The Price Of A Black Life In America
We recently spoke to Ukranian Photographer, Ina Loungine about her current project, The Price Of A Black Life In America.
Ina is part of LIVE WILD, the online collective of female artists and photographers ready to re-stick collage at the centre on the cultural map and bring conversation forth about topics important to them. Ina's body of work aims to highlight political and social debates and hopes to create dialogue. With visual metaphors, she creates scenery for matters she wishes to bring attention to, such as racism, drug use, and gun violence, among others. Her current work The Price of a Black Life in America started as she was spending a few months in the United States. During an interview with the visual artist, she opens up about her favourite artist, the project and where she hopes to go next with her practice.
Hey Ina, so firstly, how/when did you become a photographer? or work with photography?
I just recently graduated from school, I have a master in Esthetics and Culture and have always been interested in Arts. I did a little bit of photography during high-school but didn’t studied it. I slowly leaned towards photography because it made sense for this project though in the future I won’t be working with photography exclusively. I’d like to work on performances especially since I want my work to bring up political and social debate so it would be nice to have a live audience.
I see myself as a visual artist more than a photographer. For The Price Of A Black Life In America I really wanted to work with photography because it is a very efficient medium and photography always seems to be the visual proof of something.
Why did you choose this topic? Is sharing your experiences and thoughts about your race and identity important within your practice?
I visited the United States right between Fergusson and Baltimore events and I definitely felt that tensions were high and nothing was done. It was silently witnessing an incredible social and human injustice and I felt like I should do something to exorcize the pain and the guilt I was feeling. I have rarely been in a country where racism was that obvious and tolerated. The news keep repeating themselves and innocent black lives are taken away without a blink from the government. How can a country be educated that deep in racism and be led by a black president, this kind of American paradox is beyond my comprehension.
Tell me more about your concept for the photo project? How did it start? Where is it going next?
I knew I wanted to work on this issue but didn’t quite now where and how to start and then I bought a frame at a thrift store and brought it back home with the price tag still on the glass. I put a picture that I had found in it, a picture of a black kid. Once in the frame it became incredibly clear and I left the price tag on the glass, as if it was put on purpose on the kid’s face. I thought it was a very powerful image and I came up with the title. From there I decided to keep working with photos and modify them or use them in situations I would arrange. To me this project is still an ongoing work and I’ll try to produce more images this year.
What motivates you to create art? to create overall?
I feel like being an « artist » have always meant being a voice. Underneath technics, movements and aesthetics some of us have to express an idea, break a rule, fight oppression. Art has always been a powerful tool through the ages. Today social inequalities are getting bigger and bigger everyday, the gap between rich and poor across the world is insane and it is seems to be a hot topic no one wants to talk about. Witnessing racism, or discrimination of all sorts in 2016 is just pushing my buttons, I can wrap my head around many things we are living right now.
How did you form the collective? Why did you choose to become a collective?
The collective was formed during the summer 2014 by Camille, Anna and Lila ( all photographers ) and they decided to include Charlotte, Marguerite, Lucie ( collagists ) and me in order to create a multi medium space where collages and photography coexist. I guess my practice is right in the between, finding its place between collages and photography. We’ve all known each other for a long time. Charlotte and Marguerite are quite new in this group dynamic but the rest of us are either close friends or relatives. We’re all quite young and just finishing school, and for instance for me The Price Of A Black Life In America is the first consistent project I’m publishing so it’s nice to have a platform to put some light on it. It’s a team effort and we grow bigger individually and as a group. It is a shoulder and an inspiration. We have various group projects coming up and all participated in elaborating the website.
What/ who inspires you in your life, towards your work?
The girls from Live Wild obviously, my friends, my family. I come from a family of social activists and intellectual, so I’ve had the chance to travel a lot, meet inspirational persons and have been raised with curiosity and awareness. Discovering new countries, new cultures is a great inspiration. Ai Weiwei is a big inspiration right now, he is acting fast and bold and striking every time. He is using his fame to trigger discussion and awareness and I admire him for that. I hope to have an impact with my work one day, and have the talent to bring up such delicate issues. I definitely would like to work on what is now called « the migrant situation » between Europe and the Middle-East it has been on my mind for quite some time but it is a delicate subject so I am giving it time to mature.
What advice would you give to other visual art photographers?
To be surrounded by friends and fellow artists, to work hard on concept and ways to bring up the content. To work hard, and then harder. I’m just getting started but it sure seems to be a ruthless scene in which you definitely need connexions (sadly more than talent). And once you’re established only focus on work that matters, on social issues, on things you want to see get better. We are lucky enough to have a voice we shouldn’t be speechless.
Do you have particular favourites?
My favorites artist / photographers would be Ai Weiwei as mentioned earlier, Thomas Albdorf, Moises Saman, Christian Boltanski, Maurizio Cattelan to name just a few.
Do you hope to exhibit these works?
Not really actually, I’d rather have it online with a timeless worldwide audience. I’m not really interested in photography exhibitions.
What is the next step for your practice? Where do you hope to take the work?
Performances! I hope to work on a performance this year, probably in Europe. Ideally I would like to perform in a random space (not a gallery) a film it and them have the video online on the website. I really want my work to be accessible for everyone everywhere, internet has that power so my number one platform will always be internet whether it is for photography, recordings, performances it has to be available online.
Thanks Ina!
The Live Wild Collective
www.thelivewildcollective.com
www.livewildcollective.tumblr.com
