#chrismann

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Chris Mann 克里斯·曼

Beyond the Voice Prize Winner 4 Time White House Performer美国好声音获奖者、4次白宫表演嘉宾

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Interview #493: Chris Mann

q: Give a short introduction about yourself: a: I’m a photographer from South Yorkshire in the North of England, currently living in London.

q: You work almost exclusively with black and white 35mm film, darkroom processing and silver gelatin prints. Why do you use this process? a: I’m hugely drawn to the tactility of it all. Working with film, paper and importantly, light, continues to offer me a heightened experience and understanding of how I make images. It just feels more authentic for me. Like many others working in the same way, I fell in love with the meditative time in the darkroom; stepping away from the glowing screen and slowing the process down. It can be time consuming, but it’s in this slowing down that I’ve built a strong attachment to my work and continue to define where I want to go with it.

q: I liked how you describe your work as confining your "photographs to graphic elements that trigger curiosity and stimulate the viewer's imagination". What is the reason behind this? Do you see it as a form of detachment from you as an individual? a: A big turning point for me was discovering that a photograph could do more than just duplicate a moment in reality as the eye sees it. Photography is by its very nature an act of elimination, and I’ve found myself gravitating towards the work of artists, filmmakers and photographers who take this concept one step further in their work; embracing a lack of dialogue and context, calling on the individual viewers’ own top-down processing to ‘fill in the blanks’. It’s for this same reason that I work predominantly with black and white, avoiding any presuppositions that colour might convey. I’m drawn to enigmatic images and want to make photographs that kind of have an agency of their own, and a ‘meaning’ or interpretation that varies from viewer to viewer.  

With regards to your question about individual detachment, I’d say it’s more about detachment from the specific subject or event. I’m equally concerned with image-making as I am photo-taking; creating work that isn’t necessarily about documenting a specific moment of time in my life.

q: You mention you are interested in open ended images and photography as a way to subtract from reality. Would you say you prioritize aesthetics over subject matter? a: I’m ultimately looking for ambiguity, regardless of whether this is achieved through subject matter or aesthetics. Aesthetically I tend to lean towards chiaroscuro, however I wouldn’t say that I prioritise this over subject matter. On many occasions, it’s been following this aesthetic that has actually led me to certain images, with light and shadow transforming subjects that otherwise wouldn’t grab my attention. On the other hand, if the subject matter is strong enough, then the light may not be my main concern. The two go somewhat loosely hand in hand for me.

q: For me, abstract photos work as a way to decontextualise moments of beauty from their environment, which relates to the idea of timelessness. Is this important for you in your practice?   a: I believe timelessness can occur as a side effect of decontextualization and detachment from the subject. I’m mindful of how much context my images reveal, and I consider it a bit of a balancing act between information that may or may not render the image as ‘timeless’. Shooting in cities makes this specifically challenging for me, with signs of the times everywhere and endless possibilities to remove specific elements from the frame.

q: Upcoming projects? a: I had a couple of projects lined up in 2020 involving travelling that, thanks to the obvious, never happened. This has actually been a blessing in disguise for me, affirming the importance of my making images in a non-linear fashion. This year I’m looking forward to getting stuck into shooting, printing more work in the darkroom, travelling (hopefully), and seeing where it all takes me.    

q: Any music to recommend? a: Recently I’ve had Krakow Loves Adana, Angelo de Augustine, and Mark Kozelek on repeat. Todd Ritondaro’s ‘Frame & Sequence’ podcast also never fails to deliver inspiration.

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[chrismann]

The 12 Days of Quarantine

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[markmarcarian]

#acting #actors #phillyactingschools #sag #aftra #theatre #phillytheatre #film/tv #actingclass #actingcoach #phillyactingbureau #1500walnut #scenestudy #script #monologue #johncanadaterrell #chrismann #actormarkmarcarian #actinginstructor #thespian #performer #entertainer #stage #movieset #oncamera #filmintensive #workshop #actingworkshop #tvworkshop #filmworkshop 🎬👍🎞️🎥

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😊🎧🎶🎵🏡🕐 #chrismann #tothemoonandback #chrismannmusic

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