Genesis Breyer P-Orridge

door Fleur Pierets | dec 25, 2013 | Gender Art

Genesis Breyer P-Orridge

First Third Books released an ambitious new project on the life of Genesis Breyer P-Orridge – music pioneer, artist and body evolutionist. Independently produced in limited numbers, this is a superb quality book devoted to the controversial life and work of one of the most extraordinary artists of modern time.

Born Neil Megson, reborn as artist Genesis P-Orridge, reborn once again as a gender-erasing pandrogyne – Genesis Breyer P-Orridge has never let art, life or evolution stand in the way of imagination. As a Fluxus and Dada-inspired performance artist with COUM Transmissions, the post-hippie Breyer P-Orridge determined to revolutionise everyday life. By the late ’70s, Breyer P-Orridge was fronting Throbbing Gristle, a defiantly anti-rock experiment so successful that it launched the entirely new genre of Industrial Music. TG also pioneered a self-determining model for independent music- making that still flourishes today. Breyer P-Orridge’s next project, the music and arts collec- tive Psychic TV, explored a deep interest in fetishism, magick and ritual, with an emphasis on body art. A prime mover in the 80’s Modern Primitives subculture, from which the latter- day mass trend for tattooing and piercing emerged, Breyer P-Orridge has since taken body politics several stages further with pandrogeny, a ‘third gender’ project launched in the late 90’s with wife and life-partner Lady Jaye. After Jaye ‘dropped her body’ in 2007, Genesis remains even more devoted to pandrogeny, which s/he insists is more about consciousness than the body.

This, the first high-end monograph dedicated to Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, is a testament to a life spent exploring the outer limits of creative expression – often landing the artist in deep controversy. Working with artist Leigha Mason, Genesis has mined h/er personal archives for many of the 350+ photographs included, and has added insightful personal commentary throughout. A detailed forward in the form of a Q&A with rock journalist Mark Paytress explores the cultural importance of the work of this self-styled ‘cultural engineer’.

The deluxe edition, housed in a special PTV-inspired box, includes a poster of ‘intimate’ Gen and Jaye Polaroids, a 96-page art catalogue and 3 original 7” singles specially recorded by Genesis and friends for this project. Despite the current career-spanning retrospective at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Breyer P-Orridge’s work is by no means over. “We feel it’s a duty and responsibility of an artist to explain themselves and share what they know and who inspired them. It’s important to encourage the next group of people who’ll question things and try and short circuit control again.” As ever, the modus operandi is: “Viva la evolution!!!” Limited to 1323 numbered books, including 333 deluxe versions only available through the First Third Books website.

www.firstthirdbooks.com

This article is featured in Et Alors? Magazine 8.

Read the complete issue here.

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Peter Popps

door Fleur Pierets | dec 25, 2013 | Fashion

Peter Popps

Text JF. Pierets Photos Courtesy of Peter Popps

Highly experienced shoe professional, Peter Popps, recently released his own amazing line of shoes. As we speak, Lady Gaga is wearing Peter’s CUBE creation during the shoot for ‘ARTPOP’ by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. An interview. For the love of shoes.

First things first; how does it feel to see Lady Gaga stand in your shoes.
Great! The excitement was huge when they contacted me, because you don’t know what to expect. When you see the movie, my work is shown in just one second of frame. It’s for those who want to see it. Or am I too modestly Dutch now? The real excitement started when confronted with the reactions from family, friends and all other lovely people. People from television started to call me, as they wanted to feature the collaboration. I must say, the emails, phone calls and messages didn’t give me much time to breath. I have been busy for 4 days to answer all of it. I guess I’m not born this way!

What’s the story? Did you know or was it a complete surprise?
I think she has one of the best stylists surrounding her. I mean, there is a group of people working for her hunting around on the internet. I always admired that group as they did find many unknown designers and made them known for a bigger audience. My website had been on-line for 3 weeks and I received an email from Hayley Pisaturo, one of the assistants of Brandon Maxwell, who’s a member from the ‘Haus of Gaga’. She asked me if I was interested in collaboration and a photoshoot for V-Magazine. Inez and Vinoodh would be the photographers. At first I couldn’t believe the email but that same week the selected shoes went to in New York.

