IESEF January '14

IESEF January, 2014

Blu-Ray, IMAX. It’s that time of year again. What’s your resolution? What have you resolved not to lose your resolve over this year?

Smoking? Weight-loss? That’s cool.. For me, I’m resolving to pour more of my soul into becoming who and what I want to become than I ever have. Pushing harder, being smarter. Not only sticking to my guns but shooting them. What’s a marksman with no rounds down range?

You’re reading the manifestation of the first clip/ cupful. The IESEF Zine started as a “lil’ sumn sumn” for me to get my art and my vision “out there”, since that first issue, my mentality towards it has changed quite a bit. I’ve shifted from “here’s some art” to “here’s IESEF, one of the realest and best motherfuckers doin’ this shit right now, get familiar”. So with that shift, IESEF will be bigger, badder, better than ever. ...Because as we all know, you can’t just talk about it.

You have to be about it.

Thank you for getting familiar.

-IESEF

Prints?

Commissions?

Collaborations?

MemphisIesef@gmail.com

“453” Memphis, TN 2013

Growing up with the dainty ring of the Mr. Roger’s trolley in mind, the first thing that hit me is how loud they actually are.

With no piano accompaniment they rumble, whir, rattle, whine their way in and out of downtown’s shadows.

“SmokedTurkeyLeg” Orange Mound, Memphis, TN 2013

Normalcy is something that is completely relative.

The sooner that’s realized, the better off you’ll be.

“UrbanIditarod” Midtown, Memphis, TN 2013

“Sheena” Memphis, TN 2013

Can I keep it one hunnid’? Portraiture has always been something I scoffed at. I never took it serious because I felt it wasn’t “real”. My long held opinion was quickly changed by both good literature (Thank you Based Parks and Leibovitz) and the urge to be in control.

Not control in the sense of controlling another person or scene but controlling what is put out there for public consumption. What I consider normal is, in my opinion, poorly represented. I can change that.

“Fluid” Memphis, TN 2013

“TheBuff” The Gulch, Nashville, TN 2013

Untitled Downtown, Memphis, TN 2013

In 2013 I spent a lot of time learning the history of my craft. Who did what and how they did it. First thing I “discovered” is that it has all been done before. Nah, it has. ..And I’ll venture to say that if it hasn’t, there’s good reason for that. The first thing relates directly to the second “discovery”; William Eggleston. Looking through his catalog was as if I were looking through my own and I felt connected to another artist in a way that I never had been prior to that or since.

I found inspiration in his artistic stubbornness..

I found relief in the fact he didn’t “blow up” until he was in his late 30’s..

I found motivation in the fact that my emails to the Eggleston Trust went unanswered.

“NoHiLites” Memphis, TN 2013

Free BETOR.

“Riches” Memphis, TN 2013

Document the ‘hood.

A major award as well as an inside job.

Taps heard played softly.

“BahHumbug” Memphis, TN 2012

“AutumnEnding” Memphis, TN 2013

“Setting” Memphis, TN 2013

There’s a certain peace that accompanies the roar of wind through opened car windows. Coat-less and hat-less at 60 miles per hour with a camera focused to infinity. A rare and temperate treat being that it was November.

Untitled Hickory Ridge Mall, Memphis, TN 2013

Jungle Old Forest, Memphis, TN 2013

Levitate Ryan Haskett Minglewood Hall, Memphis, TN 2013

“Marching�

Whitehaven, Memphis, TN 2013

2014 Less Posting More Doing

Memphis Soul Collective

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Copyright IESEF, 2014