WHO? I was born 1960 in Münster, a sedate City in Westphalia Germany. My Parents owned a string of pharmacies and as the eldest child I was expected to take over the family business, but being the only punk in town, a disaster at school and later at business school, my doomed education didn’t bode well for my Father, who later took out large loans against the family home and business before abandoning the lot, including my mother, and leaving her with huge debts. The family lost everything. By this time, I had gone to New York where I was living in a former dance school with artists in Harlem 125th and Lexington, the exact spot where Lou Reed waited for his man.
“Selected Writings”, a new book by Richard Kalvar
“For over half a century I’ve been photographing humans and things that seem to look or act like them: dogs, bears, birds, trees… I’ve been particularly drawn to conversations and other attempts, not always successful, at spoken communication. But another form of human communication has always been lurking in the background for me, the written word, expressed on public signs, graffiti, gravestones or t-shirts. I have put my images of them together, and am pleased to offer you my Selected Writings.”
Interview with Gaspard Claude
WHO? My name is Gaspard Claude and I live in Paris, in a small maid’s room under the roof facing the Arc de Triomphe, in the 16th arrondissement of the capital. After studying journalism and political science, I became passionate about street photography from an artistic point of view : a useful practice to observe and question the society that surrounds us ; discreetly, and without disturbing it. I decided four years ago to become a freelance journalist/editor in order to work from home with my computer, and be able to devote time to photography every day. My daily life is organized to make this photographic practice possible.
Interview with Ben Dowling
WHO? Hi, I’m Ben Dowling from Melbourne, Australia. I found photography through many years of skateboarding and being around a lot of creative friends, whether they were photographers, painters, designers, etc… that also skated. I dabbled here and there in photography and when everything started to hurt too much, I turned to the camera more and more as an outlet. And then one obsession just fell into another. It was a natural progression.
“Reclaim the Street”, a new book by Matt Stuart and Stephen McLaren
Co-authored by Matt Stuart and Stephen McLaren, Reclaim the Street : Street Photography’s Moment showcases work from more than one hundred contemporary photographers, from the established to the emerging, from all corners of the globe.To be published in May 2023 by Thames & Hudson. Cover image by Shin Noguchi.
Bouwe Brouwer Joins UP!
We are very pleased to welcome our newest member, Bouwe Brouwer.
Interview with Chris Harrison
WHO? I’m Chris Harrison from Brighton, UK. In the summer of 1987 I opened a magazine and saw Elliot Erwitt’s ‘Great Dane Legs, Boots and Chihuahua’ for the first time. I was mesmerised. Shortly after that my mum bought me a second hand 35mm camera (thank you Mum), and I went to art college to study graphic design and photography.
Interview with Mike T Walker
WHO? I grew up during the 90s in Livingston, one of Scotland’s “new towns”. Imagine roundabouts, cul-de-sacs and council underfunding. We usually had to make our own fun, so at some point I taught myself how to use a camera—I’ve carried one ever since.
Zodiac
Curated by Éléonore Simon
Interview with Fred Mortagne
WHO? I am Fred Mortagne, 47, I work and live in Lyon, France. People also call French Fred, although I’m not your typical nor classical french guy. I don’t eat meat, I don’t smoke cigarettes, but yeah I drink coffee.