Your creations strike me as ‘Kubrick meets Bondagequeen’. Can you tell me something about your inspiration?
First of all, I wanted people to know my name after working all those years on a contract for so many different brands. Second, after 24 years of designing commercial shoes, I never felt a stronger urge to design opposed to the mainstream cultural values as they are forced on us today. I have been highly influenced by magnetic transportation. Take a look at the Roller Skates…introduced in 1760 and at the beginning of the 18-hundreds, London already had covered rollerskatingrings. It took almost 200 years before they did have synthetic wheels. The 1st margin problem I guess. It goes for skateboarding, which was founded by surfers around the 50’s. They invented a way on wooden boxes or boards with roller skate wheels attached to the bottom. Skateboarding gained in such popularity that soon many cities had skateboard-decks or even bigger places. Next to my fascination about those things, I have a weakness for all kinds of science-fiction movies like The Matrix, Star Wars, Mad Max or even Avatar or Men in Black, I’m inspired by movies such as Metropolis, A Space Odyssey (there you go with Kubrick) and Barbarella. But also comics like Superman, Batman or Spiderman. Fantasies, which are based on innovations in and from the future. I’m also influenced by avant-gardism, 60’s space-age design and the amazing art of bondage. With all those inputs I developed the basic for this little collection.

What kind of woman/man do you have in mind while creating?
For the woman who knows how and when to wear them. A woman who knows her vulnerability and who’s confidence. I adore the feminine power that comes from a woman who only gives herself to the one she chooses. Nevertheless I adore every man who’s sensitive enough to walk the in her footsteps.

Are they also meant for men? If not, would you ever design a male shoe?
My designs are for those who can relate to them.When it comes to trans, drags or queens, it makes no difference for me. In the past I designed many shoes in collaboration with Luichiny. Known for it’s high towers and platforms, which have been mainly designed for drags and queens. I loved doing that. But to design shoes that are exclusively for men? That isn’t fun! Four years ago I designed the first accepted sport shoe that did have a zip. Finally, a zip!!! Most men are afraid of being looked at as eccentric, and those who are, are creative in making their own style.

‘My designs are for those who can relate to them. When it comes to trans, drags or queens, it makes no difference for me.’

What’s the personal angle in your work? Fetishism?
No. Innovations from the future. Today it’s a soft mix between bondage and space age but tomorrow it can be the black music from the 70’s. Inspiration is coming from all kinds of directions.

Each of your pieces is unique. What if someone wants to buy them?
I get many requests but I didn’t have any sort of production in mind when I developed them. The sole constructions from the shoes are so complicated in fitting and making, that I’ve always seen them as wearable jewelry and pieces of art. In order to meet all those request I searched for several possibilities but it ended up way to expensive. Also, most people want to be able to walk in them. How strange.

Would you ever consider going into mainstream shoe designing?
I did for 24 years and for different brands, and many of you might have a shoe I designed as freelancer for many companies. Yet I’m done with what the market offers to the customers. It all looks pretty much the same. A copy from a copy from a copy, mixed with some retro and an outrageous price comparing to the quality. Me and many other designers with me are developing a lot of new innovations, which isn’t even remotely comparable with what’s available in the shops. I probably will continue designing commercial shoes but I first want to follow my heart in making a few extra special pieces.

You enjoy 24 years of experience of shoe design for numerous brands. How does you future look like?
As happy as always! Kicking against cultural values that are forced on us and trying to make people smile without judgment, as we need our freedom to feel alive. And maybe I’ll design some shoes in the mean time.

You have 4 main works. Can you give us a peep into your mind regarding number 5?
They will come in black and white and no; Chanel has not been an inspiration here! And I will show the first walkable one.

If you could choose anyone in the entire world, dead or alive, for whom would you like to create a pair? And why?
Just one? Vladimir Putin. Something to hang him up side down as long as it needs until he admits that love is an equal right for everybody.

www.peterpopps.com

This article is featured in Et Alors? Magazine 8.

Read the complete issue here.

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Lukas Beyeler

door Fleur Pierets | sep 25, 2013 | Conceptual Art

Lukas Beyeler

Text JF. Pierets Photos Lukas Beyeler & Patrick Mettraux

We’ve met Lukas Beyeler on Facebook and were instantly touched by both his pictures as his intriguing video work. Lukas is working, amongst others, for Bernard Willhelm and Bruce Labruce and is photographing both famous faces like Pharrell and Amanda Lepore and gorgeous creatures out of the mainstream. We asked him some questions and decided quite instantly he’s one of our most favorite artists.

