A past issue of Hamburger Eyes featured some really interesting photos from 1980s San Francisco by Michael Jang. Now WIRED has done an interview with him – that’s nice they chose to talk to someone in their own backyard! I didn’t know much about Michael Jang before I read the interview, but he seems to embody the healthiest parts of San Francisco culture, like a distrust of institutions and a willingness to try new things.
“Well, why would you [pursue galley shows]? Ego. If I haven’t had it in 30 years I don’t need my name out there. That’s a major drive for a lot of people who want a career. I can pick and choose what I want to do. We’ve all been to art gallery shows and it’s kind of a scene. Think about that. Why would you want to run your whole life for that? […] You get this freedom when you don’t have a reputation, you can do whatever you want.”
Jang’s latest project is shooting pictures of teenage garage bands. Read the whole thing to hear about the challenges this presented, and a story about shooting Castro’s army in Cuba.
link via weakmassive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AarJdh7ZwCE
I lived in his neighborhood in SF and one day a car pulled up behind me while I was walking and he yelled out, “HAMBURGER!” to get my attention.
The dude is a trip to hang out with, I love him to death. He has a really positive energy, a really great guy.