James Gregory Atkinson

James is a good boy. He is living the typical life of a creative mind whose habitat is Berlin Neukölln. His art is in complete contrast with the surroundings he inhabits – beautiful, harmonious and placid. James Gregory Atkinson also has a typical goal for emerging artists – recognition and limitless expression.  He already laid another milestone to achieve that – his latest group exhibition Liminal Work curated by Doireann O’Malley and Suvi Lehtinen (more info in the bottom of the interview) We met right before I left for the holidays and the start of his exhibition to talk about photography, his mother and his love for Berlin (and others) The amazing photo of James shoot is courtesy of Izabela Mac Van.

When did you start with photography and why?

I started dressing up, inspired by artists like Cindy Sherman, Leigh Bowery and Claude Cahun…, for random party performances back in Frankfurt.  That is where I lived before I came to Berlin. I documented dressing up with photographs, but my main influence, I would say, was the film and music videos of the 90s. They have strongly influenced me and my work. I have tried different media and have discovered that photography, particularly staged photography, is the most suitable media with which to realize what I want to express, although I am very keen on working more with moving images because they offer  more in which to explore my subjects of interest. I have discovered that sound and movement can be two very powerful, and potentially more refined, forces of expression.

How do you develop the idea for a photo series – what is the creative process?

It always starts up with an impulse. Its nothing I plan, it happens – I don’t think about it, I just feel it.  Then I start researching, letting myself be inspired by texts, photo material, sketches, films and songs. This is a process that can take months until the actual shoot takes place. After I have developed a script or storyboard, I start building up a team who I would like to work with and who relate well to the project. My usually small crew, of like 5 to 6 people supporting the projects are essential because I do staged work a shoot can not be achieved by one person alone.

Your mother is also part of your art – tell me about your connection to her.

Yes, I did a self-portrait with her that shows a deep mother daughter relationship where she is combing my hair and I play the role of the daughter that she never had. I have two brothers, so she has always been the only woman in the Atkinson family.

My mother comes from a big family with 9 sisters and brothers, six girls and three boys. The women of my family have inspired me in so many ways because they are all very strong individuals and interesting characters. This is also one of the reasons why I have chosen to work only with women throughout this chapter of my work.

Soon there will be a series with my mother and one of her sisters. I am working on it right now. They look like twins but their characters are like day and night.  The new series deals with the woman as the genesis of the human nature, the so-called Urmutter.

Your photographs look far from reality but not in an organic way. Describe the world that your work reflects.

My main interest does not lie in capturing a moment. Therefore, my photographic work walks the thin line between photography and scenography. Which means that I create worlds and illustrate the mental microcosms in them. The human being has been the main subject-matter in my works for more than 4 years: the human, humanity and the shady sides of human existence. Other central issues I discuss in my work are the vulnerability of people and nature, the human need for protection and warmth, love and understanding, but also the often crude realities of aggression, power, pain and fear.

What techniques and cameras do you use?

I almost exclusively work analogue. I have a couple of cameras but the ones I truly treasure are my Bauer c2a and my Mamiya rz 67. In photography and film I have worked with double and multiple exposures as well as over and under exposures, different film materials, development process food, diverse types of paper and other forms of presentation forms to express myself. So one could call my techniques experimental or freestyle even though I prefer not to use these terms or classifications.

What do you do to rest from photography?

I never rest from photography. My head is always functioning and in a working reception mode. I am a very visual person. I love to observe people and their behavior wherever I go. Sometimes I catch myself staring at people like as if I was watching a film. This is why I love living in Neukölln, there are so many interesting people in my neighborhood. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in this city. It is the most authentic place in Berlin you can find. I am in love with it’s urban decay  whereas Mitte or Prenzlauer Berg seem more like a staged reality to me, and NOT in a good way, a bad way, a Disney way.

Who do you want to collaborate with?

Who I choose to work with is based on intuition just like the concepts for my work. I think of what will be a fruitful collaboration. Similar topics and/or working styles and aesthetics are of great importance.  At the moment I could imagine working with the Berlin based  Irish artist Doireann O’Malley. Our works share something and we get along quite well in a non-art context as well. In January I will take part in a two week artist collaboration project, where I will work with an artist who I don’t know, he/she can come from any field of art such as painting, sculpture, and so on. We will have two weeks to work on a concept and finish a piece which will then be exhibited at smartloft apartments and art in Berlin. This project is curated and developed by the American artist Kate Hers.

Who do you want to pose for you and what will the photo shoot with this person look like?

For my next project I would really love to work with Alessio Bonaccorsi, we are going to meet really soon. I have never really spoken with him face to face but have always admired his amazing persona from far away. All I know is that he works at Barbie Deinhoffs. What I have planned stays a secret until my next show so just stay tuned.

What do you do to pay the bills?

At the moment I work for the American conceptual artist Adrian Piper at the APRA Foundation in Berlin and sometimes I pay the bills, but sometimes I don’t. (laughs)

Do you plan on staying long in Berlin or do you see a possible artistic future in the US for you?

I love Berlin. It is definitely one of my favorite cities to live in in Germany, but I can see my artistic feature anywhere. The work is more important than the place I live in. I am not bound to Berlin nor Germany. Let’s see what the future brings.

“LIMINAL WORK”

James Gregory Atkinson; Aleesa Cohene & Benny Nemerofsky Ramsay; Martin Kohout; Xavier Stentz; Sienna Shields in collaboration with Oskar Agnes Tarplee & Grace O. Smith; Jarkko Räsänen; Voin de Voin

Curated by Doireann O’Malley and Suvi Lehtinen

Exhibition opening times: 4.1.2011 – 29.1.2011  | Tue – Sat 13.00 – 19.00

Galerie Suvi Lehtinen

Novalisstrasse 7

10999 Berlin

www.galerielehtinen.com