How old where you when you realized you wanted to be an artist?
Pretty young I guess! As far as I remember, the only thing that interested me was to go to art school. It was the logical path to take at that time because I couldn’t see myself doing anything else!

What was the very first work you’ve made and how did you come up with the idea?
I was 8 or 9 years old and spent three days applying all kind of plastic, cardboard, paper and paint on a small piece of paper. Then Ioffered it to my dad. I still have a very clear vision of this ‘piece’ in my head nowadays. About 10 years later, he showed it to me, I was quite surprised that he kept it for so long somewhere in his office.

Do you consider yourself more a photographer or a video artist?
I guess I’m both. I don’t want to limit myself to one media. Depending on what my intensions are or what is needed, I would choose either one. Photography usually requires less preparation and the postproduction is way shorter as well. But I am not completely satisfied with the still-image; I have the impression that motion picture catches peoples attention in a different way and is a lot more compelling to the spectator.

How do you feel about the recent interest in drag?
It might not be only the ‘Drag’ thing that people find interesting or attractive. Probably what people see at first is a strong character stepping out of the mainstream. The fact of changing identity through cross-dressing is somehow a fantasy and has something surreal. In order to have the courage to do so, one has to be brave and have a strong personality. Drag queens tend to be great entertainers with a certain tragedy, sadness and drama that embodies weakness and vulnerability. These characteristics make it very easy to compare yourself to them. Back in time, role models were strong, untouchable and beyond criticism. Nowadays the ‘New Heroes’ are weak and accessible, self-mockery became something appealing.

What do you hope to achieve by taking a picture of a man in a skirt?
Dunno if I really want to achieve anything, first of all I do the pictures for me and my models. We have to be both happy with the image. Most of the time when you do art, you just do it for yourself; it’s a very egotistical process. Taking a picture of a man in a skirt can be very boring, but taking a picture of a man who enjoys being in that skirt is very exiting. The magic has a lot to do with the model. Do you remember this picture of Iggy Pop in skirt saying: ‘I’m not ashamed to dress ‘like a woman’ because I don’t think it’s shameful to be a woman’, Iggy played perfectly with this ambiguity during his entire career.

Do you have a role model?
Sure, Cicciolina Ilona Staller. She was and still is very inspiring to me.

In the early 70’s, drag queens and transvestites where forbidden in public (Mapplethorpe didn’t publish his Book of Portraits until 1983). Would you be able to work in a different era?
Not showing my work to the public is something I could totally live with. I think I am very shy and not so enthusiastic when the time comes to make any work ‘public’ in a gallery and to be confronted by the critics. Nowadays you can access everything from everywhere, so it was probably more interesting when it was forbidden. It was something reserved for friends, family, and people from the scene itself.

‘Changing identity through cross-dressing is somehow a fantasy and has something surreal. In order to have the courage to do so, one has to be brave and have a strong personality.’

Do you feel privileged to be a spectator in the lives of all those people?
I would much rather say that the respect and the appreciation works both ways. Everything is based on a personal level and both parties contribute towards a final product. When you get along, you are part of their universe and they are a part of mine – it’s a family circle.

Some of your models are well known personalities but most of them are anonymous. Are you searching for a balanced mix or are you working per assignment?
I choose the people that I feel most likely comfortable to work with. No matter if they are celebrities or unknown. I see absolutely no difference working with known/unknown personalities. The anonymous people are tomorrows’ stars and well known people were unknown yesterday. The difference is that well known people don’t knock at your door everyday, especially for the few people you really want to work with. Most of the time you have more artistic freedom when working with anonymous people and more time to work with them. Shootings are longer and you have no restrictions about the final result. Where working with famous people a lot more restrictions apply.

Photographer Gilles Larrain was once asked by one of his clients why he’d taken these horrible photos of such ill, deviant people. What would you answer to such a question?
Haaa haaa… well as Frank Zappa would say: ‘Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible’. As you know, a lot of people still think like Larrain’s client, because his work is a mirror of the beholder. Anyone who’s comfortable in his life won’t ask this kind of question, I guess it’s the frustration that talks once again.

Amongst many others you worked with Bernhard Willhelm, Walter Pfeiffer and Bruce LaBruce. Who else is on your wishlist and why?
I have no specific wishlist; those artists you mentioned got in touch with me because they probably have seen similarities in our work. Collaborations are always fun as long as you have an artistic freedom in your own contribution and that was the case with all of them.

