Matt Black - Mapping poverty

THIS VIDEO: Matt Black is man with a purpose - taking a closer look at his rise to prominence is instructive in many ways. Here’s a guy who has spent most of his photographic life taking pictures of poverty. You could say that this subject is so early last century - Jacob Riis Rees, Lewis Hine and Dorothea Lange covered that topic fairly comprehensively. They also all died poor themselves. So for an ambitious young photographer this would probably wouldn’t be the most appealing subject matter. But for Black, poverty wasn’t a vehicle for success - covering it was a necessity - he is now a member of the elite Magnum agency, he was named Time Magazine’s Instagram photographer of the year and he is represented by the prestigious Robert Koch Gallery. During a time in which selfies dominate social media and dress-up concepts are heralded as art, how is it possible for someone with authenticity to rise to the top?
1-on-1 MENTORING: graemewilliams.co.za/mentor-p...
ABOUT ME: The conversations focus on topics related to different aspects of photography including: art, documentary and photojournalism. The discussions explore the personal experiences of photographers and artists and how their work reflects both their internal and external landscape. During the past 30 years I have photographed in over 50 countries for magazines including National Geographic, Time, New York Times and Newsweek. I have held solo exhibitions in New York, London and Paris and my work is showcased in private and institutional art collections around the world.
COPYRIGHT: The copyright for all images belongs to the photographer/s being discussed.
WEBSITE: www.graemewilliams.co.za
FACEBOOK: / graemewilliamsphotogra...
INSTAGRAM: williamsgraeme
MUSIC: RUclips Audio - Empty bottle, Empty Bed - Mini Vandals
Bach cello Suite No 1 in G Major, Prelude - Cooper Cannell
VIDEO CLIPS: Matt Black Unamerican Dream, Meet the Journalist Matt Black, Photojournalist Matt Black

[@SlavaVeres]

O goodness, his AMERICAN 🇺🇸 GEOGRAPHY is phenomenal! Thanks for another wonderful video where we can explore and reflect on real photography

[@richardrizzo_photography]

Thank you Graeme for introducing me to Matt's amazing body of work, I'm going to research it more deeply.

[@kafountineful]

Graeme, I appreciate your well researched and considered commentaries on the work of a range of photographers. I always learn something from your RUclips postings and I would recommend them to anyone who wants to learn more about these people from an informative, thoughtful and well produced and reasonably compact presentation. Great stuff - and please keep the content going. Regards, Trev.

[@grahamrichards8531]

I agree, Graeme please keep presenting these wonderful reviews.

[@PhotoConversations]

Many thanks

[@rajsingharora26]

Respect.

[@vedimido]

I love your channel and love all the videos simply because you pick the right photographers and you are very articulate in the way you present them. Only one note/question on this Mat Black video: Why you mentioned a few photographers that have or might have inspired Matt but didn't mention Eugene Richards which to me is the closest example and shared a few points in common with Matt? Eugene photographed poverty throughout his career, see just as an example "Below The Line" on people living poor in America and Eugene was on and off a member of Magnum too. You are right in mentioning the FSA and the lot, but Richards is a contemporary artist and photojournalist whose work I think I can say inspired greatly Matt's work.

[@PhotoConversations]

Thanks and good point about Eugene Richards. I did a video on his work earlier on.

[@vedimido]

@@PhotoConversations i will make sure i watch that episode! I loved them all so far!

[@ruudkuiper5515]

Thanks Graeme, I’ve learned a lot from your video 👍🏻‼️

[@thomaseriksson6256]

Thank you straight photography has its own beauty. I personally is into open pictures

[@RichardSilvius]

Your discussion of Black’s approach to Insta was all new info for me and really insightful. Appreciated.

[@PhotoConversations]

Thanks Richard

[@teacherdude]

Thank you for making this.

[@bowenisland100]

Inspiring - thank you.

[@davidfigueroaphoto]

This was excellent. Thank you

[@tomasmano]

amazing video, hope we will see another book from him soon, so many great images

[@PhotoConversations]

Thanks Tomas

[@robertgordon6362]

Outstanding!

[@PhotoConversations]

Thanks Robert

[@steveh1273]

How does an artist like Black, become a photographer of notoriety? How did he promote his photographs to become a noted photographer of Pulitzer and Magnum fame? Simply posting to Instagram?

[@PhotoConversations]

Not always that simple, but he did it.

[@EMVelez]

He began as a photojournalist. He had a solid career long before Instagram.

[@allangault9500]

He reminds me of Robert Frank in a way. And on Instagram, not the same artist, but I wonder what Andy Warhol would have done with it.

[@PhotoConversations]

Yes, he has a similar gaze.

[@chuckjines67]

Funny, you should say that. I'm going to do a podcast on photography used as political propagand from Robert Frank to Matt Black! He is very much like Frank.

[@chuckjines67]

I think Matt has a very shallow understanding of the issue and incerts his prior commitment to a political narrative. To me, while the photography is good, this is NOT honest work.

[@PhotoConversations]

Hi Chuck - Why do you feel that it is dishonest? Thanks

[@chuckjines67]

@@PhotoConversations I'm doing a live stream in about an hour on the topic