I like the site The Creative Independent, usually a lot of good food thought in the realm of “just keep at it”. Today’s interview with Richard Kern started out that way and I like this quote:
We’re going to take some pictures later. We have something to do today. We’re going to have fun. We have a purpose. We’re going to do something. It was always a reason to do something. That holds true to this minute for me. We’re not going to just sit around and look at Instagram. We’re going to go and actually do something.
Then you get into the weeds and realize all the garden variety stuff emerges that one can rail about: the male gaze, shooting rock stars for power and money (so over that!), the standard issue drug addiction that evolved into photographing porn. A continuation of documenting young girls (at this point much more than) half his age, still. I didn’t get the feeling he’d learned much from any of it, that there is any indication this work had been transformative for him. I am left more depressed than inspired for sure. I don’t even want to post any photos of his work, I don’t feel any of this brings much new to the table.
I do like the idea of doing anything besides being on Instagram. I miss blogs and the voice of the slower world out there that I am trying to half-heartedly do something about. There has to be more to life than what is currently offered as the gold standard of being on this planet.
I think I will go look at some Jean-Luc Mylayne photographs to cheer me up this morning.