What future project have you got lined up?
I was just awarded by the Musée Cantonal d’Art de Lausanne. So I’ll be doing an exhibition in this museum in 2014, that’s quite a challenging work to do and I am very excited about it.

www.lukasbeyeler.com

This article is featured in Et Alors? Magazine 7.

Read the complete issue here.

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Strange Bedfellows

door Fleur Pierets | sep 25, 2013 | Gender Art

Strange Bedfellows

Text JF. Pierets

Strange Bedfellows is a nationally traveling exhibition and catalogue exploring collaborative practice in queer art making. With names such as Annie Sprinkle, Amos Mac and Julie Sutherland they travel the world. Curator Amy Cancelmo is redefining authorship and ‘queerin’ the singular artist/author paradigm. An interview.

When and why did you come up with the idea?
Well my master degree is in Queer Art History, so I had been spending quite a bit of time looking at historical queer art. Since so much of what can be clearly defined within that category is either performative, documentary or politically motivated, there is a huge amount of collaboration that happens naturally. In my thesis I worked specifically with community portraiture as a means of social and political change or reflection of shift in cultural ideas. What recurred in that research was the problematic nature of authorship, specifically when photographers were working with other artists and performers. Who is really the artist that moment, the one documenting it, or the one living it? How do you define authorship of a documentary photograph? The idea for the show started as a series of questions. Why are there so many collaborative queer artworks? Is there something inherently queer about collaboration, or something inherently collaborative about queerness? The answer to both questions for me is yes. Queers have long relied on collaborative practice for a variety of reasons, not the least of which have been physical and emotional safety or political presence. I see collaboration and queerness both as spaces for social, political, personal, and artistic revolution. Collaborative practice, like queer politics, positions itself in radical opposition to commodification- and traditional concepts of identity. I like to think of collaborative practice as a queering the concept of the singular artist or author.

What’s your personal definition of queer?
Queer is often used as a blanket term to attempt and to encompass the range of diversity within the LGBTQQI population. Yet not all homosexuals define themselves as queer and not all those who define as queer are homosexual. Queerness can be defined as both an expression of non-heteronormative sexuality or gender expression or as a social and political stance. Queer is a noun, but it is also a verb.

On your blog, you write: “It is my hope that the exhibition will continue to travel and evolve, raising new questions about the role collaboration plays in queer life and artistic practice.” Can you explain this to someone who hasn’t been in touch with queer art?
It’s funny because ‘community’, for better or worse, is a word that is often thrown around in relation to queerness. The Queer Community. The Gay Community. The Lesbian Community. The Transgender Community, etc. In a sense queer people are often though about as identifying as a multiple, even from an uninformed perspective. Like we are all part of a secret club or something, sharing a common experience. But the truth is that there are so many different ways to experience sexuality, politics, gender or whatever else makes us self define as queer. That’s what I’m interested in. The radical ways in which people define queer for themselves, and how they are incorporating that into their artwork and who they are working with to make it. Maybe a hundred years ago there just wasn’t an audience for queer art outside of ‘the community’ and queer artists relied on each other and worked together to make some of the most interesting artwork in history. Maybe that’s still true to an extent. Maybe it’s a part of being a minority, being an outsider. To me, being queer is a collaborative effort. Partially because you’re defining yourself by who you relate to and partially because you are constantly in dialogue with what you are not. ‘Queer’ doesn’t exist without ‘normal’.

How does a traveling exhibition work?
The travelling happened pretty organically. I first proposed this show to be presented at Root Division in San Francisco and was lucky enough to get funding to present it as part of the National Queer Arts Festival from the Queer Cultural Center. I was so thrilled by all the support from both organizations and the artists I invited to participate, many of whom I had never worked with before. There are so many artists working in collaborative practice! And a show about collaboration begs to keep evolving with more and more collaborators. So I proposed the show to the College Art Association’s Queer Caucus for the Arts and they were extremely supportive as well. They decided to feature it as their sponsored exhibition for the upcoming Chicago conference (Feb 2014).

‘That’s what I’m interested in. The radical ways in which people define queer for themselves, and how they are incorporating that into their artwork and who they are working with to make it.’

I just had to find a venue. I reached out to a few colleagues, and proposed the show to several schools and was really lucky. Queer studies is expanding as an academic field, both in the arts and the humanities, so I think many schools are excited to bring the show to open up a dialogue with their faculty and students. I love it because I get to travel to all these schools and talk to students, meet faculty, meets more queer artists.I get to share the important work the artists in the show are doing and scout out local work to feature as well. I am continuing to expand the show with each stop, adding regionally specific artists to the roster and hopefully inspiring new collaborations. So far I’m showing at all university and college galleries, but I’m open to other types of venues as well as it continues to travel.

