Resolve

A collaborative online community that brings together photographers and creative professionals of every kind to find ways to keep photography relevant, respected, and profitable.

Have an idea for a post?

Want us to find an answer to your question? Interested in becoming a contributor?Email us

‹ Home

August 14th, 2009

AFTER STAFF A Closer Look – Burk Uzzle on the dangers of herd mentality in the art world

Posted by liveBooks

Buzz Urkle, a former Magnum photographer and director, has achieved success in the art world, built on his documentary talents. Although his feelings about the art world are obviously a little ambivalent, his advice about sticking to your own style and not following the herd is dead on — for any kind of photographer. Click here for a list of all other “After Staff” posts.
©Burk Uzzle

©Burk Uzzle

Miki Johnson: When you were 30, your photographs were included in shows at both the George Eastman House and the MoMA. How did that come about? What impact did that have on your career?

Burk Uzzle: I suppose Magnum showed them pictures, as I was never a buddy of those people. It had zero impact on my career or development as a photographer.

MJ: What was your first solo exhibition and how did it happen? What lessons did you learn from it?

BU: The Riverside Museum in NYC worked with Cornell Capa to do a show of my work, and all that effort was a template for what eventually became his now famous “ICP” show. I learned how really great it feels to walk into a museum and see my prints big on a wall, and to offer a certain amount of trust to talented curators who love my work.

MJ: You must have had extensive contact with curators and gallery owners through your work with Magnum. Do you have advice for photographers who want to form relationships with these people?

BU: I left Magnum in 1983, so my contacts have been formed mostly since I left Magnum. I find it difficult to form relationships with museum people, as most of them seem to be dedicated to following the herd instincts of devotion to the latest fad.

On the other hand, the good ones, who think independently, can really change your life by believing in your work, encouraging you to keep on keeping on, and helping you have the confidence to work with the integrity of individuality that important work requires.

“The good ones, who think independently, can change your life by believing in your work.”

You just have to be very patient, find a way to figure out who the worthwhile people are, somehow meet them, and somehow show them work. All this is very different from pursuing “career” instincts.

MJ:
How do you approach an art project differently from how you do a documentary one? What skills and styles apply to both styles?

BU: I consider documentary photography, whatever that term means in the world of Photoshop, to be the most subjective form of work. Art photography, for me, means fine work representing the same values of devotion to quality of feeling, seeing, craft, and artistic presentation as documentary work. I just try to do good work that feels true to myself, and don’t pay much attention to categories.

It’s really all the same — be yourself, be as good as you can be. Be honest to yourself and to your subject, respect your subject matter, and pay as little attention as possible to what other people think, or how they want to apply definitions and categories to what they perceive is important in your work. Or, for that matter, what they think the important agendas are in the world.

Some of the greatest work in any field is about the, at first glance, seemingly trivial subject matter. It’s really all about how deep are your feelings.


3 Comments

  1. August 18th, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    stuart rayner

    is this a burk uzzle shot , eric kiel has the same shot but daylit ( prada store ) i’d thought it was a comp in eric kiel’s case but does this actually exist ?

  2. August 18th, 2009 at 5:04 pm

    Miki Johnson

    Hi Stuart,
    Thanks for reminding me that I hadn’t linked to Burk’s website. That’s fixed now. If you go there and look in the portfolio called Just Add Water, that’s where this photo came from. I can only assume that this is uncomped, but shoot Burk an email if you’d like to confirm. I’m sure he’ll respond.

  3. August 19th, 2009 at 11:37 am

    lcl

    The store actually exists though it’s not a real retail store. Prada Marfa is a permanent sculpture done by German artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset. Some information about it can be found from the nytimes http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/29/fashion/thursdaystyles/29ROW.html Additional pictures can also be seen on flickr using keyword Prada Marfa.

Leave a reply




 

FREE EBOOK

Learn how to engage your audience and
build brand recognition across social
channels. Learn more...

Free eBook

Search Resolve

Search

READY TO GET STARTED?

Pick your package. Pick your design.
No credit card required.

Start 14-day Free Trial
Compare packages