the refugee crisis in Europe. She is also a grantee of the IWMF Grant for Women’s Stories, and a fellow of the IWMF Great Lakes Reporting Initiative (D.R. Congo, Central African Republic). She has received multiple awards for her work from the International Photo Awards, Society of Professional Journalists, PX3, and was named PDN's 30 Under 30 Emerging Photographers (2013), among others. Nicole was given the honorable mention for the IWMF 2017 Anja Niedringhaus Awards, and awarded the 2018 James Foley Award for Conflict Reporting from the Online News Association. Her work has been exhibited + screened at the Annenberg Space for Photography, Tropenmuseum Amsterdam, Visa Pour l'Image, and most recently at the Bayeux Calvados-Normandy award for war correspondents in France (2019), with Save the Children in Hong Kong (2019), and at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong (2020). Nicole has also given keynote speeches and contributed to panels on photojournalism and journalist safety, at events including the International Journalism Festival (Perugia, 2019), TEDx in Sweden, the Adobe Make It Conference in Sydney, and Creative Mornings at the National Geographic Auditorium in Washington D.C., among others. She served on the board of the Frontline Freelance Register (2015) and is has undergone HEFAT training with Reporters Instructed in Saving Colleagues (RISC) and Global Journalist Security. She is based in Istanbul, Turkey. In episode 226, Nicole discusses, among other things: Notable differences between the war in Ukraine and previous conflicts she has covered The modern use of drones in warfare Stories she has covered in Ukraine The way she works with publications Managing and thinking about risk The question of whether journalists in conflict zones are more likely to be targeted now than in the past Reactions to her from ordinary people in conflicts The question of whether photojournalism is an ‘important’ job The impacts of social media both negative and positive Approaching photojournalistic stories in a different way Potential ways to earn a living other than from commissions Referenced: Chris Hondros Tim Hetherington Marie Colvin Remi Ochlick James Foley Website | Instagram “If you don’t become trappe

225 - Mitch Epstein

Mitch Epstein helped pioneer fine-art color photography in the 1970s. His photographs are in numerous major museum collections, including New York's Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Whitney Museum of American Art; The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and the Tate Modern in London. In October 2024, Gallerie d’Italia in Turin, Italy will present a major multi-media exhibition of Mitch’s project, Old Growth; and in September 2024, Old Growth will be shown in NYC at Yancey Richardson Gallery. Mitch’s Indian photographs and films (Salaam Bombay! and India Cabaret) were exhibited in 2022 at Les Rencontres d'Arles festival in France. Mitch has had numerous other major solo exhibitions in the USA and worldwide. Mitch’s seventeen books, all published by Steidl Verlag, include Recreation (2022); Property Rights(2021); In India (2021); Rocks and Clouds (2017); New York Arbor (2013); Berlin (Steidl/The American Academy in Berlin 2011); American Power (2009); and Family Business (2003), which was winner of the 2004 Kraszna-Krausz Photography Book Award. In 2020, Mitch was inducted into the National Academy of Design. In 2011, he won the Prix Pictet for American Power. Among his other awards are the Berlin Prize in Arts and Letters from the American Academy in Berlin (2008), and a Guggenheim Fellowship (2003). Mitch has worked as a director, cinematographer, and production designer on several films, including Dad, Mississippi Masala, and Salaam Bombay!. He lives with his family in New York City. In episode 225, Mitch discusses, among other things: New York John Szarkowski at MOMA Editing India Garry Winogrand and his influence Going to LA in ‘74 Working on the films of his then wife Mira Nair Trial and error Family Business American Power Old Growth Referenced: John Szarkowski Eugene Atget Diane Arbus William Eggleston Todd Papageorge Raghubir Singh Jonas Mekas Hollis Frampton Website | Instagram “Through disorientation, through not knowing, through being uncomfortable, things happen. And I think some of the most important periods for me in my life as an artist have been those periods where I have ultimately not known what I was doing or where I was going next. Now I’m a little bit better at just listening to the signals that come along, even though they may not give me the full-fledged answer they’ll just point in a direction. And I’m a little bit more patient with the process.”

224 - Edward Burtynsky

Edward Burtynsky is regarded as one of the world's most accomplished contemporary photographers. His remarkable photographic depictions of global industrial landscapes represent over 40 years of his dedication to bearing witness to the impact of human industry on the planet. Edward's photographs are included in the collections of over 80 major museums around the world, including the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa; the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York; the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid; the Tate Modern in London, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California. Edward was born in 1955 of Ukrainian heritage in St. Catharines, Ontario. He received his BAA in Photography/Media Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) in 1982, and has since received both an Alumni Achievement Award (2004) and an Honorary Doctorate (2007) from his alma mater. He is still actively involved in the university community, and sits on the board of directors for The Image Centre (formerly Ryerson Image Centre). In 1985, Edward founded Toronto Image Works, a darkroom rental facility, custom photo laboratory, digital imaging, and new media computer-training centre catering to all levels of Toronto's art community. Early exposure to the General Motors plant and watching ships go by in the Welland Canal in Edward’s hometown helped capture his imagination for the scale of human creation, and to formulate the development of his photographic work. His imagery explores the collective impact we as a species are having on the surface of the planet — an inspection of the human systems we've imposed onto natural landscapes. Exhibitions include: Anthropocene (2018) at the Art Gallery of Ontario and National Gallery of Canada(international touring exhibition); Water (2013) at the New Orleans Museum of Art and Contemporary Art Center in Louisiana (international touring exhibition); Oil (2009) at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. (five-year international touring show), China (toured internationally from 2005 - 2008); Manufactured Landscapes at the National Gallery of Canada (toured from 2003 - 2005); and Breaking Ground produced by the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography (toured from 1988 - 1992). Edward's visually compelling works are currently being exhibited in solo and group exhibitions around the globe, including at London’s Saatchi Gallery where his largest solo exhibition to-date, entitled Extraction/Abstraction, is currently on show until 6th May 2024. Edward’s distinctions include the inaugural TED Prize (which he shared with Bono and Robert Fischell), the title of Officer of the Order of Canada, and the International Center of Photography’s Infinity Award for Art. In 2018 Edward was named Photo London's Master of Photography and the Mosaic Institute's Peace Patron. In 2019 he was the recipient of the Arts & Letters Award at the Canadian Association of New York’s annual Maple Leaf Ball and the 2019 Lucie Award for Achievement in Documentary Photography. In 2020 he was awarded a Royal Photographic Society Honorary Fellowship and in 2022 was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award by the World Photography Organization.

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