How did you select your artists?
A lot of the artists I selected for the San Francisco exhibition, I knew in some capacity or worked with them before. I’ve been doing research in the field for a while now, so I had a pretty good list of people I wanted to work with. There are still others I’m hoping to snag for the show as it passes through their part of the country. I selected the artists because I found something interesting about the role of collaboration in their practice. The artists range in their queer identities, politics, strategies and reasons for collaboration. I attempted to present a diverse look at roles in contemporary queer art practice, including the personal, performative and political ones.

About the first exhibitions; how did it go? What where the reactions and who are your visitors?
The first exhibition at Root Division was really well received. I was humbled by the amount of people that came to the opening, including many of my artistic and professional idols! Root Division has a great group of followers and having Strange Bedfellows featured as part of the National Queer Arts Festival added a whole new audience. Several people told me they were deeply moved by the work, which is always nice to hear. I think the work in this show is really powerful and I’m glad that translates. We also had a great turnout for the panel discussion and catalogue release party, which was really encouraging. It’s hard to get people to come out to an academic panel, but we had great speakers such as Amos Mac, Tina Takemoto, Chris Vargas & Greg Youmans, EG Crichton, Annie Sprinkle & Beth Stephens. You can say it was an engaging and fun panel.

Strange Bedfellows is an ongoing project.
It is! I currently have the show booked for four venues but I’m still looking for more! A project that evolves while traveling can remain interesting for quite some time. I love getting to work with new artists and getting to know what’s happening in queer art in different cities.

Any future exhibition plans?
How about an international exhibition? A European tour perhaps? Can you help with that Fleur?

www.amycancelmo.wordpress.com
www.strangebedfellowsexhibition.wordpress.com

This article is featured in Et Alors? Magazine 7.

Read the complete issue here.

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A Series of Questions

door Fleur Pierets | sep 25, 2013 | Causes

A Series of Questions

Text JF. Pierets Photos L. Weingarten

A Series of Questions is an ongoing project by photographer L. Weingarten about the questions asked to transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming people throughout the world. The subjects hold wooden signs depicting a question that each has had posed to them personally. Some by strangers, others by loved ones, friends or colleagues. Presented on these wood boards, the questions are then turned on the viewers. The idea is that the images prompt viewers to cast a reflective eye upon themselves, revealing how invasive this questioning can be.

Why did you choose to work on such a subject?
A Series of Questions grew out of my interest in storytelling and narrative, which is my overall focus in photography. I wanted to focus on the narrative itself in this project— the questions people were posed—and make that visible in photographs. I didn’t want to center attention on the identity, gender, or trans status of the people pictured. The project deals with the questions of transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming people as opposed to simply trans people or gender diverse people. I’ve learned that while there can be overlap, there is also a lot of distinction between each of these terms. And these distinctions vary geographically and culturally, even within the same country. Were I to say that all the people in the A Series of Questions photographs were transgender or all were gender non-conforming, I wouldn’t be being accurate or honest to their lives. While it may not be fashionable to have a laundry list of terms so to speak, I strive to ensure I’m being inclusive rather than simplifying or glossing over the incredibly wide diversity of experiences.

You’re obviously not a labels person.
I’m not interested in placing labels on the people I’ve photographed – a lot of people may do so when they see the images, and I can’t control that. But that is also what’s very interesting about this work; seeing what assumptions viewers make when presented with these images and these questions and what they believe or assume about the people in these photographs. Because the images aren’t about the gender or trans status of the people I’ve photographed. This project is about the questions they are asked and the viewers’ relationship to that sort of narrative or interrogation. I say interrogation since these questions can feel kind of aggressive when read one after the other.

Where does your interest come from?
The project is a natural outgrowth from my interest in narratives and storytelling. I had been researching the history of Native American portrayals in American photography and how the historical images made at the turn of the century continued to shape the imagery created today. Which is kind of amazing, that images created over a hundred years ago continue to do that today. Around that time I happened to attend talks by two photographers, Zig Jackson, whose work focuses on American Indian experiences, and Loren Cameron, who documents transsexual people. Zig Jackson’s work was very influential and helpful in how I ended up developing and conceptualizing A Series of Questions— particularly his pieces about photographic tourism of Indians and stoic Indian stereotypes. Zig Jackson’s work, combined with a series of portraits I’d seen by Loren Cameron—which included text of all sorts of statements and questions people had asked—percolated for a while in my mind. Some time after these talks I began shooting experimentally for the project. I wanted to create images that functioned on their own, that had an immediate interaction with the viewer and played directly with the whole experience of questions and narrative.

