Art isn’t truth, but it helps us get there
The transcendental ability of photography to continue to live as time passes and transform, adding new layers of meaning, is one of the central themes in Jesse Boyd-Reid’s work. Sharing personal experiences, Jesse allows for the images to take new interpretations in a way providing a possibility for personal development through the changing emotional awareness.
Jesse refers to his recent and ongoing project, A small pool of white light, as a work that “has always been an evolving project that focuses on different expressions of life - be it birth, death, sex, belief, or everything that falls in between, and in that sense, it is all-encompassing.” Speaking about life, joy, relationships, and the connection to nature through the ordinary, in a distinctive way, Jesse eventually brings us closer to our own self-revelation and realization that happiness is closer than one might consider.
Jesse Boyd-Reid is a photographer from Melbourne, Australia. Jesse graduated from the Victorian College of Alts in Melbourne with a B.A in Fine Arts. In this interview, we explore his connection to his family, which became one of the main themes Jesse covers in his work. We speak about the impact of being born to a family of artists. We touch on the topic of photography from the angle of adding a layer of the staged image to real occurrences, discussing the desired end result. Jesse reveals the importance that nature holds for him and the way it affects his work.
‘Growing up in a family of artists has no doubt played a hand in my own artistic aspirations.’
Family
Being born to a family of artists and growing up in northern New South Wales, in what way do you think your family and surroundings influenced your decision to become a photographer?
Growing up in a family of artists has no doubt played a hand in my own artistic aspirations. I think when something as idealistic as art is given the space and admiration that it often isn’t afforded, it becomes a very hard vocation to go past. Who wouldn’t want to spend their lives asking questions?
How did this background shape themes you chose to research?
Beyond that, I would say that the spaces that I was brought up in helped shape me in a myriad of ways - I would be lying if I said otherwise. I am still to this day drawn to the subtropical landscapes of my childhood. My work itself has always been about family and connection. I am drawn to time-based projects, so I knew from the start of my photographic musings that I would be embarking on a long-term project that follows the ebb and flow of the lives of my loved ones. It also made sense in a practical manner to embark on a project like this with the people I am closest to, and so I began.
‘These days I am not shy about directing an image or a scene if it means I can more clearly convey the feelings that drive my practice. Art isn’t truth, but it helps us get there, and photography is a perfect illustration of this.’
Staged Image
It’s not a question raised any longer whether photography should document the real; however, there is still a line and a balance between observation of the real and editing of this reality to create a perfect frame. Observing the person and their actions, what might catch your eye? How would you translate it to a staged frame?
I think there is something very liberating in the realisation that the camera never tells the truth. When we can let go of these old hang-ups relating to truthfulness, there is a real sense of freedom; freedom from the constraints of reality or from the responsibilities of accurate depiction. These days I am not shy about directing an image or a scene if it means I can more clearly convey the feelings that drive my practice. Art isn’t truth, but it helps us get there, and photography is a perfect illustration of this.
Person and Nature
In your work, you explore the intrinsic connection of the human with nature and with each other. Documenting these types of relationships, what were the main questions you raised, and what remains unanswered for you?
In a way, I knew from the beginning that the questions I had were perhaps not actually questions because they were unanswerable, but rather prompts. These prompts serve a purpose in giving myself direction. Personally, I am interested in the manner in which nature shapes us, and in turn, is shaped by us - not just in a literal sense though, that is sometimes the case, but spiritually or emotionally too.
‘One of the joys of collating a series of images in this manner over a long period of time is the opportunity to contrast different images against each other and to breathe new life into older works.’
A small pool of white light
It appears that the main topic of interest for you is life itself in all its forms and manifestations. The images depict stages in a person's life, relationships, queerness, nature as an additional form of life. Could you walk us through the main focus, the point that connected the images in this series to a narrative?
I think that is a very apt description actually. For me, at its core, A small pool of white light has always been an evolving project that focuses on different expressions of life - be it birth, death, sex, belief, or everything that falls in between, and in that sense, it is all-encompassing. This series of images, like life itself, doesn’t follow a fixed narrative. Over time the narrative may change course slightly, but the sentiment remains the same. That said, there are continuing investigations that run deep within it, such as the relationships and connection of the people I move through life with. One of the joys of collating a series of images in this manner over a long period of time is the opportunity to contrast different images against each other and to breathe new life into older works - this method often presents an opportunity for additional layers of meaning to be instilled and allows for a more nuanced reading.
As for how the work is read, I have never aspired for it to be prescriptive; rather, I want it to be an open-ended and expansive body of work that ruminates on what it means to be alive. If that sounds too wafty, I have failed to describe it properly because it’s quite simple really: it’s a personal account of a life lived fully, of connection and of spirit and of the joys and sorrows that are inherent in all our lives. Photography has an amazing ability to transform the personal into something universal. Through photographing my own loved ones as we move through our own lives, I hope my work can hint at the shared experiences we all encounter.
Self-Discovery
How do you think photography helps an individual to learn about oneself and their connection with the outer world? What was your biggest revelation brought about by the experience of working on a frame or going through your archive and looking back?
One of the things that never ceases to amaze me about photography is that it is essentially a free ticket for exploration. You can use it as an excuse to explore any situation, feeling, or idea that you can conjure up in your mind. When I look back over my own archives, I am amazed at where it has taken me – and I don’t mean just physically, because it has definitely taken me to places I would never have been to otherwise, but emotionally and artistically too, and for that, I am infinitely grateful.
Next Steps
What project are you working on or planning as the next one?
That is top secret, but dear friend, you will be the first to know ☺
