Bias views on photographers from the Welsh Arts Council

I have just spoken to the welsh arts council with regards to funding I require in order to carry out a project this summer. I explained its historical and cultural relevance and how important it was to record such an issue. The nice lady I spoke to really seemed like she wanted to help, until I named my game - 'I am a documentary Photographer' I said. Upon saying such an evil sentence she returned this reply ' We do not give money to documentary photographers as its not an art form; it is journalism and there are to many of you out there. I know that photography is... you know, but we would not award the money for that I'm afraid... sorry, try a local paper or something like that to see if they will help'.

Now like I said, she was a nice lady and she does not set the rules, but, however, It seems a little bias that photography is shunned by local and national authorities and organizations; yet all other art forms are excepted. I even tried to explain that what I was doing was not photojournalism and would not be a number of images put together to create a narrative, but they are conceptual portraits. Alas, it was no use.

This whole process does concern me though, as living in Wales, I find it increasingly hard to gain any strong standing research or work surrounding such an important cultural issue as to the one I am trying to tackle and record. It leads me to think what else has been missed or lost in the past due to ignorance of a visual medium. I mean after all, I don't mean to sound like I'm putting down other art forms here, but not a sculpture, nor clay pot, nor poem, nor video installation would capture histories great tales like the photograph would, and does!

I'm not bitter about not getting the money [although it would have been nice and put an end to the search for financial help] but more towards the idea of what great work never makes it past the proposal stage... still at least the council commissioned some artist to make what looks like a giant stick and hoop and place it outside the city central library. THAT WAS WELL WORTH THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!

A quick suggestion

Listen to The Fire In My Head by Voice of the Seven Woods. It is one hell of a tune!!!!!!!!! The album is amazing too!

A giant creative mind!

I have been spending a great deal of time on the studio lately. This is due to a number of reasons, the major one being my latest body of work - 'Spy On Thy Neighbour'. With so much post producing, editing, and along with any attempts to create a good book and exhibition concept, that it just seems to suck up many hours a day; so I haven't had a chance to make as many pictures as I would like too... until now!

I like the way some projects just land on your doorstep. Now what I'm about to show you isn't really my style of work and it doesn't really have any indication towards my thought process when creating bodies of work, but it has given me the opportunity to make pictures and explore and study the surroundings of my little studio... ok,ok, I know, get to the point!

Well my studio is located in an old dance hall, a dance hall that has been converted into a number of 'artist' studios that are for hire on a non-profit basis (god bless!) and as you may imagine, it is a very messy building on the whole (except for my studio of course!). It shows many signs of artists work, be it from previous tenants and, of course, todays tenants. It has little indications, in every little space, in every little inch, in every little centimeter of the building that leads to the ideas of an artists thought process. Now, these thought processes are very hard to define, single out and narrow down to one particular artist but on the whole it is as if all of these little 'indications' are the creation of something bigger; it is now as if the building itself, is a giant think box and its interiors are the insides of a creative brain. A never clean, always thinking brain that consistently makes and creates ideas and concepts but often leaves such imaginations, such ideas and concepts half finished, yet never forgotten.

So here is the start of an exploration into a 'giant creative mind!' I have decided to shoot the project on polaroid. I felt it only right to use this 'single shot' process as to 'pay homage' toward the many ideas that are 'a fleeting moment in a creative mind'. A moment that can only be caught once, a moment that can never be recreated, nor take place again.

New York and the Super Furry Animals?!

As I'm sat in my studio listening to the track Frequency, from the ablum Love Craft by the Super Furry Animals, all I can think about is being back in NYC. Hanging out in the East Village and walking the High Line (pictured) with my girlfriend. The city haunts me [in a positive way] and I miss its energy. Even with a great deal of adventure ahead of me and my global travels just around the corner, I just can't seem to shake that city off my mind. It seems like another year will pass until I am back in the Big Apple. Still at least I will be living there for a year the next time! and not just making little trips of 3 weeks or so.

An excellent quote and even better; Food for thought.

I thought I should share this writing with you as it really stood out from a piece of text I read today.

"A text's unity lies not in its origin but in its destination" (Ronald barthes).

Progress on the CCTV series 'Spy on Thy Neighbour

I thought I would upload some new images that have been made for the CCTV project:

'Spy on Thy Neighbour', along with a few updates on the project.

My dear assistant spends many hours helping me post produce this series and I felt the little greek goddess should get a well deserved mention and even a picture to boot!

The wonderful Angie, also known as Greeky, working hard at the studio/office (pictured above)

Lay out concepts are coming in thick and fast!... Here is one of them. (pictured above)

I have managed to make a great deal of these images and the series is now coming along very well and will continue to do so as soon as this horrible british weather gives me a break!

If you don't know anything about this series then just scroll down the page to become enlightened!!

Let me know what you think?????