Is it autobiographical?
A Series of Questions is not autobiographical, but the work is a biography of sorts of the people pictured. Each question has been personally asked of the person holding that wood sign. I don’t create the questions. Each person shares with me what question they want to use in their image; often they have a particular question in mind. I believe the questions act as windows into their lives. The viewers get glimpses of all these different conversations that have occurred. In that way in can be biographical.

‘My primary interest is in storytelling. I’m interested in exploring the nature of storytelling and narrative.’

How is your relationship with the models and how do you find them?
I often spend a few hours with each subject, talking and getting to know one another before setting out to take pictures, as well as spending time together after we’ve finished shooting. Typically I’ve already emailed with them a few times or spoken on the phone. One of my favorite experiences was going to dinner with a model after we finished shooting. We ended up staying long after closing, chatting late into the evening with the restaurant owners and their family about the politics of the day. We were all from different countries, and it was refreshing to exchange different points of view and just generally have a good time. I ended up taking a family portrait for them in the kitchen of their restaurant. Another memorable experience was photographing at a subject’s home near Christmas time. The subject’s young daughter was very excited and energetic and a friend assisting me that day, entertained her while I completed the shoot. She very much wanted to get in front of the camera, too. It was a nice atmosphere with all the joyful Christmas decorations and this bubbly little kid running around. The people in my images are found in a variety of ways, but for the most part people have contacted me through my call for participants. I have correspondences saved and organized by location for places throughout the world. When I’m traveling, I will often photograph someone who knows others in the area that are interested; a lot of connections are made through word of mouth. I’m very grateful for the amount of time my subjects spend with me, and for trusting me when they share these questions. It takes a lot to be willing to share these questions and experiences with me, let alone to be photographed, and I’m honored that they trust me with their experiences. It’s often a risk for them to share these questions with me, a stranger, and to allow themselves to be photographed. They need to feel that I will represent them honestly, without ulterior motives, and will produce their image with dignity. I strive my best to do so.

What about your other work?
My primary interest is in storytelling. I’m interested in exploring the nature of storytelling and narrative. A lot of my other work does this by drawing upon traditional tales, folklore, and mythology. Lately I’ve been very interested in exploring mythology regarding horses, and have plans to photograph horses on a local farm. The farmer has given me permission to use body-safe paint on the horses as well as altered fly masks, which are traditionally used to protect the horses from fly bites, to create costumes for the photoshoots. On and off the past few years I’ve also been working on a photographic study into the lore regarding spirits and the afterlife. Twilight is a time of evening when spirits supposedly appear, a time between day (the living) and night (the dead). It’s also called ‘the blue hour’. There’s really beautiful light at that time, if you can catch it.

A Series of Questions is an ongoing series, what would you like to achieve?
I would like to see A Series of Questions encompass a wide berth of experiences, which is why the project has been ongoing. I have only recently been able to photograph people whose questions were asked in a language other than English, and would like to continue doing so, as I travel to more countries. Funds have been the main limiting factor in expanding this project, but I am patient and in time I’ll be able to travel more extensively. I plan on continuing this body of work for several years and at this time I don’t have a final end date. I am curious to see how, or even if, the questions people are asked differ from country to country, from culture to culture, across generations, and religious and ethnic backgrounds. I’m conscious of the fact that a lot of my images thus far feature people who are white or primarily of European descent and are not as representative of people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds; I want to make sure that the A Series of Questions images are as inclusive as possible in that regard as well. It’s my goal to eventually photograph all the people who’ve contacted me with interest in participating. It will take some time, but slowly and steadily I will be able to travel more extensively. I’m currently planning a trip to Europe in 2014, hoping to revisit the Netherlands as well as travel to Belgium and France to continue photographing. I have also been reaching out to different organizations to connect with different populations, such as immigrants from Arab countries. The next exhibitions with A Series of Questions images will be in the Netherlands in October. My long-term goal is to publish a book of the images upon completion; I would love to amass several hundred images to really reflect the wide scope of experiences.

www.lweingarten.com