Photography is an Obsession
Jan Khür’s work is an act of observation locating the undeniably remarkable elements in the surrounding environment. Through deeply personal portraits to the touching landscapes, the whirl of emotion is discharged. Through the unfamiliar places and unacquainted people, the viewer touches on the well-known emotional aspect - the human understanding of the
presented context. With his photography, Jan takes notes as if opposing the possibility of forgetting the unique moment, the peculiar scenery, the abrupt ray of light which suddenly lits up an element in the composition. The photos are a dialogue with the viewer - through silent questions, the wait is for the silent answer and interpretation.
Jan Khür is a photographer originally from the Czech Republic, currently located in Oslo, Norway. Jan is a founder of Norwegian Photography Now, a platform that connects local artists and allows to present their work to wider audiences. As Jan explains, “NPN is filling the gap with the aim to centralize the efforts of other photography-related platforms into one more accessible space.” We speak with Jan about his decision to move to Oslo and the naturalization process, his girlfriend and a fellow photographer Julie Hrnčířová. We touch on themes like what stands behind finding an appealing subject for the photograph, the drive behind the creation, and the challenges emerging photographers face today.
‘My 'hometown' will forever be Český Krumlov. This medieval town sitting on a river, Vltava, is a magical place filled with history. I moved there to study photography when I was 15.’
The Beginning
You were born in the Czech Republic, where you also completed your Bachelor’s in Photography. Why did you decide to move and stay in Oslo, Norway?
I came to Norway for the first time in 2010 as an exchange student. Those were quite a few coincidences that got me to a small place called Volda on the west coast of Norway. There is a really strange light there, very long sunsets. The more north you go in the summer, the less of the night you get, and the sun never sets. I find it fascinating.
At that time, I didn't think that I would end up living in Oslo years later. Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun's opening sentence in Hunger is: “It was in those days when I wandered about hungry in Kristiania, that strange city which no one leaves before it has set its mark upon him.” I can relate to those words, and Oslo can be a tough place to move to and start from scratch or to feel like you belong. At the same time, things grow on you, and the friends you get here are for life. I think I can stand these long winter nights just because of those few days when I am driving down on a bike in Oslo’s empty streets, going to swim in the fjord at 3 a.m., or sleeping in the hammocks out in the forest with my best friend.
What are the two things you miss the most about your hometown?
I was born in Bohemia, in the south of the Czech Republic. My 'hometown' will forever be Český Krumlov. This medieval town sitting on a river, Vltava, is a magical place filled with history. I moved there to study photography when I was 15. It’s like time travel, walking through the town, you see the time reflecting in the architecture of the houses: from Gothic first floors to Renaissance second floors and a Baroque theatre just next to the castle gardens, which are open to everyone these days (not just the royals).
Krumlov is a popular Unesco heritage site, and people travel here from all over the world. I miss meeting random people every day. While studying, I worked in a Medieval restaurant called Two Maries, which was extremely popular and it was a magnet for travelers. I was wearing a funny linen shirt, learning fragments of English, and was extremely eager to go to all the places in the world those people came from. These days I miss friends and family in general, especially now it's been a long time since I got to see them in person. It feels like I am losing the connection somehow, which I really don't want to happen.
‘I thought it would be interesting to start a new and more tangible platform for artists: to show work, connect with the public, and create this dialogue where Norwegian photography is going.’
Norwegian Photography Now
As a founder of the platform that features Norwegian photographers from around the world, you support artists with print publications and exhibitions.
Norwegian Photography Now started as an answer to my attempt to write a Master’s thesis with a goal to map contemporary Norwegian photography. I visited libraries, galleries, and bookshops in Norway. I tried to see what current trends are here: who is publishing zines, books, which new galleries are opening, mapping the photo festivals in Oslo. I wanted to know if there is a certain common visual language. Journalistic and documentary photography is quite well represented, but I felt that there was a lack of representation of an underground scene and independent publishing houses. I wanted to look at some less established galleries, but I found it quite difficult.
In Oslo, there are some great galleries, for example, MELK or Fotogalleriet. As a gallery, you have a limited number of exhibitions each year, and it's for artists who have established themselves already. Exhibitions are planned out for years ahead, and there is time for only a limited amount of them. I thought it would be interesting to start a new and more tangible platform for artists: to show work, connect with the public, and create this dialogue where Norwegian photography is going.
NPN is filling the gap with the aim to centralize the efforts of other photography-related platforms into one more accessible space, presenting artists mostly digitally through interviews, Instagram takeovers, short videos, and a photo book library online.
The online platform and SoMe give us more flexibility and allow us to show different approaches to photography in one place, centralizing photo openings, talks, and different kinds of events related to the photography scene in Norway, so it's easier for the public to follow up. It started small, but it seems the public appreciates what we are doing, and artists and other art institutions want to collaborate. At this moment, it's me and my co-worker Jon who are behind this project. Since we both have foreign backgrounds, we aim to export Norwegian photographers out of Norway as well.
What do you think are the main elements that help an emerging photographer to succeed commercially?
