Shifting Spaces with DIY Music Photographer @wlodarczyk
To see more of Walter’s photographs, follow @wlodarczyk on Instagram. For more music stories around the globe, follow @music on Instagram.
In jagged, flash-filled images, Walter Wlodarczyk (@wlodarczyk) captures the raw urgency of the DIY (do-it-yourself) music scene. Typically working with a wide-angle lens against compressed, makeshift stages, the Brooklyn, New York-based photographer documents live performers and venues in places that he knows may not exist for long. He explains his approach and the ethos of the do-it-yourself music and arts scene:
“To me, DIY is about creating — and fostering creation — outside of the larger, mainstream, established structures that exist for the arts. And there are countless ways to do this. Put on a show in your apartment or loft. Perform or show your work in the street. Create spaces and projects that teach children in the community about art, technology and more. Start a label and release music made by your friends and artists you love. Rent a space and open a gallery or venue. Maybe you do this with all of the proper licenses, permits and insurance. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you make it a full-fledged nonprofit entity. Maybe it’s for-profit. It’s about providing a space for work that you think is important, rather than waiting for someone else to, and without profit and monetary considerations being primary. And similarly, it’s about doing the work you think is important to do, without fixating on whether there’s an audience for it or whether people will pay for it (or how much). This doesn’t mean ignoring monetary considerations — thinking about sustainability is not incompatible with DIY in the least, nor is paying artists. It’s about the spirit of the endeavor, and the feeling of family that’s always part of it.
My technical approach is driven by the venues I photograph in, and the subjects I photograph. I use the mix of equipment that allows me to best capture the spirit and energy of whatever I’m photographing. DIY venues are generally small and dark, so this typically means wider lenses and flash, though not always. I like to use fast prime lenses as well. But more than equipment, the fundamental aspect of my approach is to make photos without distracting from the performance. A performance is about the performers, and the audience being able to experience the work. However I choose to document a performance, ensuring that my documentation of it does not detract from anyone’s experience of it is key.
And DIY spaces are by nature ephemeral, especially in a place like New York. Rents increase, buildings are sold, people move on to other projects or places. Spaces grow and evolve and change. No different than an artist’s work changing and evolving. Change is the only constant, so it’s important to document as much as possible.”
turnnoffyourmind
yousharknotpass
theartofmadeline
stormborns
