In this episode, you will follow Lukas as he explores the photobook world at Les Rencontres de la Photographie d'Arles, a fantastic photo festival in the south of France that has been running since 1970. Lukas talks to publishers, artists, fair organizers, and bookshop owners about the festival, the book market, and how the photobook has evolved in a festival environment like Arles. We delve into the thoughts of publishers based in Europe, authors who come all the way from Mexico, and some of...
In this episode of The Photo Vault, we receive book recommendations from the Istanbul-based artist Cemre Yeşil Gönenli. Her book choices are varied and full of emotional connections to her own journey of becoming a photo artist. Listen to her colourful stories of how books can inspire and change your perspectives. Listen also to a previous episode where we talk with Cemre in detail about her practice and what it’s like to work as an artist in today's Turkey.References:The Chain Chien-Chi Chan...
In this Episode of The Photo Vault we are going to explore a very peculiar Vernacular Photo Festival in Italy. Gu.Pho. Our host Lukas went South to work on an exhibition of the Vernacular Social Club as well as an installation for his new book “A tiny visual history of the Moustache”. Gu.Pho festival, in the wonderful town of Guigla, about 40 minutes south of Bologna, in a magnificently run-down castle, was full of surprises and insights. Listen in this Episode what the festival is...
In this episode of The Photo Vault, we discuss with Dutch artist and editor Erik Kessels why it is important to have an opinion and dislike things, as well as why it is most important that young artists get paid. Erik is a prolific book and exhibition maker, known for his narrative creation through appropriated images.Take a look as well at Erik’s website and publishing page to gain a deeper understanding of his work and thought process."Enjoy the conversation:Erik Kessels WebsiteInstagram&nb...
Follow French editor and artist Thomas Sauvin on his journey from a Chinese language student to the collector and editor of an enormous archive that he continually augments from a dumpsite in Beijing. With his project, Beijing Silvermine, he has produced humorous and intelligent publications over the last 10 years, granting us access to a specific period in time in China. Lukas met Thomas in Paris at the Beijing Silvermine studio, and in their conversation, they unravel Thomas’ reflections on...
In this episode, we delve into a talk event on Vernacular Photography that took place in November 2023. Our host, Lukas, was one of the speakers and has encapsulated a myriad of ideas, thoughts, and practices surrounding everyday imaging that were presented during the event. The talk was organized by the Eidolon Center in Budapest, a new institution that concentrates on vernacular, archives, and everyday imagery. They create a fantastic journal that showcases artists and academics actively wo...
In this episode, we meet Thweep Rittinaphakorn, also known as Ake, in Bangkok, and explore his collection of photographs from Myanmar during the colonial era. Ake is an expert in Myanmar textiles who ventured into collecting photography and released a photobook from a very different background. His collection is fascinating and multi-layered, as he doesn't approach his images from a pictorial point of view but rather through an examination of materiality. Find out more about Ake on his I...
This episode of The Photo Vault prompts us to question the world around us by examining product packaging, which often reinforces and perpetuates stereotypical norms in various aspects of our lives.Our guest, Annebella Pollen, a professor of Visual and Material Culture, author of numerous books, and an avid collector, delves into some of her projects, interests, and findings. Discover why a seemingly innocuous bikini advertisement can contribute to reinforcing stereotypes and why Annebel...
In this episode, we hear thoughts, ideas, and stories from writer, critic, educator, and artist Lucy Sante. She has a fascinating history and engagement with photography, writing on photography, and collecting. She has turned some of her collections into books and tells us about how she retrieved the photographs that went into titles such as 'Evidence.'She also touches upon subjects such as being a bilingual writer, which made her a better writer, and how vernacular photography changed her li...
In this episode of The Photo Vault, we discuss with artist, photographer, and book publisher Joachim Schmid why he is not a collector but a gatherer. We also delve deep into computer history and Joachim’s first contact with Apple computers, as well as why he likes to create low-quality photobooks, explore Flickr, and engage in gardening.Joachim Schmid is one of the most influential artists working with found images and has been creating artwork, books, exhibitions, and text since the 1980s. H...
In today's Three Books that inspired you special, we hear Greek curator and writer Natasha Christia talk about the important role of literature in her work and also what inspired her in theoretical writing.Her three recommendations are:Emmanuel CarrèreAriella Azoulay - the civil contract of photography / potential history: unlearning imperialism Natasha Christia & Lukas Birk, GülistanFind visuals to the books on our website www.vernacularsocialclub.org Follow us on Instagram:@V...
In this episode, we are meeting with Cemre Yeşil Gönenli, an Istanbul-born and -based artist, photographer, and educator. She gives us insight into her quest for finding the invisible through photography, by looking at what cannot be seen in images. Cemre also talks about the current difficult situation for artists in Turkey and why inflation makes it so challenging to run a photo bookshop. She opened FILbooks a few years ago, a photobook cafe in the heart of the city. One of her recent ...
In our first Three Books that inspired you special we asked Dutch artist Erik Kessels about photo-books that enriched his way of thinkingThe books are:Chantal Rens - YOU RUN AROUND TOWN LIKE A FOOL AND YOU THINK THAT IT'S GROOVY, published by PANTOFLE BOOKS, 2916Christian Boltanksi, KADISH. Paris: Musée d'Art Modern; München: Gina Kehayoff Verlag, 1998Sha kokken The love in sex life, Published by Ikeda, 1968Find visuals to the books on our website www.vernacularsocialclub.org Foll...
In this episode, we have the great pleasure to meet with Professor Geoffrey Batchen, an expert in the history of photography. He has taught in his native Australia, the United States, and currently holds a position at Oxford in the UK as a professor of the history of art. He has curated exhibitions in renowned institutions such as the ICP in New York, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the Izu Photo Museum in Shizuoka, Japan.Geoffrey is one of the popularisers of the term Vernacular Photog...
Nous publions, donc nous existons ! Voici le premier épisode de The Photo Vault. Découvrez la proposition éditoriale de ce podcast, ainsi que la façon de vous engager auprès du Vernacular Social Club, votre plateforme dédiée à la photographie vernaculaire, aux archives photographiques, aux collections et aux livres de photos. Dans cette introduction, vous entendrez les voix du collectionneur, éditeur et artiste Jean-Marie Donat, ainsi que son point de vue sur le Vernaculaire. Lucy Sante,...
We publish; therefore, we exist! This is our first episode of The Photo Vault. Find out what to expect from this podcast in the future, as well as how to engage with the Vernacular Social Club, your platform for Vernacular Photography, Archives, Collecting, and Photo-books. In this introduction, you will hear the voices of collector, editor, and artist Jean-Marie Donat, along with his views on the Vernacular. Also, author, writer, and professor Lucy Sante will share her definition of Vernacul...