I think what helps emerging photographers to succeed in general is access! I find it quite important after leaving school. It is very hard to continue working on your personal projects because you lose access to the workshop, scanner, darkroom, support from institutions, and dialogue with students and professors. Suddenly you also miss a place where you can show your work. For some photographers, it can be hard to self-promote themselves online or be able to exhibit in galleries. NPN hopes to help with those things and build possibilities.
Could you name two Norwegian artists you featured on the platform with a sentence of why you were interested in their work?
We featured Christian André Strand on NPN some months ago. He is one of my favorites. His sense of color and light is amazing, and I enjoy his love for photo books and old cars. Right now, we started publishing new videos from our library with photo books. Espen Iden is a talented artist. Making photography books is one of his ongoing projects. I love his diaries, it's really close to my own practice, and we swapped a book recently, which made me happy.
‘A camera is a tool that opens doors, and suddenly you are in someone's life.’
The Subject
One theme that is evolving with and is included in your work, from personal projects to commercial photography, is the honest approach to represent the subject. The end-result offers what seems to be an authentic view of the person in a frame. What interests you the most in photographing people and what helps in catching the perfect frame?
It’s nice you say this. It's true that I am most happy about the pictures if they are honest and real. I think what interests me the most about photographing people is people themselves. A camera is a tool that opens doors, and suddenly you are in someone's life. Taking their photographs gives you a chance to ask them all kinds of questions. It's really exciting! I usually have a hard time to stop talking and actually start taking photos.
Spending time with people I am portraying, learning something from them, not rushing is how I like to work. If we can experience something together, go for a walk or eat lunch, that's perfect. I want to be a slow working photographer, to focus on the atmosphere in the images, feeling, and vibe rather than perfection. It makes me happy that people are slowly becoming aware of the power of not over-retouched photographs, especially in the commercial world. But there is probably still a long way to go before people will be shown as they are.
‘The common life of two creative people depends on the energy that they have and also their egos. I don't think, for example, that a relationship where envy and competition would arise could work well.’
Relationship
You moved to Oslo together with your Julie Hrnčířová who is also a photographer. What are the pros and cons of sharing your work before publication with a fellow photographer?
I moved to Oslo some years before her. I got to know Julie 6 or 7 years ago via Tumblr, where we followed each other's work. We were online friends, sharing mostly music, and it took some years before we met in person and started dating. Then, she moved to Oslo from Arles, France, where she studied towards her Master's in Photography.
Living together with another photographer is mostly a positive thing for me. We constantly support each other and talk about our work honestly, more than with anyone else. She gives me drive, and she is always the first one to tell me what she thinks. I started to like photography even more after we met, sort of like a second breath. The common life of two creative people depends on the energy that they have and also their egos. I don't think, for example, that a relationship where envy and competition would arise could work well. Often we photograph on the same camera and lose track of who shot what. Sometimes we do projects together, and we sign both under it. Some of my projects wouldn't be the same without collaboration with her.
‘Photography is a big part of my life. I can't imagine being without it. It doesn't really matter to me if my images are popular with others even though I enjoy sharing them. It's a sort of obsession.’
The Drive
What is your main passion in photography or what drives you to continue working?
When I started to study photography at the art high school, it completely changed who I was. When I was 15 years old, I moved to live alone in a collective and began to meet new creative people who accepted me as I was and supported me. Somehow I felt I could be good at photography, and in a way, it saved me. It was the first time in my life that I had this feeling, and I decided, whatever happens, I will be a photographer. That was many years ago, and I still have the need to take photographs.
At the time, I picked up an old Konica Big Mini at a flea market for 2 Euros. It’s a point-and-shoot film camera with a hard flash. From the photos, I created my first handmade book (with pink fur as a cover) about my friend Simon for a school assignment. Since this moment photographing everyday life, closest friends, girlfriends, travel, or found objects became natural. Especially taking pictures of plants, fruits and vegetables are my favorites. There is nothing like a picture of morning dew on a head of cabbage blown up to a 1,5-meter handprint.
Every now and then, I get the need to put these into a zine or make a Riso print. When I print books, it feels like I am closing some chapters. It is not necessarily a chronological diary, but it's rather fragments of things I would like to remember. Compared to exhibiting my work, which is only a temporary event, I prefer to create an object, which lasts and I can give to people. Photography is a big part of my life. I can't imagine being without it. It doesn't really matter to me if my images are popular with others even though I enjoy sharing them. It's a sort of obsession, and I get so happy when I see my pictures come to life.
Upcoming Projects
What’s the next thing we’ll see from you?
These days I spend a lot of time in my studio working on re-scanning my pictures from one year when I lived in Indonesia. I never had time to do this properly, and it would be nice to make a little book out of it. It's been a tough time for everyone, so planning new projects became more sad than fun as most of our plans got canceled.
I am glad for a chance to stop for a little bit, relax, and work on personal projects. With NPN, we also got more time to work on new ideas and goals that we set up for it. We reached out to a lot of people as showcasing photography became difficult. The aim is to present photographers at least online and through videos for now.
