Jonathan Blaustin Interview

AH = Andrew Hooper
JB = Jonathan Blaustin


AH - How did you become interested in photography
JB - I grabbed a camera before embarking on a big road trip across the US. The rest is history.

AH - Are you a modernist or a postmodernist
JB - I incorporate ideas from both Modernism and Post-Modernism, but don't think that either philosophy
is particularly relevant anymore. I think it's time for a new name for our techno-globalized, interconnected 21st C world. Right
now, I'd go with Post-human.

AH - Was there a Marxist element to your project or was it just a dislike of cheap food
JB - Neither. Definitely not Marxist, as I read the man's work in college, and don't particularly agree with his ideas. And while I admit that I don't like cheap, nasty fast food, I do understand that some people can't afford healthy calories and still feed their family.

AH - Do you think the simplicity of your photos makes portraits your subject matter better
JB - Yes.

AH - How important is the idea of class in your work
JB - Somewhat important, particularly as class is an under-discussed subject in the US.

AH - Do you support a more localised idea about food production (i.e. buying food that was grown locally)
JB - Absolutely. It's a great system on many levels.

AH - Was the look of your work more about function than aesthetic style or beauty
JB - Both. It served both conceptual and aesthetic purposes.

AH - Was it hard to get the project displayed/exhibited
JB - Not really. The photos debuted in a museum, then went to a gallery, and blew up on the Internet the following year. Securing gallery relationships can be tricky, but just getting photos up on a wall is kind of easy, I've found. When in doubt, DIY.

Herefordshire

I've entered the Herefordshire fringe competition, open here. The top prize for the competition is £2000 plus the opportunity to undertake a socially engaging project within Herefordshire.
I sent in five pictures from my documentary project I did about stone house. All the photos were of rubbish that people had left in the area. They show a grim but beautiful portrayal of a mostly suburban area, revealing things about the choices that we make every day and what they tell about us.