Growing up in Long Island, photographer Chris Maggio's experience of New York City was limited to Midtown Manhattan, a tourist destination embodied by the outsider clichés one might expect. It was filled with crowds, sweat, billboards, Broadway shows, double-decker busses and more crowds. In the summer especially, the urban landscape largely untouched by actual New York City residents (except those who work in the neighborhood) resounded as a chaotic smattering of red-faced human sardines.
Settling in Brooklyn in recent years, Maggio channeled these visions into an uncomfortable, yet humorous series appropriately titled Hot As Hell in Midtown, making photographs "celebrating the end of a scorching summer in NYC" last year. Children paint their foreheads with melting ice cream cones, the sun beams down in apocalyptic crimson hues, people resemble the walking dead, their expressions falling somewhere between a vapid gaze and knowing smirk. I spoke with the Maggio to learn more about this work, and his larger commercial and personal practice.
Interview by Jon Feinstein
Rebecca Solnit has become one of the most influential writers, historians, and activists of the past decade. Her 2014 collection of essays Men Explain Things To Me undoubtedly influenced the popular use of the term "mansplaining," and A Field Guide to Getting Lost and numerous other writings have received ongoing acclaim and feel increasingly relevant in today's tense political climate.
Beyond her literary and political influence, Solnit's writings have made a mark in the photography community, with photographers, educators, curators, and critics alike citing her influence. On the heels of Solnit's recent publication, The Mother of All Questions, we contacted some of our favorite photographers and other pillars of the photography community to learn how Solnit has impacted their work and ideas about the nature of "seeing." Many have included some of their favorite Solnit quotes as well.
In 2008, after participating in a panel discussion for the biennial exhibition 31 Women in Art Photography at Brooklyn's now defunct 3rd Ward, photographers Amy Elkins and Cara Phillips created Women in Photography. The project aimed to provide exhibition and grant opportunities for female photographers outside of the traditional structure of the commercial, often male dominated art world. They collaborated with a range of curators and institutions including The Aperture Foundation, LACMA, MoCP, Leslie Tonkonow, Lightwork, P.P.O.W Gallery, and LTI/Lightside, and were at one point closely integrated into Humble Arts Foundation's programing. After taking a hiatus for a few years in 2013, Elkins and Phillips have returned, alongside curator Megan Charland, offering a range of new programing including a grant and mentorship opportunities for women making photography-based work. Shortly after the relaunch, which includes a stellar exhibition from Whitney Hubbs, I caught up with Elkins and Phillips over email to learn what's in store.
Interview by Jon Feinstein
I first met Colin Stearns in New York around 2008, where we worked together in the Photography Program at Parsons. I was immediately a fan of his first book, Meridian, published by RITA in the fall of 2015. Small and full of deceptively simple, yet elegant black and white photographs, Meridian at first glance, reads as a traditional photobook. However, through beautiful sequencing and a series of semi-transparent images, the book unfolds as a more complicated meditation on memory, emotion and landscape.
His second book within a three book series, All That Cannot Be Said was just released by Kris Graves Projects. Departing in tone and place from his first book, All That Cannot Be Said shows the dark, layered, and often broken urban landscape of New York City. I recently talked with Colin about his process and the new book, which can be found at Kris Graves Projects or Photoeye.
There will be an official book launch on May 11th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at Rubber Factory in New York City's Lower East Side.
Interview by Joy Drury Cox
Are we still doing these? And did we belated-April-Fools you? We're still excited about Instagram, and we're still excited about photographers using the "platform" to make meaningful work that breaks the clichés of so many best-of lists. These fourteen photographers and "photo-based-artists" have spent week-long residencies with us since the beginning of the year and continue to inspire us daily, on and off Instagram. So spend a few minutes, familiarize yourself with their work, and give them a follow. If you'd like to be considered for a Humble IG takeover, details are HERE.