Teens pointing guns. Dead rats hanging from traffic signs. Inside of crack houses. People smoking crack.
These are just some of the intense, overwhelming, and provocative images that documentary photographer Boogie captured in his new book, IT'S ALL GOOD. AOL BV has posted several images from the book for your viewing pleasure (maybe not the right word) and More than Words' Ken Gibbs interviewed the artist behind these photos capturing the harsh realities of life. (You may have to go to the end of the images to get to the interview.)
You've got to listen to the interview. Boogie's nonchalant and nonpolitical perspective is surprising and strange. A counterbalance to his very intense work. You almost wonder if he knows how intense his photos are. But there really is no way he can't.
During the interview, Gibbs asks the burning question along the lines of, how does a white guy end up shooting pictures of gangsters in the projects? Boogie said he found it easy to make a connection between the streets of places like Bushwick and Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn to his home of Belgrade, Serbia (where he first began shooting pictures in his career) because there he constantly saw starvation, violence, desperation. He said he's naturally drawn to this type of heavy reality.
Also in the interview Boogie said that he became friends with many of the folks he photographed in the book and would say yes to any request to document their lives. They would say things like, "Hey Boogie, wanna take pictures of us smoking crack?" And his answer would be "of course." "Hey Boogie, wanna take pictures of us with guns?" And his answer would be "of course."
When I first saw the photography book some months ago, I was attracted to its bold, yet disturbing images. It's amazing in so many regards, especially when you know people who live these lives. To this day when I look through it, I wonder how Boogie could take a picture of a kid brandishing a gun. Sometimes I just see the artistry and remember that he's an artist and this is what artists do. Sometimes I don't know what I feel, but I know I feel something. Something very intense.
Check out the photos. What do you think?
Comments: (8)
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By: Just Saying on 6/19/2007 2:50AM
You gotta love our Low Standards
We are a disgrace and now EVERYONE is joining in on the fun.
DON'T BLAME SOCIETY PEOPLE--DON'T BLAME SOCIETY
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By: Just Saying on 6/19/2007 4:09AM
I just went to the website, and the pictures compel you to TRY to think of a way to save these youth.
Being from the Bronx in New York alot of these images where even a surprise to me. There's a sense of hopelessness and despair, and a "that's just the way it is" attitude that blanket these communities.
The STRONGER bunch of us must stand up and VOCALIZE and tear down some of these NEGATIVE MENTALITIES these teenagers adhere to.
We should never create or allow a "that's just the way it is" mentality.
We send out these condoning messages in so many ways. We must find a way to reach these children even if it's by not allowing them to see themselves in the mass media, but focus on showing them what they COULD BE.
The other way has not worked. "keeping it real", rappers "telling it like it is", it somehow condones and sends a message it's ok--"I'm with cha"
Let these Teenagers know and feel that they are living an Alien life, and that Soceity has no place for their actions. They must become FUNCTIONAL.
Never convey "it's ok we can relate". Let them feel the negativity and the see that their actions isolate them and cements their destiny.
Let them see more Will Smith's, Oprah's and Raven Simones, and let them know they can do it too.
NEVER NEVER NEVER---RELATE TO IT.
Again, that hasn't worked.
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By: majeeda on 6/20/2007 11:33AM
HAVE MERCY ON THEIR SOULS......
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By: makeeda on 6/19/2007 9:32AM
Dear Lord have MERCY on their souls.........
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By: Richard on 6/20/2007 2:20AM
It's time for the people who support these fools to turn their backs on these low lifes. They terrorize their own communities and bring nothing positive to the table. It's time we turn these rag heads in and clean up our act. The time for blaming society is over. Lock up the thieves and throw away the key. It should be death to the murders. Enough is enough. I'm finished trying to reach the so called kids. It's time to drop the hammer on their sorry asses.
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By: septagus on 6/21/2007 5:48AM
I find this blog very interesting because there is very little that we american colored folks have to indenify with. Too bad for us, this is one!((((oH but not the middle class)))))
I'd like for you and who ever else that reads this blog and comment to go visit in my opinion one of the most political black rappers "not" out! www.myspace.com/deestrong162
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By: Lorraine Elijah Brown on 7/05/2007 1:49AM
I'll be more than happy to put my money in a program to clean up the mess. Give me names of non-profit foundation for your youths.
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By: eddie on 7/26/2007 1:42PM
Boogie's work is compelling. Just by looking at the photos you can see the despair and the helplessness these people feel. It grabs the daily lives of many people and with blatent disregard throws it in the face of mass media. More work like this needs to be done to let many people know what the hard knock life really is. So when people complain about their lives, and what they are living... they know it could be much worse.
www.myspace.com/theneptunes
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